The erratics in question are next to the pulloff, so are accessible by handicapped/wheelchair bound individuals. Yep, its another erratics earthcache....but then again, how many lampposts have you found and been okay with the smiley....so hey, its a geological smiley ! :)
As a child, I moved to a new state or city often (my dad was a pastor in a denomination who believed in moving their pastors every 3-5 years), and thus often felt “like I didn't belong.” Maybe that is why I like erratics – they too “don't belong” to the native geology of the area. HOWEVER, unlike myself, these boulders have been here a VERY long time; so when can they call themselves “Ohio natives”? Ever?
Geology: Most of the rock in the area is sedimentary in nature, and in many exposures is filled with Ordovician period fossils. This area is an “island” of higher rock that in ancient times would likely have usually been “above water” when this part of the continent was part of a tropical ocean. However, during the last Ice Age, this area was covered under glaciers ranging in depth from 60' to thousands of feet deep. These gigantic “waves of ice” were capable of carrying along massive boulders of rock, most of which had been scraped off the surface of what we now refer to as Canada. These pebbles, cobbles and boulders ranged in size from gritty sand, to small pebbles (think what you have in your landscaping or driveway) to cobbles (think brick sized) to massive boulders.
As a result, the boulders in front of you are obviously not native to this region and contain NO fossils. They were simply left behind as the glacier melted – retreating back into Canada. Because it is not a white “sandy/gritty” stone with fossils embedded in it (Sandstone, siltstone, shale, etc.), these granite boulders are considered 'erratic' at this location; that is, it was brought here by man or nature, and does not naturally occur at this location (see “erratics” information below for more on erratics).
As you look at the large stone in front of you, you should notice that the rock is composed of minerals that you can see (a phaneritic texture is the scientific word). Thus it can be rightfully assumed that granite is an igneous rock. If you examined the rock, you can see it is a mixture of light and dark minerals. The phaneritic texture(the ability to see the individual crystals/minerals) reveals that the rock was cooled slowly, within the crust of the Earth. Together, this texture and the light color of the rock tell you that these rocks are probably granite.
Granite is light in color because it is composed largely of minerals that are rich in silica. These include quartz, feldspar (orthoclase and plagioclase), and muscovite (a mica). Quartz is milky white, feldspars are pink, white, or gray, and muscovite is silvery. The dark color of granite comes from dark colored minerals, including hornblende, augite, and biotite (another mica). These minerals are green, brown, and black in color. Granites actually come in many different colors. This variety in granites is caused by differences in mineral composition, especially in the feldspars. If feldspars are potassium-rich (orthoclase) the granites may be tan to reddish in color. If feldspars are calcium-rich (plagioclase) light to dark gray colored.
Erratics: If an erratic is in a location because of geological action, it is likely left there because of some massive change in the earth – such as glacial retreat/melt where the ice that had been carrying the large rock(s) simply melted, leaving the rock in its wake.
If this is the case, you often see several rocks in a region, all of similar type but differing from the bedrock in the area If an erratic is in a location because of human interaction, it is usually to meet functional or decorative purposes. It may adorn a park entrance, help hold out water or hold back dirt, or create landscaping elements. If this is the case the rocks are usually systematically arranged for visual effect or for functional functionality.
History: Bellefountaine is currently the center of Honda (of America) home headquarters. Historically, it has been part of the area controlled by the Miami indians. In the 1760's and 1770's, the Shawnee indians dominated the region, giving this town spot the name “Blue Jacket's town” or “Bellefontaine.” In the 1830's and 1840's it was a thriving railroad community with two major rail lines operating in Bellefountaine, and one in four of its inhabitants working for “the railroad.”
Congrads to ELJLYLE on FTF.
Logging Requirements:
Send the answers to #1-#3 to me through my geocaching profile. DO NOT post the answers to any logging requirements on this site.
1.List the name “GC26AZH How Long Does It Take to Belong Here Earthcache” in the first line of your email. Also, list the number of people in your group.
2.Choose one of the large rocks in front of you. Based on the description, is this type of granite an orthoclase or plagioclase?
3.As you look around the park (and drive into the town) do you think that this rock was placed here by glaciers (as they retreated) or by man (to decorate the park), or a combination (they are in the area/in the park, but where specifically placed here as part of a man-created structure)?
4. Post a picture of yourself and/or a personal item with your log that shows you/item with a park sign OR a picnic table in the park DO NOT show any of the pertinent information ROCKS in your picture or your log may be deleted. If you are adverse to photos for some reason, simply tell me how many erratics are resting within 20' of the cords.
I will only respond if you have incomplete logging requirements. Go ahead and log your cache
Resources: “History of Bellefontaine” via links from Google Search Wikipedia