Your Best/Favorite Benchmarking pictures.

[kayakbird]

This has to be the most colorful chiseled post with lichens in Utah.

 

 

M on 1903 LEVEL RUN OGDEN, UTAH to AZUSA, WYO

[+_dxd_]

I was in Oregon and Washington for a few days, mostly sightseeing, but did find a very few caches and benchmarks. Unfortunately, I can't find these in the GS or the NGS database. Disk in photo is stamped GLO 1956 No 1, view is west towards the North Head Lighthouse, WA. Nearby USACE disk marked NO HEAD L OFFSET which some people are logging for the lighthouse and a plain disk stamped USLHS No 1 and under a scratched-in arrow, No 2 59 F. I know there were a lot of others around, but I was sightseeing.

 

 

This place is pretty cool, too. The mark is the top of the dome.

 

[AZcachemeister]

 

This place is pretty cool, too. The mark is the top of the dome.

 

 

And two physical disks nearby as well.

I could kick myself for not recovering these the last time I was up there...

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Great pictures!!

 

I have been meaning to post a couple from our trip to those benchmarks that were in the wrong county Beaver instead of Iron. I haven't gone and checked yet to see if those have been corrected yet. -- one of these days......

 

Here is one for Kayak Bird - a big area of Lichen!

 

I told John that we had to get a picture of all that color!

 

Then John got to one that the witness post was VERY short. Here I got the perfect shot!

 

Sand and gravel flying, while I was lazing away taking pictures.

 

I loved this area. I just wish that the rain had held off until we were done and gone from the area. We had to cut short our adventures each day.....but we still had tons of fun.

 

We even went and poked around some old pit mines and took some great pictures.

 

Don't forget to post some pictures now that the weather has cooled off enough to get out there again! It is just beautiful around here now.

 

Shirley~

[TillaMurphs]

The forum seems to have been pretty dead in the last couple days. We are resorting to putting up a few photos from our trip to find LOAF and other marks southward this summer.

 

 

.

 

 

The view from the little cabin we stayed at (in Waldport, on the Oregon Coast):

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of a FULL day of benchmarking there is nothing like finding this just outside the rolled down window of the truck:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bridge at Waldport just before turning in for the night:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a wonderful trip; finding benchmarks in the ocean (literally) and in the mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

QE2542 was where we found the station disk and reference disks in the in the ocean:

 

 

 

[+LSUFan]

At the end of a FULL day of benchmarking there is nothing like finding this just outside the rolled down window of the truck:

 

 

Ok, I am now officially jealous. As if the benchmark pics weren't bad enough, you just have to go ahead and rub this in our face. We don't have any A&W's around here anymore, much less a real drive-in one.

Edited November 16, 2011 by LSUFan

[TillaMurphs]

 

Ok, I am now officially jealous. As if the benchmark pics weren't bad enough, you just have to go ahead and rub this in our face. We don't have any A&W's around here anymore, much less a real drive-in one.

 

However… you do have this type of drive-in: definitely something we don’t have up here:

In Ruston, Louisiana you can get margaritas at a drive through!

(To stay on topic, we found this in May while searching for QE2592 and CQ2593)

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

We recently traveled to Tucson to visit our Daughter and Son-in-Law and 2 Grandkids. While there we dragged everyone to go look for benchmarks and Challenges that I though everyone would enjoy. We all had tons of fun.

 

The first pictures are of things we saw while trying to find DUO784 - K 22 . A no find, but not a bad day at all.

First several cactus in the area....

 

 

 

Then a covey of quails went running....

 

 

Then we went to several Challenges for the Grandkids and then went for buried treasure with CZ2380 - D 61 that other benchmark hunters had not found,

 

This was great fun due to trying to find it with a screwdriver without the metal detector first. All of us were intent at pacing off from the fence and poking at the ground. Then John went back to the truck for the detector and our Daughter downloaded a metal detector to her cell phone (it didn't work). John got back and with a few sweeps, it sounded off nicely. The kids poked and pulled the dirt away with their hands so we could get a picture of the gaging station.

 

 

 

I could bore you with the pictures of our Grandkids, but you are in luck. I won't unless you insist.

 

The next few pictures are of the day John had with kayakbird at Lee's Ferry. I did not get to meet kayakbird and John forgot to take his picture, darn. But, John got some good shots of other things....

