Most Intriging Benchmark

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

ROLLA MONUMENTS

This cache led me to this Benchmark with a plaque nearby stating that it was viewed by the Hubble and alignments were made to the Monument.

STONEHENGE

[+PFF]

I enjoyed reading the data sheet and all the comments from those who have recovered this station. Thanks for bringing it to the group's attention.

 

The strangest part of this, in my opinion, is that the mark is held in place by ordinary screws. How do they keep it from being stolen? Or, having a prankster reinstall it upside down? Now THAT could spark some "aliens among us" theories!

 

-Paul-

 

If you will sneak in one night and install it, I'll have my local machine shop make a duplicate of the outer ring, inscribed: YOU ARE BLOCKING THE BEAM FROM THE SPACESHIP. STEP BACK!

[ArtMan]

I am once again confused by a GEO*Trailblazer post. The picture is certainly not the STONEHENGE benchmark, which is stamped, according to the datasheet, as follows --

 

HC1122_STAMPING: UMR-STONEHENGE 1982

 

If he is referring to the Hubble Space Telescope, why would the object pictured by stamped with a different spelling. In any event, my understanding is that Hubble can not be pointed toward Earth since our planet is too bright for the range of the telescope's sensors.

 

-ArtMan-

[holograph]

I am once again confused by a GEO*Trailblazer post. The picture is certainly not the STONEHENGE benchmark, which is stamped, according to the datasheet, as follows --

 

HC1122_STAMPING: UMR-STONEHENGE 1982

 

If he is referring to the Hubble Space Telescope, why would the object pictured by stamped with a different spelling. In any event, my understanding is that Hubble can not be pointed toward Earth since our planet is too bright for the range of the telescope's sensors.

 

-ArtMan-

I think there is some humor at work here. If you look at the log for HC1122, you will see that the real disk is stamped Stonehenge.

 

The "Hubbell" disk looks like a different kind of artifact.

 

You are correct that the Hubble Space Telescope never looks at Earth.

 

Edit: For further information see here.

Edited January 12, 2005 by holograph

[+California Bear]

If he is referring to the Hubble Space Telescope, why would the object pictured by stamped with a different spelling. In any event, my understanding is that Hubble can not be pointed toward Earth since our planet is too bright for the range of the telescope's sensors.

You are correct. It is impossible for Hubble to take photos of anything on Earth. See the following FAQ from the Hubble telescope site.

 

FAQ - Can Hubble take photos of Earth?

 

The Sun is the only object that is too bright for imaging by Hubble. The brightness of the Sun also rules out imaging of Venus and Mercury due to their proximity to the Sun.

[ArtMan]

I'm a science journalist, but I never even thought of the exposure time and motion issue. Where's Dr. Science when we need him?

 

-ArtMan-

[+D@nim@l]

Nevermind

Edited January 12, 2005 by D@nim@l

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

If you read my log you will see that this picture of STONEHENGE is there.

HC1122 STONEHENGE

 

I am looking for the picture of the plaque with the explanation on the alignment with Hubble.

 

This also goes back to a post I posted on Chaco Canyon and the Sun Dagger.

This is Stonehenge Sun dagger at the date I was there,it all aligns by the seasons and sun.

SUNDAGGER

[+BilboB]

I understood it. I just wish I couldl see it in person!

[sixthings]

mine, although not NGS, is the one photographed in my avatar. the 90 degree South marker at the South Pole station. photographed in Jan99

[+BuckBrooke]

Being a grad student in astrophysics, I would point out that from a satellite's altitude it wouldn't be able to image a benchmark. Resolution w/ the Hubble is at best (guessing) a foot or so if it could take a pic.

 

As to the main question of this thread; like any benchmarker here I have my secret list of notable, intriguing or quirky benchmarks that I will find some day. When that day is, I don't know, and no, you can't have my list.

Edited January 13, 2005 by BuckBrooke

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

I found a link to some more of the Intrigue,but have not found the photo's,I will have to go back...yipeeeeeee!!!!!

 

Good thing it is not too far.

 

UMR's STONEHENGE SOME ANSWERS

[+LittleBlue]

Here's something 'benchmark-like' I found a few months ago. It is imbedded in some rocks that are only exposed at low tide. Any ideas what it is?

 

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

That is a Great picture. Very interesting.

 

Did you happen to get the coodinates of this mark? That is one way we can research to see if it might be in the Geocaching.com data base.

 

Shirley~

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

My guess a Tidal water marker.

I found this link doing a search on it.

 

Where is it???

I see your benchmark finds are in WA. so I know it must be close.

 

NOAA/NOS/CO-OPS...............

 

Shortcut to WA tidal benchmarks,if you did not get that far from the link.

WA SHORTCUT

Edited January 14, 2005 by GEO*Trailblazer 1

[+LittleBlue]

Sorry, I should have included the location info with my post. I was just so proud that I figured out how to include a picture .

 

It is on some tidal rocks at Deception Pass State Park, WA. I found it in June, before I had a GPS or discovered geocaching, so I can't give you exact coords. But it is near this cache: GC5E09

 

I followed the link from GEO*Trailblazer 1, but I didn't see anything to match this location. It is on Whidbey Island, but at Deception Pass State Park, Rosario Beach.

