GC1BRE4 Dirt Duaber Rock Shelter (Earthcache) in Kentucky, United States created by perrycoscooter

GC1BRE4 ▼

A cache by perrycoscooter Message this owner

Hidden : 4/30/2008

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

To get to the earthcache, there is a small hike from hwy 15 down to the water at carr creek lake. There is no trail as of now, but there use to be one. Hopefully in the future a trail can be made. If you like buchwacking this is an earthcache for you. If you are really good you possibly can find the old trail and have little bushwacking at all to do. Just be careful of the mountainous terrain as the slope is kinda steep at times. Be very cautious after or during rainy conditions.

The rock shelter is made out of sandstone.Here is a little bit about sandstone:

Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any color, but the most common colors are tan, brown, yellow, red, gray and white. Since sandstone beds often form highly visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colors of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions.

The formation of sandstone involves two principal stages. First, a layer or layers of sand accumulates as the result of sedimentation, either from water (as in a river, lake, or sea) or from air (as in a desert). Typically, sedimentation occurs by the sand settling out from suspension, i.e., ceasing to be rolled or bounced along the bottom of a body of water (e.g., seas or rivers) or ground surface (e.g., in a desert or sand dune region). Finally, once it has accumulated, the sand becomes sandstone when it is compacted by pressure of overlying deposits and cemented by the precipitation of minerals within the pore spaces between sand grains.

For thousands, even millions of years, little pieces of our earth have been eroded--broken down and worn away by wind and water. Layer after layer of eroded earth is deposited on top of each. These layers are pressed down more and more through time, until the bottom layers slowly turn into rock.

Rock Shelters form because a rock stratum such as sandstone that is resistant to erosion and weathering has formed a cliff or bluff, but a softer stratum, more subject to erosion and weathering, lies just below the resistant stratum, and thus undercuts the cliff.

The rock shelter here has came from the mountains above. There is all kinds of sandstone showing along the highway, proving that this shelter derived from there. When coal companies came through the area mining, some of the big pieces of sandstone rock got pushed over the mountain. Over time, animals and mother nature have dug out this shelter. The shelter now is big enough to hold people if bad conditions occur. For example, if people were down here fishing and a bad thunderstorm came, they could get under there for shelter. If darkness came and someone got lost they could use it for shelter also. Its just fortunate that the rock didnt make it to the water level of the lake.

Here is a little bit about dirt daubers. They are also called mud daubers, but I'm use to calling them dirt daubers:

Mud dauber (sometimes "dirt dauber," "dirt dobber," or "dirt diver" in the southern U.S.) is a name commonly applied to a number of wasps from either the family Sphecidae or Crabronidae that build their nests from mud. Mud dauber may refer to: The organ pipe mud dauber, Trypoxylon politum (family Crabronidae) The black and yellow mud dauber, Sceliphron caementarium (family Sphecidae) The irridescent blue mud dauber, Chalybion californicum (family Sphecidae) Mud daubers are long, slender wasps, the latter two species above with thread-like waists. The name of this wasp group comes from the nests that are made by the females, which consist of mud molded into place by the wasp's mandibles. There are three common species of mud daubers, each with distinctive coloring: the organ-pipe mud dauber (solid black coloring), the black and yellow mud dauber, and a stunning metallic-blue mud dauber with blue wings. The organ-pipe mud dauber, as the name implies, builds nests in the shape of a cylindrical tube resembling an organ pipe or pan flute. The black and yellow mud dauber's nest is comprised of a series of cylindrical cells that are plastered over to form a smooth nest about the size of a lemon. The metallic-blue mud dauber foregoes building a nest altogether and simply uses the abandoned nests of the other two species. Mud daubers are rarely aggressive.

Now when hunting this earthcache, please use cacution. Watch for snakes, ticks, poisonous plants, other animals, and of course certain types of wasps. Although the dirt dauber's nest looked old, nothing says they cant return. Also becareful of the mountainous terrain.

Wear Hunter Orange During Any Hunting Seasons

Also while you are here, dont hesitate to bring a fishing pole. There is good fishing down here, as the earthcache is only a few feet away from the lake. There is all kinds of area down here to do some fishing, so just walk around til you find a good spot. Yu should be able to get some good pictures of Carr creek lake also.

Alright. Here are the logging requirements for this earthcache:
1)post a picture of you and your GPSr with the earthcache in the background.
2)while standing at the front of the shelter opening, how high is the opening near the center
3)while standing at the front of the shelter opening, how wide does the opening appear to be.
4)Name at least 2 things growing on top of the shelter.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

2aq erny ovt ebpx hcuvyy sebz ynxrf rqtr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

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Dirt Duaber Rock Shelter EarthCache

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