mjp303's Geoblog

Jan 2, 2011

San Joaquin Valley

By: Thutmosis Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

Returning from a very long trip to SoCal, this was a good point to stretch the legs and appreciate the world just outside the fast lane. bthomas sent our answers and posted the pix. I was impressed to learn that the pumps lift the water in the canal 113 feet. TFTEC! mjp303

May 22, 2010

Nature's Bathtubs

By: SNSpencer Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Not chosen

What a fun day in Crystal Basin! The river was really flowing over the rocks at Bassi Falls. I enjoyed the beautiful fury of nature and learning about this interesting erosional feature. Thanks for bringing me here. mjp303

May 15, 2010

Chalone Creek Fault ? Precursor to the San Andreas

By: TerryDad2 - adopted by Mauison Difficulty: 3.0 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Not chosen

I was visiting Pinnacles NM with my son's Cub Scout den. We camped two nights and took a hike up Bear Gulch (through the talus cave), accross High Peaks, and down Condor Gulch. The views were great! The air temperature was in the 70s, but the sun was mighty fierce. I'm glad I wasn't there on a HOT day! Thanks for pointing out another aspect of this very geologically interesting area. mjp303

Apr 1, 2010

Morro Rock Earthcache

By: Mauison Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

Morro Rock is one of the most impressive Earthcaches I've done! What an interesting geological feature. The six of us visited on a very windy day, although on the sheltered side of the rock the warm sun was quite pleasant, and we spent a long time playing on the beach. Thanks for bringing here! mjp303

Mar 14, 2010

Tehachapi Loop Earthcache

By: supertbone Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

On our way back from the powerline trail in the Mojave, we decided to take a rest break at the Tehachapi Loop. Luck was with us as we were able to watch 3 trains pass by in about 45 minutes. Extremely cool. Evidently there was a derailment about a month ago, and there are three destroyed cars still waiting to be hauled off. A little searching on-line revealed that the trail derailed causing a spectactular fire in the tunnel. Two of the burned up cars were ethanol tankers and the other was polystyrene pellets. There was still a strong burnt plastic smell in the area. Thanks for a fun earthcache! mjp303

Jan 24, 2010

The Soda Lake Road Once

By: TerryDad2 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

I have to say that I was a bit confused by the title of this earthcache, but once on scene it all made sense. A series of storms had passed through in the days before I arrived, and there were many places where it was evident that water had washed across the road leaving sediment a bit further downhill. Thanks! mjp303

Carrizo Plain Sag Pond (one of many)

By: TerryDad2 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

Recent rains had left the sag pond full of several feet of water, and the grasses were were starting to sprout and turn the hills vibrant green! Lovely. Thanks. mjp303

Oct 18, 2009

Cinder Cones National Natural Landmark

By: TerryDad2, Adopted by Accordiongal Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

I enjoyed visiting this earthcache with CKayaks (who sent answers to the cache page questions), Motorbug, bthomas, et al. The lava flows and cinder cones are silent witness to a more violent time. We didn't get a chance to climb up any of the Mojave cinder cones, but I did climb one at Lassen Volcanic NP several years ago, which was composed of pea-sized pieces of lava. It was one of the most difficult hikes I've been on: quite steep, and like climbing in loose gravel. For every 3 steps up, you slid back 1. Thanks for teaching me about the Mojave Desert! mjp303

Soda Lake

By: Adopted by Accordiongal, developed by TerryDa Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.5 Container: Not chosen

Thanks for a very educational earthcache in a desolate but beautiful place. As part of the GBA group, I enjoyed the trip across the Mojave Preserve and the opportunity to see this wonderful desert up close. Answers sent in by bthomas a long time ago. Sorry for the late log. mjp303

Oct 17, 2009

Tuff at Hole-in-the-Wall

By: Developed by TerryDad2, Adopted by Accordiong Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Not chosen

Great Earthcache! I learned a lot, and really enjoyed this area. Answers sent by CKayaks. Thanks! mjp303