 

 

 

 

What are all of those specks, you might ask.....

 

The next picture will tell all....

 

Edited November 24, 2011 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

[Wintertime]

Then we went to several Challenges for the Grandkids

What are "Challenges for the Grandkids"? Is that some scouting or church activity program for grandparents and their grandchildren?

 

I could bore you with the pictures of our Grandkids, but you are in luck. I won't unless you insist.

How about if we insist on two or three?

 

Very scenic photos, thanks!

 

Patty

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Then we went to several Challenges for the Grandkids

What are "Challenges for the Grandkids"? Is that some scouting or church activity program for grandparents and their grandchildren?

 

I could bore you with the pictures of our Grandkids, but you are in luck. I won't unless you insist.

How about if we insist on two or three?

 

Very scenic photos, thanks!

 

Patty

 

I should have said Geocaching Challenges that Groundspeak has allowed people to post that are a little similar to virtual caches.

 

A proud Granny will upload a couple of pictures in just a few minutes...... Thanks for the chance to show them off. Now how about you? Have any pictures you would like to share of family on an outing?

 

Shirley~

Our Grandson with Grandpa at the Mini Stonehenge that we made into a Geocache Challenge - Stonehenge Solstice Sun Circle.

 

 

And our little 3 year old Granddaughter sitting at the bottom of one of the monoliths

 

.

Edited November 24, 2011 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

[TillaMurphs]

 

It is hard to get a sense of scale - about how tall is this cactus?

 

Great pictures - thanks for sharing!

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

 

It is hard to get a sense of scale - about how tall is this cactus?

 

Great pictures - thanks for sharing!

 

That one was about 2 1/2 ft. tall and just as big around. It was an oldie. And thank you. It is fun to share.

 

Shirley~

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Bumping this up to see if anyone has taken pictures lately..............

[jbuffethed]

Recent trip to Arlington National Cemetery - HV3621

 

Designation:

ARLINGTON CEMETERY LEE MANSION

Marker Type:

flagpole

 

[+edexter]

Doing a little caching north of Boston and we came across this view. Ship is about ten miles away.

[kayakbird]

No lichens, but some neat history

 

http://smoter.com/flooddam/swastika.htm

 

ABANDONED CANAL & BRIDGE SE END LAGUNA DAM

 

The specks of blue marking paint at BOUNDARY PT A LAGUNA DAM were not seen in the field - and yes it does rain in the desert.

Yuma recorded over an inch that day!

 

NW END LAGUNA DAM

 

IMPERIAL DAM SPILLWAY

 

Not an extra drop getting away to Mexico today. kayakbird

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Bump and test to see if this looks ok.

 

Yah Rah! It is only that NGS thread.

Edited January 6, 2012 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Wow! Now that the picture issue and the crazy look of posts in the NGS thread issue are corrected, I feel good about posting pictures now.

 

We went to St. George, UT. and then to Las Vegas last weekend. Had a blast. It was just a 2 night thing but got a little benchmarking and caching in.

 

Here is one north of Vegas at the Apex turnoff. We were surprised that we had missed this one. U 399

 

I just love when they put the white letters and numbers in front....

 

Then I love this one I took of John at the old historic Washington County Courthouse. It was built in 1886. N 58

 

We really enjoy having the large pictures once more!

 

So, post some, please. I do not care if they are not even close by the benchmark finds. Just any that are interesting.

 

Thanks.

 

Shirley~

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Ok, we had a nice spell of weather, so we stopped by Cameron, AZ. to see if this one mark had uncovered itself enough to get a picture. Sure enough it did.

 

The mark is G 6

 

Picture was taken through a fence.

 

This is the fence.

 

 

And an artistic view down the old historic bridge.

 

 

We sure had fun stopping by here once more.

 

Anyone else gotten any good pictures lately?

 

Shirley~

[foxtrot_xray]

Anyone else gotten any good pictures lately?

So were you able to get any of the OLD US89 bridge down there - SE of the new current bridge? (I doubt it, since there's no stations down over that way, but thought I'd ask!)

 

--Mike.

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Anyone else gotten any good pictures lately?

So were you able to get any of the OLD US89 bridge down there - SE of the new current bridge? (I doubt it, since there's no stations down over that way, but thought I'd ask!)

