I got the idea for this cache after reading about a similar cache in Missouri.
Did you ever think about how lonely benchmarks might get?
In the last 7 days, 484 benchmarks have been logged by 2511 users. Compare that with about 8,278,043 geocaching logs submitted within the last 30 days. There are DEFINITELY some LONELY benchmarks out there!
As with any Challenge Cache, there are rules and guidelines you must follow. Here they are :
1.You must find 10 benchmarks that are listed in the Benchmarking database on Geocaching.com that HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND WITHIN 1 YEAR. This should be fairly easy to do -as many have never been found, or at least documented as found on Geocaching.com. And by finding a benchmark, I mean you actually must FIND SOMETHING. If you find a benchmark that has been destroyed for whatever reason but pieces of it still remain, that counts as "Found". If you go looking for a benchmark but can't find it and assume the surveyor back in 1934 took bad coordinates or something, you CANNOT count that as "Found".
2.You must document your discoveries with by posting "Found" logs for the benchmarks on Geocaching.com. This is not a requirement, but it would be nice if you could include a photo and updated coordinates with your log to help future benchmark hunters.
3.This isn't a requirement, but if you can't find the benchmark, a DNF log for the benchmark will help future cachers and possibly save them some time looking for a benchmark that is no longer there.
4.Finally, after you have completed the above requirements, you can go ahead and find the final cache at the posted coordinates, sign the logbook, and then post your find log for this cache. After you have posted your find, I will verify that you fulfilled all the necessary requirements to log this cache as "Found". If I see any discrepancies, I will let you know.
The difficulty rating comes from the fact that you have to look for a bunch of benchmarks that may or may no longer be there. Depending on where you live and what you look for, this may be a very easy or very difficult task. The difficulty rating for the final container is probably a 1.5. All of the benchmarks you find MUST be located in Indiana or Kentucky and must be NEW benchmark finds. In other words, all of the benchmarks that you find must be found on or after the publication date of this cache.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of the benchmarks you go looking for may be on private property, so be aware of your surroundings. If it looks like it's on private property or you see "NO TRESPASSING" signs, do NOT go looking for the benchmark. Unless, of course, you get permission from the property owner to go looking for it. This is different than geocaching where the cache hider may have gotten the necessary permission to place the cache. With benchmarking, no permission was requested (and if it was, it was probably several decades ago and anyone who gave permission to place the benchmarks are probably pushing up daisies by now). Use common sense.
To prevent the scenario of you looking for a benchmark the same day someone else goes looking for it, post a note on the benchmark listing that you are going to go looking for the benchmark that day. Then, even if someone else finds that same benchmark that day, you can still count that benchmark as "Found" (assuming you actually did find it, of course). If you want to team benchmark-hunt, that is okay with me. If you have never gone benchmark hunting before, I think you will find it interesting and realize it's a different kind of challenge than hunting for a geocache. I hope you enjoy this challenge.
You can probably find everything you need to know about benchmark hunting using the Geocaching.com web site at: http://www.geocaching.com/mark/default.aspx.
The final is a 35 mm film canister with log only so bring your own writing utensil. There are 2 lonely benchmarks within yards of the container. Good luck!