Lava Tube of the Mojave Cinder Cones

By: Developed by TerryDad2, adopted by Accordiong Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 4.0 Container: Not chosen

Very cool discovery. I loved the interesting lava formations in the ceiling. We arrived at just the right moment in the afternoon that a narrow beam of sunlight was shining through way down and the far end of the tube. It reminded me of something out of Indiana Jones! Answers sent by CKayaks. TFTEC! mjp303

Jun 6, 2009

Franciscan Complex - Fossils and Ash

By: cmilono Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 3.5 Container: Not chosen

I hiked down to GZ from Ft. Funston. The beach was quite busy on a gloriously sunny day. I was truely suprised by what I found. Very interesting! Thanks for teaching me about the geological formations of this part of the San Andreas fault. mjp303

Apr 17, 2009

Mount Shasta

By: Retiredprof Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

bthomas and I were racing the setting sun to get to the correct spot for the photo. As you can see we were just 5 - 10 minutes too late. It was a fun ending to a wonderful day chasing DeLorme pages across the northern part of the state. FWIW, the rest area is now open, although most of the landscaping still needs to be put in. Thanks for the earth cache! mjp303

Oct 29, 2008

Reedy River Falls

By: FireFrog69 Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

Visiting from California, I had the good fortune to discover a wonderful gem in River Falls park. I love how geocaching takes me to cool places and helps me learn about a new area. Thanks for placing an earthcache for me to find! mjp303

Oct 18, 2008

Eureka Dunes, Death Valley National Park

By: Trogdog Difficulty: 2.0 Terrain: 5.0 Container: Not chosen

After a fantastic day wheeling and hiking up to Champion Mine, I had this crazy idea that the remote SE corner of the DeLorme challenge was still within reach. So we raced the sunset and made it just in time. I think I must have given bthomas, KendraH, and airsax a washboard ride to remember! It was probably more like ice skating...until we hit those loose sand pits! [:O] Unfortunately, the sunset was perfectly still and quiet. Absolutely no wind meant that the dunes were mute as well. Actually, the silence was awesome; it was so unlike the hustle and bustle we come from in everyday life, and contibuted to the majestic emptiness of the Death Valley desert. Members of my group have already posted several pictures that included me at ground zero. My favorite is the one of Fizzy and me taken by bthomas. Those smiles say it all. Thanks for sharing this wonderful spot! mjp303

Aug 8, 2008

Mono Lake Water Balance

By: Bernd das Brot Team adopted by f0t0m0m Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

Thanks for a very interesting earthcache. I learned a lot about the lake and it's history. mjp303

Tufa Towers

By: Mc5 Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 1.0 Container: Not chosen

This was a highlight of my Eastern Sierra trip. Thanks for the informative cache page! The Tufa was spectatular and the slimy feel of the water really interesting. Thanks! mjp303

Jul 12, 2008

Tafoni of the Sandstone Caves

By: Erickson Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 2.5 Container: Not chosen

We visited the Tafoni formation in El Corte de Madera Creek OSP today with a group of about 15 cub scouts and their parents from Pack 61 in Redwood Shores. The weather was perfect and I think everyone enjoyed the hike. Thanks for teaching us about this unusual rock formation! mjp303

Jun 28, 2008

Gazing Across a Plate Boundary

By: joseph.kerski Difficulty: 1.5 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Not chosen

We were out today for a hike and cache hunt in Windy Hill OSP. It was a beautiful day, although our views were somewhat obscured by the smoke in the air from fires in Northern California. Living with the possibility of an earthquake is something we have to take for granted around here, and it was a good opportunity to point out the force of nature at work to the kids as we stood looking out over the San Andreas fault. Thanks for the earthcache! mjp303

May 21, 2008

You don't have to tremor, it's not your fault.

By: kf4otn Difficulty: 1.0 Terrain: 2.0 Container: Not chosen

We enjoyed the hike to the cache site on a sunny morning. The wind was a bit stiff, and there were white caps on the reservoir. The views were great! Thanks for placing this earthcache. mjp303

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