Before you is a beautiful piece of art placed as part of the museum's outside gallery, and credit must be given to the artist that brought it to us, and the local museum for allowing this geocache to be placed.
Artist: Derrell Petit
Title: Continuum
Year: 2015
Medium: Granite
**Please remember this rock is art foremost, while claiming your find, DO NOT CLIMB, TOUCH, OR OTHERWISE DISTURB THIS ROCK
**More info can be found on the piece's label inside the gallery
What is Granite?
Granite is the best known, and most common igneous rock on earth. It contains grains large enough to be seen by the naked eye which are composed mainly of feldspars and quartz with minor amounts of mica and amphibole minerals. It is this mineral composition that gives granite a red, pink, gray, or white color with dark mineral grains visible throughout. It forms from the slow crystallization of magma below Earth's surface. These grains become larger if the molten rock forming them cools slowly, while smaller grains show a more rapid cool. These grains can become as large as 1" befoe being classified as pegmatite. For granite to be found naturally at the surface there needs to have been an uplifting, and erosion of all sedimentary rocks layered above it. At the surface, granite is exposed in the cores of many mountain ranges within large areas known as "batholiths," and in the core areas of continents known as "shields."
Granite is a very strong, long lasting rock. Its resistance to eroision means that it can erode as slowly as tens of meters over a million years. It is this resilience that makes it perfect for monuments, buildings, countertops, flooring, and so many other purposes. It is also the reason Mount Rushmore, and Stone mountain were placed where they are, for their good quality, long lasting, and visible granite at the surface. Other more natural wonders of granite can include Yosimite CA, Pikes Peak CO, and the White Mountains of NH. While granite is more highly resistant to erosion, its grains can become its biggest flaw. When cooling if these grains settle together, they can produce veining. It is along these veins that water, wind, and other factors can get between the granite and begin breaking it down.
To claim your find, ALL USERS must send answers to me through email or message center via geocaching.com. Any logs claiming a find without a matching set of answers will be deleted. If you cache as a group, each name claiming a find needs to send their own answers to be accepted.
1) While it is not mandatory I would love to see pictues of you/your group/your GPS around or near this artworrk or others around it-PLEASE REMEMBER DO NOT CLIMB OR TOUCH IT
2) Look at the grains of the granite. Estimate the size of the grains, are they large or small? Did it cool fast, or slow?
3) Carefully look at the entire slab of granite. (Stand to the east for the best view) Do you see any veining at all? What is the primary color of these veins? Do you notice any seperation at the veins which could welcome erosion?
4) Estimate the size of the granite. It is conveniently placed on bricks, which could aid in measuring and estimation. What is the length at the longest point? What is the width?