What do Juana Diaz and Rome have in common? This geocache is located near the entry (high) point of one of various inverted siphons that are part of the Juana Diaz irrigation canal system. Inverted siphons are ancient structures used by the Romans in their aqueduct systems to convey water carried in pipes and canals across valleys for water supply and irrigation purposes. The principle is simple: water in a U-shaped tube rises to the same level in both legs. Liquid flowing in one end simply forces liquid up and out the other end located at a slightly lower elevation. When the canals and pipes of their aqueduct system encountered valleys that were too broad, too deep, or had impractical contours or obstacles, the Romans built underground inverted siphons using pipes. The pipes formed a vast dip in the land that caused the water to drop so quickly it had enough momentum to make it uphill at the other end. See the background diagrams and the related web page for a schematic representation and more information on how inverted siphons were built. From the location of the geocache, follow the dirt road going downhill and then uphill to the east and you will find the irrigation canal with water flowing out of the exit (lower) point of the inverted siphon located at approximately 385 feet east of GZ. This siphon was built around 1925. The Juana Díaz irrigation canal system was built during the 1910-1930s. It is still active and fully operational. A little bit of Rome in Juana Diaz!
This geocache was placed with mountain bikers and hikers in mind. It cannot be reached by car. To start your search, choose one of three trailheads to the service dirt road that goes along the irrigation canal system that can take you to GZ (areas to park are available near the three trailheads):
- Trailhead 1 - Located at Road PR-535 in the Rio Cañas community. Roundtrip distance to GZ from this point is approximately 2.6 miles. [To access Road PR-535 by car from Highway PR-52, take the exit to Juana Díaz, take Road PR-584 going east (this is the road that runs in front (south) of Juana Diaz Shopping Center and the Cooper Vision facilities), take Road PR-510 going north, and then take Road PR-14 going east until you find the intersection with Road PR-535 going south. You can also access Road PR-535 from Road PR-1 that borders the south coast of the municipality of Juana Díaz].
- Trailhead 2 - Located at Road PR-510 near the Juana Diaz municipal athletic track. Roundtrip distance to GZ from this point is approximately 5.9 miles. [To access Road PR-510 by car from Highway PR-52, take the exit to Juana Díaz, take Road PR-584 going east (this is the road that runs in front (south) of Juana Diaz Shopping Center and the Cooper Vision facilities), which will take you to Road PR-510 going north].
- Trailhead 3 - Located near the Rosa María Zambrana public school in the Lomas de Santa Marta community. Roundtrip distance to GZ from this point is approximately 5.0 miles. [The easiest way to access this point is from Highway PR-52, take the exit to Juana Díaz, take Road PR-584 going east (this is the road that runs in front (south) of Juana Diaz Shopping Center and the Cooper Vision facilities), take Road PR-510 going south, pass under the Highway PR-52 bridge, keep going until PR-510 makes a T-intersection with a municipal road (you will see an irrigation pond to your right), make a left at this intersection, and keep going straight until you find the school].
You will be going through a very scenic route with fantastic views of the south coast agricultural valleys, Caja de Muertos, Cayo Berbería, and the Caribbean Sea. Please use your GPS, Google Earth, Google Maps, topographic maps, or any other mapping system or device to research the route and area before you start your search. The dirt road that goes along the irrigation canal branches out and intersects with other dirt roads in the area - doing some basic research will keep you on the right track. The route runs across mostly level terrain with a few moderate slope areas, including a short hill near the location of the geocache. You will pass through or around some gates that are usually kept closed to prevent vehicular traffic through the dirt road system. The area is used regularly by walkers, joggers and mountain bikers. The price for the FTF is a Travel Bug that has not been activated. The original contents of the cache also includes various types of geocoins (Compass Rose, Good Luck, and Glass Stone), stickers, a Leave No Trace guidelines tag, and a pirate rope bracelet, among other treasures. A Rite-In-The-Rain log, a couple of pens and a pencil are also included. Please do not post photos of the container. Also, return and hide the container in the same location where you found it. Enjoy the trip!