 

--Mike.

 

If you mean the big truck secondary route, it is now closed off and posted as "No Trespassing". So, to us, that is off limits.

 

Shirley~

[foxtrot_xray]

If you mean the big truck secondary route, it is now closed off and posted as "No Trespassing". So, to us, that is off limits.

Oh, sorry. I couldn't see the 'no trespassing' signs in Google Earth. Just the old pavement and bridge.

[kayakbird]

Shirley & all,

 

A few hi-graded out 500 plus from my recent road trip across southern Arizona:

 

BEST RR BRIDGE

 

BEST MOUNTAIN

 

BABOQUIVARI PEAK can be seen in the back ground of 16 of the next 43 recoveries - last from SOPORI 28 miles to the east;

 

which had the best bearing to its AZ, but the worst distance. USGS K 54 1934

 

BEST RECENT OCCUPATION

 

BEST CAMOUFLAGED RR RIVET

 

BEST SUNSET; and a recently uncapped Monel rivet!

 

BESY 'USE THE CALLS, DUMMY'; however, this CHISELED SQUARE RM has no call to or from K 79, which remains NOT FOUND.

 

BEST 'EVERYTHING BITES,

 

BEST ACCIDENTAL; stumbled over hiking back from above - 1550 ft SW of DS.

 

BEST 'FIXED'; I know of about fifty clean breaks that could be RENEWED like this one.

 

Anybody got any snowy backgrounds to remind me to not head back north too fast? kayakbird

 

PS for Tillamurphs: wish DX4993 wasn't so far out of my way!

Edited February 6, 2012 by kayakbird

[TillaMurphs]

 

PS for Tillamurphs: wish DX4993 wasn't so far out of my way!

Heh, Heh, Heh. Sharp eye you have there kayakbird.

 

 

Anybody got any snowy backgrounds to remind me to not head back north too fast? kayakbird

We had one find in the snow last week. However, there was not enough white stuff to scare you off, so take your time.

 

 

Cool RR bridge photo.

 

Also, I really like the uncovered rivet. How fortunate.

[southpawaz]

 

View of Four Peaks taken yesterday from the site of DU2034 CAMP on Pine Mountain northeast of Phoenix.

[kayakbird]

A great day with the Joshua's.

 

NEAR MEADVIEW AZ

 

GRAND WASH CLIFFS TO THE NE

 

MAIN ROAD

 

ABANDONED ROAD

 

SNOW! I'm going the wrong direction!

 

Enjoy, kayakbird

[kayakbird]

Well, had camera operator error on a couple of snow shots so lichens are my fallback option:

 

Itty Bitty 'X' - Itty Bitty Lichens

 

 

Great Lichens - great Mystery

 

CSI - who over stamped the elevation

 

 

Snow birding road trip is about over - great diversity of marks and mysteries. Back to a few MORC's and maybe another bunch of missile era marks. MEL

[kayakbird]

Well, had camera operator error on a couple of snow shots so lichens are my fallback option:

 

Itty Bitty 'X' - Itty Bitty Lichens

 

 

Great Lichens - great Mystery

 

CSI - who over stamped the elevation

 

 

Snow birding road trip is about over - great diversity of marks and mysteries. Back to a few MORC's and maybe another bunch of missile era marks. MEL

[+billwallace]

Here are a few from my hike to San Jose Reset in the Los Padres National Forest.

 

Forced myself to take a couple of days off (one to recuperate) - after a long benchmark dry-spell and too much work makin' bill a dull boy. There's only one bad thing about finding a mark - you can't lust after it anymore. Fortunately I ran out of time and and will have to go back to look for the 1948 azimuth mark.

 

About a mile along the trail looking back. Pretty descent jeep trail for the first couple miles.

 

 

1962 Azimuth - view SSW

 

View SW from near 1962 azimuth mark

 

Colour !!! Anyone know what this is?

 

There were a few cool rock formations - this one wasn't guarded by too much manzanita and scrub

 

And finally, a pic from the station

[+Harry Dolphin]

I was looking at logs on some benchmarks that I had found, and found this great picture of CJ0864 FORT SUMTER FLAGPOLE NEW

 

 

Thanks NorthWes!

[kayakbird]

Great Photo angle. Thanks Harry Dolphin for high-lighting NorthWes's talent.

 

This forum has been short of history recently:

 

2. THE FLAGPOLE MONUMENT. Monument to Major Anderson and his garrison, erected under bequest of Major Anderson's daughter, Eba Anderson Lawton, accepted by act of Congress, approved May 11, 1928. The inscription at the base of the flagpole reads: "In honor of Major Robert Anderson and the 128 men of his command who for 34 hours April 12—13, 1861, withstood the destructive bombardment of Fort Sumter and withdrew with the honors of war. The War of Secession began here." The figure "128" includes the 43 workmen who helped man the guns during the bombardment.

 

http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/hh/12/hh12t.htm

 

kayakbird

[TillaMurphs]

DG0455 is at the location of a historic grain mill and a steel bridge. The mill is over 180 years old and the bridge is 80 years old. I also accidentally found a geocache at one corner of the bridge (first time that ever happened). Evidently they also just finished filming a portion of a new Disney movie at the mill.

 

Here are two pics. There are more photos and info on the log. (By the way, you can blame Holograph for this one; I was filling in a white county.)

 

 

 

 

 

[kayakbird]

Chasing 1903-04 chiseled squares across Southern Idaho and birding in Harney Co Oregon. Surprise! A few lichens caught my eye.

 

NU1127

 

PA0530

 

PA0423

 

An unexpected STATE SURVEY disk here. My GSAK filters did not sort out any of the 314 string, which looks to be entirely CGS+SS - at least the thirteen found south of Burns today are. kayakbird

[+UMainah]

I stumbled across this disc http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WMA1AE_Thunder_Hole_Acadia_National_Park_HOLE_1944 while "fooling around and being dangerous"(at least according to my girlfriend).

It's located near the edge of a cliff/rock outcrop above a local tourist spot called "Thunder Hole" in Acadia National Park. It's a little bit of a climb to get to it.

 

[+EdrickV]

Most of the areas I've done benchmark hunting in aren't quite so scenic, so my favorite benchmark pic is of one I didn't know was even there and was not looking for. (It's not in the NGS database but does show up on My Topo maps.)

 

 

This is a bolt mark that probably dates back to 1912, but it's impossible to tell for sure as the head has been damaged quite a bit. (There are two other bolt marks in the area that date back to 1912 and at least one of them is in much better shape.) This was found on the outer wall of Fort Morgan near the North end of the Eastern section of wall. (It would seem to be placed in the Northeast corner of the fort's area, as shown on My Topo.) It does not seem to be in the NGS database and, as damaged as it is, it's probably not usable.

 

Here's a picture of part of the wall near the end where the bolt is:

 

And here's a pic of a nearby bolt which I found a bit later and still need to log here:

NGS and Geocaching.com links:

AB4055 873 4635 TIDAL A 9

Edited April 21, 2012 by EdrickV

[+NorthWes]

When fellow geocachers ask me why I'm a nut about benchmarks, I open this thread and take them on a scenic journey across America. Benchmarks interspersed with scenery (and lichen!) from coast to coast, north to south; how could one NOT like benchmarking? I'm delighted (humbly) that Harry Dolphin & kayakbird liked the camera angle at Ft Sumter's flagpole - thanks for your kind remarks. EdrickV and UMainah's recent posts make me want to return to the East Coast for more explorations... keep the pictures coming, folks!

[kayakbird]

Not lichens, just the best smelling spring wild flower going.

 

ROOSTER HEADS AT S 79

 

 

I think that this one will change the color of Meagher County, Montana. kayakbird

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Here are a few of our pictures from our Benchmarking vacation.....

 

First we spotted these .....

 

 

Then this tall handsome guy....

 

 

Then one in town... Prairie that is.....

 

 

While stopped and sitting in the truck waiting for John to get DEVIL I looked up and saw this head of what appears to be a Mummy with lichen no less!

 

 

Last on this post is a spot past Caliente called the "BLM Trilobite collecting area". John saw the sign and stomped on the brakes and whipped in to see what we could find,,,,,we are after all "the rockhounders". This we did in between going for the "57" series along highway 93.

 

 

Cute, isn't he?

 

We sure had tons of fun this trip.

