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Laughlin Benchmark Hunt Event


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We have just checked the prices for the weekend in April we had planned on, thinking the rates would be affordable as normal -- :D The rates are $129 for the 23rd & 24th :laughing: . :anicute: We are now shell shocked!! This weekend is the Famous River Run with tons of motorcycle buffs and groups in town. It's a fun thing to attend, but the room rates skyrocket.

 

So, the hunt will be on the weekend prior --- Saturday & Sunday the 17th & 18th the rates are $59.99 Saturday & $24.99 Sunday and Monday (for those who would want to stay an additional night). But, if we can get enough people to need 10 rooms -- I can call and set up a group rate.

 

I did not want to hi-jack the "Good Day" thread any longer, so I started this thread to keep everyone updated and if anyone has any ideas, please post them here.

 

If there is enough interest, we will try to make it an Official GC Event for April 17 and 18, 2010.

 

Shirley~

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Yep, yep, I'm in. So that's the same 3 of us as last time. Aren't there more Benchmark hunters in the Southwest who could use a little "vacation" in Laughlin? Benchmark hunting by day, fun hunting --- whatever.... at night. Or it could be. Although unless I'm mistaken, the current crew is a bit ..... uh..., um.... "daytime oriented"?

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Yeah, where are the AZ benchmark hunters. It could be we are daytime oriented because we are all OLD. LOL

 

Who's old? compared to some of the benchmarks in the area we are spring chickens! 1899 drill holes, 1920 disks, early 1930's granite post with chiseled squares in the tops, and cap and bolt pairs. Many have yet to be recovered by a Geocacher with some 'first to recover' since they were monumented.

 

Vex is still there waiting for the right person to come along and claim the "FTR" on that pre-1900 drill hole!

 

John

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Yeah, where are the AZ benchmark hunters. It could be we are daytime oriented because we are all OLD. LOL

 

Who's old? compared to some of the benchmarks in the area we are spring chickens! 1899 drill holes, 1920 disks, early 1930's granite post with chiseled squares in the tops, and cap and bolt pairs. Many have yet to be recovered by a Geocacher with some 'first to recover' since they were monumented.

 

Vex is still there waiting for the right person to come along and claim the "FTR" on that pre-1900 drill hole!

 

John

 

Who says it has to AZ benchmark hunters? What about NV hunters? and those who would be willing to go on vacation just hunt some where else?

 

As to the 'old' --- here is a fun way to tell just how old you have become. :D (only for the Premium members - if you want - I will PM or E-mail the quiz to you.)

 

Shirley~

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Who says it has to AZ benchmark hunters? What about NV hunters? and those who would be willing to go on vacation just hunt some where else?

 

As to the 'old' --- here is a fun way to tell just how old you have become. :D (only for the Premium members - if you want - I will PM or E-mail the quiz to you.)

 

Shirley~

 

Speaking as one of the AZ part-time benchmark hunters, I haven't even started thinking about time off work next year yet - I still have to survive the holidays (I work retail) Also, I'm a bit shy around new people and mostly a loner, while you all seem to be long-time friends. It does sound interesting, just something I'd need to think about.

 

As for the quiz, I got 18 out of 20, but much of it was remembered trivia - I have the original Trivial Pursuit board game around here somewhere LOL I'm good with trivia, not so good with important things.

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Who says it has to AZ benchmark hunters? What about NV hunters? and those who would be willing to go on vacation just hunt some where else?

 

As to the 'old' --- here is a fun way to tell just how old you have become. :D (only for the Premium members - if you want - I will PM or E-mail the quiz to you.)

 

Shirley~

 

Speaking as one of the AZ part-time benchmark hunters, I haven't even started thinking about time off work next year yet - I still have to survive the holidays (I work retail) Also, I'm a bit shy around new people and mostly a loner, while you all seem to be long-time friends. It does sound interesting, just something I'd need to think about.

 

As for the quiz, I got 18 out of 20, but much of it was remembered trivia - I have the original Trivial Pursuit board game around here somewhere LOL I'm good with trivia, not so good with important things.

 

We both are also in retail and wore out already just thinking about the holiday! That is the why we started thinking about next April and the fun we might make for a bunch of other folks.

 

We have always been somewhat loners - !What long-time friends!? We only met in person once!! But, that once was a lot of fun!!

