EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. Enjoy the journey (learning adventure) as well as the destination (smiley earned). Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. To get credit for this Earthcache, complete the following tasks:
1. MESSAGE …. Boulder 1 (POSTED COORDS) ... How did this boulder arrive at its current resting place?
2. MESSAGE …. Boulder 2 (N 38° 13.008 W 082° 35.670) ... Further down the road, you will observe a different cliff and another boulder. How does this rock differ based on transport and size?
3. LOG …. Post a picture at or near both sites. These pictures are your log signature.
OPTIONAL - Please respect the time and effort involved in creating this earthcache by adding A and B to your log.
A. JOURNEY OF THE MIND ... Science explains what we observe. Relate (in your own words) something you found interesting in the reading. This adds to your learning adventure and your log.
B. JOURNEY OF THE HEART ... Art shares our personal experience of what we see. Share something special you found on site, and why it is special to you. This is a memorable addition to your log and will make other hearts smile.
ROADSIDE GEOLOGY ALONG ROUTE 52
Traveling North, there are pull-offs along the right side of the road.
Enjoy each of the unique sites along your journey which attest to the varied wonders of Earth Mother's processes to alter the landscape.
BOULDER TRANSPORT
Several process are able to transport huge boulders from one place to another both near and far,
Glaciers - The power of moving ice changes the landscape in a variety of ways. Glaciers break off huge chunks of rock and carry them along until they rest far from their original location. These boulders differ from the native rocks of the area, and are called glacial erratics.
Gravity - Cracks form in rocks through mechanical or chemical weathering. When the gravitational force exceeds the bonding of rock to rock, huge chunks cascade down the slope.
Humans - With heavy equipment and ingenuity, boulders are often transported from one place to another.
Wind - Tornado force winds are capable of moving tons of rock from one place to another.
SEDIMENT
Sediment is the word geologists use for loose pieces of minerals and rock. Size varies from microscopic to massive. http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/rxmin/sediment.html
SANDSTONE BLOCK
This rock (Boulder 1) is sometimes classified as a “block” in size terms, although some size classifications don’t address particles this large. It is made of sandstone broken loose from the cliff and was stopped by a manmade bench to prevent it from rolling into the road.
THANK YOU Ronald McDowell / Senior Research Geologist and Head of Geoscience Section WV
-and- Gayle H. "Scott" McColloch, Jr. - West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey for your help