 

Shirley~

Edited April 27, 2012 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

[+agentmancuso]

 

Nelsons Monument, Calton Hill, Edinburgh. NT48/INT013

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

 

Nelsons Monument, Calton Hill, Edinburgh. NT48/INT013

Oh, I love that one!

[+agentmancuso]

Oh, I love that one!

 

For £3.00 you can climb up inside it and emerge on the top landing - fabulous views of the city of Edinburgh.

[+agentmancuso]

 

St Giles Cathedral Pinnacle, Edinburgh, NT48/INT147

[+NorthWes]

Stopped at 8pm Saturday night to eyeball the marker at the base of a witness post seen alongside the Knik River, near Palmer AK. When I stepped over the guardrail two eagles burst into flight from a perch below me on the river bank. They swung out in a big orbit over the river, then turned and swept past low above the water. One pulled up and did a complicated aerial in the 20mph breeze which brought him to a perch just a few feet beyond where they'd started from. The witness post was for a cadastral marker, but the wildlife encounter made the stop well worth my time!

 

Landing

 

Eyeballing me

 

Taking another look

 

Moving into flight so fast the little pocket camera couldn't keep up...

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

WOW!

Thanks for sharing.

[TillaMurphs]

 

Ooooo - that is a great benchmarking photo! (We won't tell anyone the witnesss post was for a cadastral mark).

 

 

Also, that "Taking Another Look" photo is incredible with the profile view of the head and the clear view of the talons.

 

Nice job NorthWes. Thanks.

[+EdrickV]

Found my first two non-NGS Army Corps of Engineers marks recently thanks to Waymarking.com. The first one is interesting because of it's location, the second is interesting to me because it's on a river gaging station.

 

US ACOE F6:

 

The mark above was surrounded by bushes as seen below.

 

And it's on this structure.

http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WMB834_US_Army_Corps_of_Engineers_Survey_Mark_F6

 

This is a now orphaned bridge over a river. The road that led up to it was diverted to the East because of the construction of a housing development on the North side of the river. The old section of road to the South still exists but is gated off to vehicle traffic. On the North side there is apparently a sidewalk leading into the subdivision from the bridge.

 

US ACOE F5:

http://www.Waymarking.com/waymarks/WME2FB_US_Army_Corps_of_Engineers_Survey_Mark_F5

 

This station is along the same river as the one above, and isn't far away. That makes me think there may have been (and may still be) more stations along the river that haven't been found and turned into Waymarks.

[TillaMurphs]

This one was in a wonderful historic building. The company is still in business and is run by descendants of the original founders. Family owned since 1882.

 

 

CM0356

[+chiknlips45]

Recovered UV4446 on 10 June. I thought the tower was pretty interesting.

 

 

I also got a kick out of the amount of numbers on reference point 4 disk.

 

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Great pictures everyone!! Thank you all for posting....

 

Shirley~

[kayakbird]

A few from last weeks MORC hunting trip along the Missouri Breaks and back to Lewistown via back roads in the Big Open.

 

FORT PECK RESERVOIR

 

5.5 miles of chop from the launch point at the end of CMR NWR RD 276, easy quarter mile hike to MORC DRY FORK 1889.

 

WEST TO COE ISLAND

 

From COE R 13 R 1948 while wind-bound for a few hours the next morning. Decided to pass on COE SPRING & LAVA.

 

MORC SPREAD EAGLE LICHENS

 

Landowner told me how to follow the field roads to make this one a near drive station. He had wondered why

there was a well head on top that ridge.

 

MISSOURI R FROM MORTAR

 

The rest of the story here is that even last year's near bank full high water did not take this one or the

nearby GLO - both reported washed in 2010.

 

FIRST SUN AT MORC DEVILS ELBOW

 

Just about a mile from the end of 2WD travel - one of my best hikes in the Breaks yet.

 

Didn't notice this on the way in just after daylight.

 

HIKE TO CUTOFF

 

On a great circle route to avoid cows & calves and spotted these moths and a couple coyote.

 

Lichens - not the erroneous 1912 disk in rock.

 

TALL STANDPIPE

 

Note the man-made notch in the near ridge. Last one on river right in Montana.

 

GRASS - ROCKS - SKY

 

 

Headed towards the majestic shining mountains this week. kayakbird