Humble pie

4.1k · September 2, 2008

A lesson in humility!

We were out benchmarking today and tried to recover a benchmark we had made a couple of attempts on prior to our efforts today. We read the description again and carefully measured the distance from the main highway. There was a track road going off in the correct direction, so we followed it for the approximate distance needed. We looked all around the area to locate the describe "oval mound of outcropping bedrock" of the correct size. We spotted what looked like the best of the bedrock outcrops. I drove over to a spot that look like an easy ascent and parked close to it. We double checked the distances from the ends of the outcrop and then got out of the truck and made our ascent.

This was the second time climbing this particular mound and looking for this benchmark. Being experienced benchmark hunters we read the description and then climbed the mound and tried to determine where the measurement were made from and to where on this mound. The mound was the correct size in the correct location, so we knew that the benchmark was there on that mound.

Humble pie sure has a flavor all its own!

After looking around on top of the mound the measurement in the description just didn't ring true. The disk would have to be hanging over the edge if the measurement was correct and there were no sharp edges to this mound. The description says "45.7 METERS (149.9 FT) WEST OF THE EAST END OF THE ROCK OUTCROP", but this mound is only 150 feet wide on the east - west axis!

We started back down the mound to go back to the truck and reread the description again and Shirley asks "Is that it down there shining?" Sure enough, that was it! Here is a picture of the humbling part of this hunt. It is not on top of the mound and I almost parked on it. We walked within 10 feet of it when we made our ascent.

N 505 reminded us that we don't know it all about recovering those marks that are located in plain sight.

Anyone else care to have a slice of pie?

John

7.9k · September 2, 2008

OH, YES!

I don't recall the specific marks (probably mentally blanking out the details) but I know I've done the exact same thing more than once!

In the one case I do recall, the station mark was stated to be xx feet north of the track road (we pulled up and spotted it immediately), and the reference mark (both of these were concrete monuments with substantial projection) was stated to be some 200 feet at xxx azimuth. After getting photos and co-ordinates of the station mark, I headed off up the gentle slope through the cactus and scrub looking for the RM. I didn't find it. I spent a good 20 minutes casting back and forth in the area where I KNEW the monument HAD to be. Eventually I gave up and headed back down-slope to get on the track road to go back to the JEEP in defeat. As I approached the road some 200 feet ahead of where I parked, there was the RM, about 20 feet off the road and easily seen while driving past! :sad: :sad: