Roaring Spring EarthCache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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Take I-81 west of Kingsport and depart on exit no. 44
(Jearoldstown Road). Go south on West Pines Road. The Earthcache is
just a few feet from parking.
Our Blue Earth
Many springs quietly bubble up to the surface of our Earth
and gently spill their contents. There is nothing gentle about the
Roaring Spring. It is aptly named Roaring because that is exactly
what it does. After exiting the rocky hillside, the spring flows
under the road and creates a nice (roaring) waterfall before
forming a stream and meandering across the valley pasture. The
concrete box from which the spring exits the road is the remains of
an old 19th century gristmill that operated until 1941. Please note
the historic monument that was placed here in 1986 by the Roaring
Springs Extension Homemakers Club.
Falls of the Roaring Spring and the
Old Mill
Indians and early settlers were known to depend on the
crystal clear waters of the spring. Even today, we are informed
that many local folks stop by and fill containers with the water of
the spring. Personally, we cannot attest to the purity of the
spring so as a word of caution, if you drink, You Are On Your
Own!
Springs are a small part of the water cycle. Basically the
water of our Earth constantly evolves and is moving through a
series of changes. The Roaring Spring is part of that
cycle.
The Cycle of
Water
Springs may be formed in any sort of rock. Small ones are
found in many places. The largest springs are formed in limestone
and dolomite in the karst topography of the region. Both dolomite
and limestone fracture relatively easily. When weak carbonic acid
(formed by rainwater and carbon dioxide) enters these fractures it
dissolves bedrock. . (Please note the limestone formation above the
Roaring Spring with several fractures). When it reaches a
horizontal crack, crevice or a layer of non-dissolving rock such as
sandstone or shale, it begins to cut sideways As the process
continues, the water hollows out more rock, eventually creating
airspaces, the largest of which are known as caves or caverns. This
process usually takes thousands of years to complete. When the
spring surfaces, gravity takes over and as with all streams, the
flow is downhill.
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An Example of Water Flow with a
Spring Formation
Please Note: Bring some
sort of thermometer as it will be needed to complete the
find.
OK? Now for the nitty gritty details of the work you
must do: First, post a photo of yourself and all in your party.
The photo must show GPSr in hand with the spring in the background.
Second, email us with answers to the following questions: 1.
Estimate the height of the rock formation (outcrop) above the
spring, 2. Estimate the width of the spring opening as it
exits the hill, 3. What kind of rock is the formation
(this one is mentioned above) and 4. What is the temperature
of the Spring nearest the opening? (we told you that a thermometer
was needed! Please make sure that you do not post the answers,
email only!
Marge and I would like to thank DMflyer for bringing us to
this wonderful area and to Mr. and Mrs. Jones for their permission
to list the Roaring Spring as an Earthcache. Be sure to find DM’s
very nearby traditional cache ( GCKY8G). Enjoy and help preserve
(CITO) another of Mother Nature’s gifts. Remember, Earthcaches rock
or at least many are rock!
This Earthcache was approved by the
Geological Society of America
| We have earned GSA's highest
level: |
 |
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vg vf nyjnlf Fcevat urer!