Cattaraugus County
Enjoy the wonders that abound within these Enchanted Mountains.
For this Earthcache, you will experience a gravity hill. Go to the end of Promised Land Road and use the school bus turnaround to go to the posted coordinates. The road appears to be going uphill. Put your vehicle in neutral and coast uphill to N 42° 03.904 W 078° 21.262. Take note of the surrounding topography and obstructed horizon. Both of these features are the contributing factors in the difference between a hill and a gravity hill.
I had a delightful chat with a landowner when I was inquiring about this Earthcache. He and his wife originally had a mobile home, which was placed "perfectly level" as viewed from the outside. Inside, however, their breakfast eggs hugged the side of the frying pan. This was their first personal encounter with this illusion.
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 …. a. What is the elevation at the posted coordinates (top/bottom of the hill)? ... b. What is the elevation at the ending coordinates (bottom/top of the hill)? ... c. What is the difference in elevation?
2. MESSAGE …. Explain (scientific or creative) what is causing this illusion. If you wish, you may add this question to your log. The explanation should be different from previous posts. ..... I trust this earthcache will be a fun experience, both in the doing and in the reading of the logs.
3. MESSAGE …. a. What is the highest contour line on the topo map that crosses Promised Land Road? ... b. What is the lowest contour line on the topo map that crosses Promised Land Road? ... c. What is the contour interval on this map? ... d. How many contour intervals did your vehicle pass on Gravity Hill?
4. LOG …. Post a picture of you or your signature item at or near the coordinates. This picture is 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.
Journeys of Heart and Mind ...
Stories to Touch the Heart and Puzzles to Challenge the Mind / Rainbow Tree Story
OPTIONAL DOUBLE GRAVITY HILL
Visit the gravity hill near New Paris, PA -and- answer the five questions.
GRAVITY HILL
A gravity hill (also known as a magnetic hill, a mystery hill, or a gravity road), is a place where the layout of the surrounding land produces the optical illusion that a slight downhill slope appears to be an uphill slope. Thus, a vehicle left out of gear will appear to be rolling uphill. There are hundreds of gravity hill locations around the world. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_magnetic_hills.
The slope of gravity hills is an optical illusion, although tour guides may claim natural or even supernatural forces are at work. The most important factor contributing to the illusion is a completely or mostly obstructed horizon. Without a horizon, judging the slope of a surface is difficult as a reliable reference is missing. Objects one would normally assume to be more-or-less perpendicular to the ground (such as trees) may actually be leaning, offsetting the visual reference.
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
One of the most widely used of all maps is the topographic map. The feature that most distinguishes topographic maps from maps of other types is the use of contour lines to portray the shape and elevation of the land. Topographic maps render the three-dimensional ups and downs of the terrain on a two-dimensional surface.
Topographic maps usually portray both natural and manmade features. They show and name works of nature including mountains, valleys, plains, lakes, rivers, and vegetation. They also identify the principal works of man, such as roads, boundaries, transmission lines, and major buildings.
CONTOUR INTERVAL
Contour interval refers to the difference in elevation represented by each contour line on a topographic map or the difference in elevation between successive contour lines.
CONTOUR LINE
Contour lines are lines that are normally drawn on a map to show and to connecting points of equal elevation. If an individual is walking along a contour line, he or she will neither gain nor lose elevation.
OPTIONAL - DOUBLE GRAVITY HILL
There are hundreds of Gravity Hills, but there are very few places where you can experience a double Gravity Hill on the same road. The gravity hill near New Paris, PA is unique because you experience the phenomenon twice on the same road.
Have fun on Gravity Hill in New Paris, PA.
Then use the information you gathered to answer the questions.
MESSAGE answers.
1. FIRST HILL. a. Does the hill appear to be going up or down? b. What is the elevation at the top of the 1st hill? c. With your vehicle in neutral, how fast is it moving? d. What is the elevation at the bottom of the 1st hill? e. What is the difference in elevation?
Top of First Hill - N 40° 06.773 W 078° 41.851
Bottom of First Hill - N 40° 06.766 W 078° 41.820
2. SECOND HILL. a. Does the hill appear to be going up or down? b. What is the elevation at the top of the 2nd hill? c. With your vehicle in neutral, how fast is it moving? d. What is the elevation at the bottom of the 2nd hill? e. What is the difference in elevation?
Top of Second Hill - N 40° 06.676 W 078° 41.567
Bottom of Second Hill - N 40° 06.637 W 078° 41.483
3. Look at the topographic map of gravity hill. What is the contour interval?
4. Based on your readings at Gravity Hill, which contour line is closest to a. Top of first hill .... b. Bottom of first hill .... c. Top of second hill .... d. Bottom of second hill.
5. What is the statement within the reading that explains what you observed?
TOPO MAPS ... http://www.topozone.com
http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/topo/topo.html
http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-a-contour-interval
http://www.ask.com/question/what-do-contour-lines-show