Kommandonek - Tonteldoos Earthcache! EarthCache
Kommandonek - Tonteldoos Earthcache!
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This cache is located close to the pretty Haartebeespoort Dam. On a public road – please be careful – although there is ample place to park on the side of the road, cars can pass here very fast – so be careful – especially with children.
In a range of hills a saddle (also in certain instances, it can be refer to as a gap, notch, col, mountain pass, bwlch, brennig or bealach) is a saddle point in between two areas of higher elevation. If following the lowest possible route through a range, a pass is locally the highest point on that route. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have always presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have been important since before recorded history, and have played a key role in trade, war and migration. Topographically, a pass has the general form of a saddle between two mountains (the elevation as a function of two position coordinates is mathematically a saddle point). They are often found just above the source of a river, constituting a sort of "bridge" over to the headwaters of a different river. Roads have long been built through passes, and more recently railways. Some high and rugged passes may have tunnels bored underneath, so as allow faster traffic flow year-round. For passes with roads, it is also customary to have a small roadside sign giving the name of the pass and its elevation above mean sea level.
The word gap is more commonly used in the southern Appalachians, while notch is more common in New England. In Scotland, the Gaelic term bealach (anglicised "Balloch") is often used. In the Lake District of north west England, the term hause is often used, although the term pass is also common. One distinction is that a pass can refer to a route, as well as the highest part thereof, while a hause is simply that highest part, often flattened somewhat into a high level plateau. In most cases, the formal term will be that which has been used locally over a long period. As well as allowing easier access between two valleys, a saddle also similarly provides the route between two mountain tops with a minimum of descent, making it important also to hikers. Because of these advantages, it is common for tracks to meet on a saddle, making them often convenient routes even when travelling between a summit and the valley floor.
(Acknowledgement to Wikipedia.com).
Kommandonek in particular was often used as a crossing point between the northern valley and the southern valley. In the Second Anglo Boer War (1899 – 1902) a blockhouse was erected here as part of the system used by Lord Kitchener to disrupt the Boer troop and support movements. A Kommando was the name for a unit of Boer soldiers. The nearby battle of Buffelspoort (Battle of Buffelspoort GC180ZV) and well preserved blockhouse at Hekpoort (The Fort at Barton's Folly (GC1W768) caches are also well worth a visit if this is of interest to you – plus the amazing Tonteldoos series (GC1ANHR; GC1BTBM and GC1C1ZN are all fairly close).
The WP for the remains of the blockhouse are (S25 44.002 E27 49.340).
In order to qualify to log this cache, you need to answer the following questions and email the cache owner. Any logs not accompanied by an email will be deleted.
1) Take a photo of you and your GPSr at this spot with any nearby peak or view of the dam visible and include in your log. [Optional]
2) Comment on the landforms visible especially the peaks and saddle itself.
3) Look eastwards (towards Pretoria/Dam) and comment on the shape of the mountain (the cross section from north to south). Explain how you think this range got this shape.
4) Why would a saddle be the best / most obvious spot to cross a mountain range?
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Erzrzore gb fraq lbhe rznvy! Or pnershy bs genssvp ba ebnq.