GC3DHXH Dinosaur Train : Gyracanthus (Traditional Cache) in Pennsylvania, United States created by Geo-Ben

This cache has been archived.

Geo-Ben: These Dino caches had a good run. Apparently I have a troll stalking me and stealing my caches. There can not be any coincidence that all 6 of my caches in this park going missing at the same time. I had the same thing happen at some local Game Lands too. Oh well, thanks to some jerk of a human these are no longer available for the families of kids that they where designed for. Hope you feel good about yourself.

GC3DHXH ▼

A cache by Geo-Ben Message this owner

Hidden : 3/9/2012

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

LAKE TOWHEE'S
DINOSAUR TRAIN GEOCACHE

GYRACANTHUS

Gyracanthus were among the class called Acanthodians. Acanthodians were among the earliest known vertebrates with jaws. Their new adaptation allowed them to nibble flesh off prey instead of waiting for morsels of food to float by. They swarmed anywhere there was a carcass. Once a rare and lowly life form, fish like Gyracanthus were beginning to take over our planet 50 million years ago. Every fish we know today — catfish, swordfish, minnows, sharks — would all be spawned from these ancient ancestors.

The Gyracanthus' scales were not thin and slimy like modern fish, but were more like bony plates — rough, heavy and thick — making them a heavy, stiff fish. Also known as "spiny sharks," they had stout spines on their fins that were whitish and very rigid, almost like bony spikes. These spines reinforced their fins, which were fixed in place and non-movable like a shark's dorsal fin. Gyracanthus were only 6-12 inches long. (SOURCE: Animal Planet)

Pennsylvania Fact - Fossils of Gyracanthus can be found at the Pennsylvania State Museum in Harrisburg. They were discovered in Sullivan and Clinton Counties, (see map below) making Gyracanthus a true Pennsylvania Dinosaur.

"Go outside, get into nature and make your own discoveries!" That is what Dr. Scott challenges his viewers to do at the end of each Dinosaur Train episode.

YOUNG EXPLORERS FIELD QUESTIONS:

Where in this park do you think Gyracanthus would have been found?

Name another animal you might find there today?
Be sure to tell us when signing the logbook!

For more information on this educational outreach initiative please visit the Dinosaur Train Geocaching Web Page at www.geocaching.com/dinosaurtrain

GEO-CACHING INFORMATION:

Park is open dawn to dusk.

Begin your Dino-Adventure at the posted parking coordinates.
Look for the start of the yellow hashed trail at the posted trail head coordinates.
There are currently five Dino-Caches along this route.
Total distance from parking lot to all five caches is is a little more then 1/2 mile one way.

At one point the trail comes out onto a dirt road and goes back into woods.
Coordinates are posted for this area under 2nd trail head.

I have added a 3rd trail head where the yellow trail intersects with an unmarked trail. This waypoint takes you to a part of the trail where it goes from a wide path to a narrow trail. The path to take for the yellow trail is well marked at this waypoint.

I found the whole park to be very wet and muddy in many areas and in varying degrees.
I would highly recommend clothing and boots you don't mind getting muddy, wet, or dirty.
Now that I have given you everything you need; get out there, follow the yellow-marked trail,
mind the private property signs, and have a Dino-Good time.

Each cache contains a PA Scratch-Off Lottery Ticket for FTF. However, if the FTF'r is the same for all five caches please only take one ticket and leave the rest for the STF, TTF, 4TF & 5TF. Unless of course you are a group then one ticket per individual.

Good Luck Dino-Hunter and Happy Caching.
Geo-Ben

*** Congratulations to TheeNightHunters and Zix7 for FTF on Saturday, March 10, 2012 ***
Honorable Mentions go out to ST.FU and Schtipp for combined STF and TTF

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

"Jura gur ynxr erprqrq V sbhaq zlfrys fghpx haqre guvf cvyr bs ebpxf. Pna lbh uryc na byq svfu bhg?" --- Gur Tlenpnaguhf

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)