 

We might come up with a loggable Cache Event Benchmark Hunt. It could be an actual one day contest with people meeting and talking the first night (you would get to meet the infamous Klemmer), log the event and then start out either on their own or in teams for small prizes for certain catagories on the next day. Sound like fun? Maybe? :laughing:

 

Shirley~

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We might come up with a loggable Cache Event Benchmark Hunt. It could be an actual one day contest with people meeting and talking the first night (you would get to meet the infamous Klemmer), log the event and then start out either on their own or in teams for small prizes for certain catagories on the next day. Sound like fun? Maybe? :)

 

Shirley~

 

It does sound like fun. Maybe I'll just have to get up some nerve and come meet some of you... depending on time off and if I still even have a job... Really, I had the impression that you all have known each other for years, the way you all get along and everything. I kind of feel like the new kid in town ;)

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So.envious...

 

Just returned from a whirlwind visit to Las Vegas area

(didn't do a single benchmark hunt, except for one I

just couldn't resist while sitting in line to get past Hoover

Dam traffic). Lots of earthcaches... but I'd promised my

daughters & wife we would only cache... and I so wish I could

schedule a trip down in April. That's kind of when our rush

season starts (Alaska has two seasons: winter, and good

'ole road construction season). Sigh...

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OK, I’ll bite. Is that a real steam locomotive or is it powered by a diesel engine or something like that? I can see the wood stack in the tender is fake. I goggled it but can’t find anything on the locomotive.

 

Here is the link to the "Tropicana Express RR - Laughlin NV" Waymark. It has some information about this train. But, I do not see what kind of engine. Although if I remember correctly, it did huff and puff and had steam coming out of the stack.

 

There used to be miniature signs and even Burma Shave signs along the route. I do not know if they are still intact. You have to drive under the RR bridge/track to get into the parking garage. There is or was a Geocache at that spot, that we got a few years back.

 

Shirley~

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Yep, only met John & Shirley once last time we hunted (well, it was a couple days). Although, I think Fossillady & I met at a geocaching event in SoCal before she moved out to Borrego Springs. Didn't we?

 

In any case, I think it it might be "meeting" on line. You get an idea about the person (not appearance, but personality!), and you are more comfortable with each other when you do meet.

 

Hmmmm.... I guess I'm not the first to think of that, huh? I suppose this is the basis for many of the"social networking" websites. Not that I'm on any of them.

 

See you guys in April!

Edited by Klemmer & TeddyBearMama
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well, I decided to check with the boss to see if I could possibly make this one. I asked if there were any blocked dates (I can't be gone at the same time she is - she makes the schedule so of course she gets first choice) The first date she mentioned was weekend of April 17. :D

 

so, guess I'll just have to wish you all a good time, have fun and be safe.

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After much discussion amongst ourselves, we have decided that having an event is not the best thing for us to try. We have never hosted an event before and to try and host one that is 5 hours away seems like a good way to screw things up royally. If we did host an event, how would we restrict it to benchmarkers/benchmarking?

 

We would rather it be a benchmarking search party looking for the old benchmarks and those not so common types of BMs (drill holes, chiseled marks, wooden stakes, etc.). We know of 2 different lines of benchmarks that have either chiseled squares and marks set in the 30's, or marks set in the 20's & 30's, that would make for a fun day of benchmarking.

 

If enough people can join us and would like to have a 1 day contest, we can set one up with a few small prizes for different categories.

 

So we offer an open invitation to join us benchmarking in the Laughlin, NV area in April. We plan to arrive on the 16th of April and leave the morning of the 19th with benchmarking on Saturday and Sunday.

 

We will we be staying at the Tropicana Express.

 

Everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

 

John & Shirley

 

PS: We almost have UNK1 convinced to join us. We will keep working on him.

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Ha! I have a business trip planned to Las Vegas the week after Laughlin. Really! It's a training course I need to go to. Really. I'm considering making it one long trip. It will make sense. Really.

 

I've only been to Vegas four times and only one trip was for fun. Especially now that you can get rooms for 35 bucks people are scheduling even more conferences there.

 

Back to the business of the topic: I do, indeed, have to beg off. I was looking forward to meeting and hunting with you. KayakBird and I do still have a March trip planned, but might only stay one night in Laughlin. I like the looks of the Colorado Belle and weekday rooms are only 22 bucks.

 

Have fun and hunt safe.

JCS

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Totally off the pages, moving it to the top again. I hope we are still a go for this. I am looking forward to it.

 

We have booked our room at the Tropicana Express, loaded a PQ of caches for Laughlin area and 2 different lines of benchmarks. One line (to the east) has benchmarks from the 20s and 30s and the other (to the west) has several chiseled squares just waiting for someone to come along and recover them. :D

 

John

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I'll be there! Since I need to be in Vegas on business the next weekend (plus a few days), I'm going to stay a few days longer in Laughlin (probably thru Wednesday). Hopefully that will give me more time to look for some additional 1899 drill holes. I've been working hard at "decoding" the field 1900 reports.

