It’s exciting to have the USGS datasheets, because now we know about even more benchmarks we can search for on MDI! The first one we searched for this morning, simply named after its elevation 195.10, is only a U.E., but it’s in an interesting location in the woods at Kebo Valley Golf Course.
Being a chiseled square we knew it could be a challenge to find, but it could also be a lot of fun. Turns out it was a surprisingly easy find on a large boulder. Unlike many other such chiseled squares, the surface of the boulder was clear of moss and forest debris, so the carving really stood out.
From Kebo, we moved on toward Jordan Pond House. Again, excitement when looking through the USGS datasheets - there was supposed to be a benchmark disk from 1934 located very close to the famous Jordan Pond House, legendary for its popovers!
But today, we weren’t going for popovers. Instead, we were poking around in the woods just west of the entrance to the Pond House, in a little patch of forest bordered by the Spring Trail and a carriage road.
The woods were damp and dark today, and it took us a little longer to spot the disk than it may have on a brighter day just due to the lack of contrast. But once we identified the correct boulder, the disk stood right out. It is set on a shelf protruding slightly above the surface of the rest of the boulder, and possibly because of that, the mark was clear of the pine debris that had settled atop the rest of the boulder. The boulder is just a few yards into the woods from the Jordan Pond House, the side of which is visible through the trees from the site of the mark. It was really neat to watch the comings-and-goings of this very busy place, while tucked away into this little peaceful patch of woods, looking at a benchmark disk that probably only a handful of people have ever seen.
Lobster Lunch
Why did we skip the popover lunch at Jordan Pond House? Well, because we had been craving a lobster lunch at Beal’s! As usual, we filled up on lobster meat, and this time we came prepared with some extras: a bottle of 3 Blind M00se (which we technically aren’t supposed to have, since they serve their own alcoholic beverages here now, but they let it slide), and our candle-powered butter warmers. These are a necessity on these cloudy, chilly days by the water! We sat indoors, which helped to alleviate some of the chill.
An Old Survey Mark on Cadillac Mountain
Now stuffed full of lobster (and wine, but not too much to drive), we headed up Cadillac Mountain to search for a few old chiseled squares along the mountain road. We found 1455.46 quite easily on the ledges near the apex of the last horseshoe curve near the summit. It was highlighted by black lichen that has grown inside the chiseled depression, so it was easier to spot than we expected. For an old chiseled square constantly exposed to the elements, it’s in quite good condition. Probably doesn’t matter too much as it’s highly unlikely that this mark will be used again (U.E. = “useless elevation,” according to Dave Doyle). Even on cloudy days, the views from Cadillac are spectacular!
