It’s always fun when we can begin the day with a geocache hunt (particularly when it turns out to be an unexpected First Find!), and then follow it up with some benchmark hunts.
Our first benchmark of the day, R 235, proved to be an exciting find! I love coming across manmade structures in the woods. We began our search too far north at a private road leading to some hunting cabins. We soon determined it was unlikely that a house had ever stood at this location, and we walked south on PA Route 402 for just over 100 yards until on our right we noticed a level area covered in young pine growth. Entering the woods at this point, we saw the steps immediately, and off to their right was a decrepit stone foundation filled—and surrounded—with old glass bottles, rusted cans, and other junk such as a child’s rusted bed mattress. The mark was found on the steps exactly as described.
Triangulation stations can be even more fun than regular vertical benchmarks, and the one called BEAVER, also along Route 402, intrigued us. The recovery of the station mark and reference marks 1 and 2 was straightforward. They are located on an easily accessible knoll on State Forest land less than 200 feet west of Route 402. All three marks are in good condition.
Finding the azimuth mark proved difficult. We drove a bit more than a quarter mile north on Route 402, then began to search along the western side of the highway. More than thirty minutes went by before Rich finally found something interesting enough to investigate. He’d come across a corner of concrete just poking out of the ground. We cleared the area as well as we could and discovered that this was in fact the concrete monument holding the azimuth mark, but it was lying in the ground tipped on its side as if it had been struck by heavy equipment. The disk itself is in good enough condition that we could positively identify it, but because of the condition of the setting the mark’s value has likely been compromised.
Today's Geocache
Pocono Mtn. Souvenir Cache
- Owner: skypath
- Location: N 41° 14.766' W 075° 05.765'
- Log Type: Found it
- Date: 23 November 2003
- Original Geocaching.com listing
Hi, Skypath!
As Rich noted, I did see your cache listed on the site late last night. Rich had already gone to bed so there wasn’t much sense in alerting him till morning. Early this morning we connected by e-mail, quickly agreed on a plan, and I was at his house without delay. (I was even a little quicker than R had expected, I believe!) When we arrived at the suggested parking area no other vehicles were in sight, but we realized we were certainly late enough that another geocacher might have found the cache already and left. Seeing the cache almost in plain sight as we approached the coordinates contributed to that sinking feeling. But no … we opened the container to find the contents neatly packed and a logbook still waiting for its first entry! I guess the Poconos area is known for rather bizarre souvenirs—or maybe all “souvenirs” are bizarre? Anyhow, the cache was filled with unusual items from a marshmallow shooter (Caution: Use Only Miniature Marshmallows!) to squished pennies to a glitter-coated rock (that was more Lionel Richie’s style). I decided on one of the pennies and left in its place a pink fluorescent rat that supposedly glows under blacklight. After taking a few photos and while I was writing in the logbook, we heard someone walking toward us from the direction of the brook. Great, I thought, just what we need—to be harassed by the locals. Upon hearing a command to “Abigail”, though, I relaxed. It was only another geocaching team, Buzz_Lightfoot and his trusty Golden, Abby. The humans chatted for a while as Abby, eager to find the cache herself, danced around us. After posing for a few more photos, Rich and I headed off in pursuit of further adventures. Thanks for a fine start to a gorgeous, sunny, fun-filled November Sunday!
Zhanna
PS Yes, Buzz, you were first to log on the site. But we had a full day of benchmark hunting planned … not to mention, we live much more than 7.71 miles away! 
Howdy, Skypath! I didn’t see your cache listing until I woke up this morning at 6:30. Zhanna had seen it last night and I’m sure if I’d known about it then we would have planned a much earlier start today. As is was, though, Zhanna got to my place around 8:10 and we were on the road by 8:20. Locating the cache was sort of anti-climactic because as we were approaching the site it was easy to discern a small portion of the container from within its hiding spot a few feet away. In spite of the early hour we both felt mildly suspicious that we were too late for the First Find, but upon opening the logbook and seeing those blank pages meant that no one was here yet. Whooeee! Chalk up another one! I was in the midst of checking out the cache contents and Zhanna was just beginning to sign the logbook when we heard crunching leaves in the direction of the stream and suddenly realized that we were not alone any longer. Then we recognized that familiar refrain: “Abigail, settle down!” and knew who it was. Buzz_Lightfoot and his cache-dog Abby. After a long chat, during which we completed of our cache trading and logbook duties (I took nothing, but left two of my Geocaching magnets, a unique handmade cyclist’s keyring, and the “Lionel Richie” Travel Bug), we headed back to the car with intentions of spending the rest of the day in search of benchmarks along Rt. 402. The weather was gorgeous for this part of November—sunny, cool, with a light breeze—and we didn’t want to waste a single minute of these rare, late Fall conditions. Thanks for a fine little trek in the Delaware State Forest. ~Rich in NEPA~