Edited January 14, 2005 by LittleBlue

[+docwalker]

My dad and aunt used to work for Hubbell Lighting. I am positive that I have seen this disk before in my travels. If I remember correctly it is an outdoor junction box cover.

Given the nature of the area there is probably outdoor lighting most litkely made by Hubbell.

A picture taken from further back or description of what it is attached to would help.

[evenfall]

Little Blue,

 

I am very familiar with this area. I have spent quite a bit of time working on both Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands in my career.

 

There are a number of different methods used for doing so, but is could be likely this is a rock anchor, attempting to stabilize a rock outcropping which is loose and in danger of becoming a hazard to navigation. Deception Pass, while very beautiful, is a very dangerous area to navigate as the water when the currents are running are as fast as any ever seen in salt water.

 

Just a ways north of there up the coast is State Highway 11, otherwise known as Chuckanut Drive. On one occasion I was involved on a job up there where there had been a rock slide which cut loose and covered the road below. If you click on the link you will see a picture on the front page of that site which is representative of the look of the area. What you don't see is that about 150 feet below that road there lies right at the shoreline the BNSF Railroad single track mainline spur which runs from Everett Washington to Vancouver British Columbia. It is a pretty busy stretch of railroad.

 

After the slide, we surveyed so as to give the engineers a comparative analysis to study the movement of the hillside. This is a very unstable hillside and this often happens during wet winters where there is a lot of water saturating the hill and then a freeze happens. Functionally the water works on the rocks primarily in 2 ways. First the water will act as a lubricant between layers which can lessen the adhesive properties between the rocks and cause them to slide, and if the water freezes, the expansion from the ice can crack rocks and cause further fissuring and fracturing that will often leave the hillside undetectably more stable.

 

Often one of the engineered solutions to help mitigate some of the safety hazards is to drill the rocks and place anchors. after the anchor is placed, an attempt is made to place a lot of an adhesive sealant around the anchor so as to prevent water from getting in to corrode the anchor or further fracture the rock.

 

The object in your picture looks very similar to the anchors I have seen placed for accomplishing this, especially from the liberal amount of sealant applied around it. It is true that it could be something else as well but I thought I would offer this as a possible option to consider.

 

Of Note, Chuckanut Drive is currently closed due to yet another rock slide. In the Deception Pass area, one of the earliest Monumented Stations in the Pacific Northwest is available, Monumented in 1854. Deception Reset A boat will be needed to recover this station.

 

Rob

Edited January 14, 2005 by evenfall

[+LittleBlue]

Interesting stuff! There are a few things that make me wonder about the rock stabilization theory, tho. This part of Deception Pass is on a little beach in a sheltered bay and not near any roads. I'll look in my files and see if I can find a picture. Also, this particular rock outcrop is a tidal pool area, just at shore level. It's not likely to matter much if it de-stabilizes.

 

[evenfall]

LittleBlue,

 

I was unaware of the tidal pool, But in my experience it looked like it could have been an anchor at first, as we generally do not slather sealant around a survey marker in the manner that one had been, and without the new picture I mistook the marker to be monumented vertically rather than horizontally. It is likely this is a tidal station, but there are no markings on it and there is the bump at the center of the Monument which isn't a common type used by the NOS at all times. This one is not ordinary, though there may be others like it, and most usually there will be stamping on the station if set by the NOS or CGS/NGS and this one has none.

 

Though there is no road at the location, the rocks falling in the water can become hazards to navigation in the water as well and that would be why they would anchor rock near a waters edge. While it may not be the case this time, I just offered this as a possibility. The location near a tidal pool does make it seem less likely. Hard to say. Deception Pass is a Beautiful location and there are a number of geocaches and benchmarks near by!

 

Enjoy,

 

Rob

Edited January 14, 2005 by evenfall

[+LittleBlue]

Both seem like good possibilities- rock stabilization and tide markers- guess there's no way to know for sure unless I run into a parks dept. engineer out there . The benchmark stuff is new for me- never knew there were so many survey marks out there- now I notice them everywhere. Do you have any ideas what the numbers could mean? Wonder why they used roman numerals as well...

[+BilboB]

Do you have any ideas what the numbers could mean? Wonder why they used roman numerals as well...

I think it refers to the amount of bird poop within a specific radius of the mark. I could be wrong though...

[+LittleBlue]

I think it refers to the amount of bird poop within a specific radius of the mark. I could be wrong though...

 

LOL!

[+PFF]

Just to prove nothing distracts a NC Geo Survey crew, I submit this benchmark:

 

SEX

 

I notice that the Power Squadron visits this station frequently. But I'm not jumping to any conclusions..........

 

-Paul-

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

One of most intriging benchmarks...

 

 

This is GP0620

 

It is a Chiseled Square next to the 'Lowery' triangulation station that has been recovered. The Chiseled Square had not been recovered since it was

monumented.

 

This was a very fun one to find! We had to look at every big boulder before we found the mark. The boulder was not one of the bigger ones as we had thought it would be.

 

Shirley~

[+BilboB]

I submit Wanted to find this one for awhile. Reminds me of quite a few people I knew in college.