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Totally off the pages, moving it to the top again. I hope we are still a go for this. I am looking forward to it.

 

We have booked our room at the Tropicana Express, loaded a PQ of caches for Laughlin area and 2 different lines of benchmarks. One line (to the east) has benchmarks from the 20s and 30s and the other (to the west) has several chiseled squares just waiting for someone to come along and recover them. :)

 

John

 

Wow, we are even going to look for caches. Still trying to convince Dennis (FlatBlack) that he should come with me, but I am will be there.

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Mornin' guyz,

 

Sounds from yer recent "Good Day" post that you pulled off the Laughlin Hunt. Care to share all the details?

 

Since KayakBird and I couldn't make it and only got in a bit of a "scouting" trip earlier this spring, I'd like to hear some about the strings you were going to check out. Other than us missing Oscar 5 and yer crew finding it, how much did we overlap?

 

Work is interferring with my hunting again. Headed up to the project at 0400. More driving today than in-the-field work. If I see more than one WP along the way, I'll have to stop tho.

 

Cheers,

John

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Hi Okie John (so as not to be confused with 2 oldfarts John!):

 

We sure had a great time! I extended a day in the Laughlin area, and had a third (actually fourth in a row for me) great day. I'm still traveling, in Vegas area this week, still BM hunting today over near Pahrump NV. Not a great day today, had to quit early because of rain. Had to go through SNOW (!) on the way back to Vegas from Pahrump (5500+ ft pass).

 

One teaser: On Monday near Laughlin, THREE drill holes from 1899, previously unfound since drilled. See "Great Day" thead.

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Mornin' guyz,

 

Sounds from yer recent "Good Day" post that you pulled off the Laughlin Hunt. Care to share all the details?

 

Since KayakBird and I couldn't make it and only got in a bit of a "scouting" trip earlier this spring, I'd like to hear some about the strings you were going to check out. Other than us missing Oscar 5 and yer crew finding it, how much did we overlap?

 

Work is interferring with my hunting again. Headed up to the project at 0400. More driving today than in-the-field work. If I see more than one WP along the way, I'll have to stop tho.

 

Cheers,

John

 

 

There was not much overlap, only 4 or 5 marks.

 

We (the 2oldfarts, Klemmer and southpawaz) started primarily at the junction of Goff road and Lanfair and work our way north. I haven't done the DNFs yet so I don't have a count for them, but for the recoveries that were found, there were 28 for that day. We found almost all of the "X 732" line of benchmarks from 1944. We "found" H 732 but it was in destroyed condition due to the 45° tilt it had. We were able to recover 6 of the "X 5" line that was monument in 1907. There is an error on the datasheet for S 5 stating it was monumented in 1944 when it was actually set in 1907!

 

One thing that really helped reduce the search times for the scaled marks was using the USGS quad maps. They had the icon "BM X" and the designation of the mark indicating where the USGS said they would be. These were USUALLY within 25 to 30 feet of where the benchmark actually was located. This allowed us to recover more marks than would otherwise have happened, due to the vague descriptions and the inability to recognize the old road/railroad beds.

 

Amazing that after only 100 years you could not see these old road beds. The desert had reclaimed the land.

 

After recovering X 5 (southpawaz was the first to find it) we decided it was time to head for Searchlight. Klemmer was low on fuel and we didn't feel like towing him to the nearest station. :blink: When we got to Searchlight we stopped at the Nugget and had lunch. The food was good and the price was reasonable. From here southpawaz headed north and Klemmer and us oldfarts headed back to Laughlin.

 

Next morning we headed out with Klemmer to do the run up the "Buck and Doe" road. We tried for a couple of marks before we got there, but didn't do much along old Hwy 66. We recovered some marks from the 1920's, 1930's and 1912 on that run. We stayed on the main road all the way. There are several areas where the line of benchmarks follow old roads, but we did not pursue those. They are from the 1920's and 1930's waiting for the next time we get back there. :huh: We only picked up about 18 benchmarks on this run, not counting the DNFs.

 

One of the unique finds was W 130. It is set vertically in the rock wall of a stream bed.

 

I have logged all our finds for the weekend, now I need to start in on the DNFs. Don't know how many of them there are, but I will get to them eventually.

 

There are still quite a few marks along the Buck & Doe road that have not been recovered since they were monumented and most have not been logged on GC.com.

 

John & Shirley

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We "found" H 732 but it was in destroyed condition due to the 45° tilt it had.

 

John & Shirley

 

If you do NGS recovery for that one, I'd report it as poor so they don't take the DS out of the database.

 

Speaking of Route 66, I'm thinking up a post to see who else out there has been logging PIDs along the Mother Road.

 

Cheers

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