History
The posted coordinates will lead you to a structure that was the original location of the Frank E. Dexheimer memorial shelter. This structure has a plaque and a memorial inlay in the concrete foundation. This will be your first task:
A = The original day the shelter was dedicated.
There are 2 years on the plaque, the dedication year and the year it was moved.
(Here is the arithmetic part):
B = Subtract the year the shelter was dedicated from the year is was moved, then multiply that by 2 and add 1.
On the memorial inlay there are two letters after the name of the person the shelter was dedicated to. if a=1, b=2, ...z=26:
Find the value for these letters: assign the first letter value to C, assign the second letter value to D.
E = The last digit of the day on the memorial inlay..
F = (C-D-E)*12
So stage one is complete. To find stage 2 use the following:
N 38 58.0F W 092 22.B
Geography
Stage 2 will bring you to a small bit of geography. You will see a sign and if you look closely at the ground you will find a benchmark disk.
A benchmark is a point whose position is known to a high degree of accuracy and is normally marked in some way. The marker is often a metal disk made for this purpose, but it can also be a church spire, a radio tower, a mark chiseled into stone, or a metal rod driven into the ground. Over two centuries or so, many other objects of greater or lesser permanence have been used. Benchmarks can be found at various locations all over the United States. They are used by land surveyors, builders and engineers, map makers, and other professionals who need an accurate answer to the question, "Where?" Many of these markers are part of the geodetic control network (technically known as the National Spatial Reference System, or NSRS) created and maintained by NOAA's National Geodetic Survey (NGS).
Benchmarking is another form of geocaching. Each cache page will list a link to nearby benchmarks that you can find and log like a cache. See the links below for this benchmarks page.
On the middle of this disk is a word and a year, the word will be above an arrow symbol (in the middle of the disk) and the year below the arrow.
(Oh no more arithmetic).
G = The value of the first letter of that word above the arrow + 1.
H = The last number of the year plus 1 then subtract 10 .
I = G*G
J = Middle two numbers
K = J - C - D
The Cache
The final can be located at:
N 38 58.GHI W 092 22.0K
Signing the log will get you an A in all 4 subjects.
Permission was granted by Lida Gochenour, Administrative Support Supervisor, Columbia MO Parks & Recreation Department. Please respect all the posted rules and hours of the park so we can continue to enjoy caching in Columbia Public Parks. Park information can be found here
Please replace the cache as you found it so other cachers may enjoy the thrill of the hunt
As with all my caches, if you didn't sign MY logbook, you didn't find my cache.