[Astro_D]

CONGRATS HONEYBUNNIES!!! Glad to see the WI Geocac Benchmark cache was one on the way to the milestone. 😀

So, top spot next week then? 😆 🙂

[Astro_D]

Sorry, not used to how the hotlinks work with this forum. Try this http://parkrrrr.com/

[Astro_D]

Good sites Ratz! Although we don’t use them much.

Our preferred method is using a program called BMGPX It converts the downloaded datasheets from the NGS to a GPX file which can then be loaded into GSAK.

We then export the GSAK file to Streets and Trips and we have the benchmarks on a map and the datasheets at our fingertips and were set to go. If we feel even more ambitious, we’ll load the datasheets into the PDA as well.

There are also a lot of good BM site recommendations in the benchmark thread on the GC.com forum if anyone is brave enough to check it out.

[Astro_D]

@furfool wrote:

I have 3 finds to my credit. I also think that BMs should be allowed their own forum. I don’t always go looking for them, but for me, it is a nice change of pace from caching every now and then. I also will not go after any benchmarks that have already been found by a cacher. I get such a greater sense of satisfaction or accomplishment by finding something that was last found say 25+ years ago. Especially if somebody else couldn’t find it.

I’m sorry to hear that you only go after ones that haven’t been found. We go after all the BMs (sorry FU), cause each one is just as important as the next whether found or not.

We have gone to some remarkable area and met many remarkable people in our search of these. Many of those opportunities would have been missed if we only went after not founds.

And you can always submit recoveries to the NGS. Many of the marks that have been found previously, have not been reported. So there’s something you could be first at too and get just as much sense of accomplishment. Just a thought.

[Astro_D]

I have found 9….plus a few more which I couldn’t find online to log.
I just think the first thing that should be done is to gauge interest….In other words how many people are looking for them and how many have they found….the forum topic should come after figuring out the interest by the membership.

If they were a bit more accurate in GC I’d go look for more…..the one closest to me was listed on GC about 3/4 miles from the actual location of the mark.[/quote]

If there is a forum with the basics, it may generate even more interest. Benchmarking is a hell of a lot more work than loading coords in a GPSr and going and finding a disc or chiseled square or bolt. Having a primer at hand, would certainly help those who may be interested in trying their hand at recovering one. Right now, if one wanted to try benchmark hunting, who could they ask for help and where? Right now the only place is the GC.com benchmark thread. And while everyone on there is VERY helpful and friendly (and has a great primer BTW), I think it would be nice not to mention useful to have more of a local voice and connection.

I know we would love to meet up with other BM hunters for a day/weekend of hunting marks in our state. But other than ourselves, we have no idea who is interested. We have questions, would like to solicit local advice etc. but there is no dedicated place on the WGA forum to do that!!

In regards to your BM you looked for: you need to pay attention to scaled versus adjusted (which is stated near the top of the page by the coords). Scaled coordinates can be up to a mile off (the joy). If they are scaled, forget the coords and go off the description. You’ll have much better luck getting to the correct area to begin your search. Adjusted coords should on average bring you darned near the mark.

GC.com only accessed the marks that were in the NGS database up to 1999 or 2000. Not all benchmarks out there are NGS agency marks and therefore wouldn’t be in their database and subsequently included on GC. And forget about any marks set after 2000. They will not exist on GC either. For any of those marks not in GC, you can always add them to waymarking.

[Astro_D]

@Lostby7 wrote:

….a show of hands on who has found more than 20 of these?
Who wants to make the poll?

*raises hand – proudly*

[Astro_D]

No geology classes here. Wish I would have because I now work at the WEIS Earth Science Museum at UW Fox Valley. It is the official state mineralogical museum and focuses on Wisconisn geology. And compared to my coworkers – I need more than the basics. 🙂

[Astro_D]

AstroDon made a suggestion to have benchmarking as it’s own forum. It went unheeded.

I dunno, I don’t equate benchmarks and earthcaches as the same. But would certainly offer our comments where ever it gets placed.

[Astro_D]

Congrats Justin!!

Now we gotta get ya working on those benchmarks. 😈 😈

[Astro_D]

Just got the cache published for the GEOCAC mark: GC1JFKM

I hope this works. I’m still trying to figure out the direct link. 😳

[Astro_D]

Sorry, we couldn’t take part more as wanted to make sure Marc was taken care of.

It was great to meet all you even if it was ever so briefly!

[Astro_D]

There are a lot of people here who have Big Bird as their leader.

Scary.

Very scary……

[Astro_D]

OK…logged in as me..

I had lunch with my science teacher because I think I need some serious help!

[Astro_D]

For me, it’s a matter of location. When I am traveling to an area (whether with family or friends), chances are good the multis will be skipped. There may be too many WPs, too long of a walk (1-2 miles), and the always dreaded fear, coming to a grinding halt by not findnig one and therefore unable to get to the final. And well, that’s too much time wasted on one cache, that could’ve been used to find others.

Locally though, I have no problem with multis as I can easily come back to them and got the time to spend.

[Astro_D]

@gotta run wrote:

@marc_54140 wrote:

But how to get all cachers, anywhere, to look at them?

I don’t worry about it. I’m happy that the contingent of drive-by cachers don’t take the time to find our ?s, even when they’re not puzzles. GC16WFY is right in Green Bay, only moderately difficult, and is a big ammo box. It’s been found twice in 2008. That’s just fine by me. Less maintenance work on our part.

And the best part of placing a puzzle cache is that the average doofus without a GPSr bent on deliberately sabotaging caches can’t find it using mapping software. Or if they go to the posted coordinates in the middle of a freeway or lake somewhere, no big loss.

We love puzzles, the only problem is that we have to drive further and further to hunt them…oh crap, that just invited another Read Marc’s Mind puzzle in our backyard 🙄

Hey! I solved and found that one this year. Probably not the way the owner intended either. LOL

[Author]

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