1) Watch Jerry's Map from Jerry Gretzinger.
2) Leave your reaction to the short documentary in the comments below.
Inspired by Jerry's work? Check out the Atlas art objective!
1) Are you familiar with survey markers, commonly referred to as “benchmarks”? If not, take a bit of time to learn about them! The amount of time you spend on this step is up to you! Follow your level of interest!
You may want to start with:
This short history of survey markers.
The Wikipedia page about survey markers.
The above video, which is a little bit tongue and cheek (bordering on crass?) but interesting!
2) Identify a benchmark that is of interest to you. You can search your area with National Geodectic Survey Explorer or Geocaching’s search tool.
Note: If you are outside the US, this objective may be modified to meet your needs as you see fit. Make sure to choose an activity that involves travel and a physical marker of space and/or elevation. Let us know how you've chosen to complete this objective in the comments below.
3) Travel to and find the benchmark you identified.
4) Take a photograph of your adventure (e.g. a photo of the benchmark, or yourself at the location) and post it in our Facebook group! Alternatively, or additionally, feel free to share the social media platform of your choice with the tag #QuestScouts.
Note: If there is a rule against photographing the map you may skip this requirement and explain this in the comments.
5) Along with your photo, use your post’s caption to tell us about your experience hunting for and finding a benchmark:
Where was your benchmark located?
What condition was it in?
Was it difficult to find?
Did anything interesting happen while hunting?
Alternatively, or additionally, you may complete step 3 in the comments below!
This objective encourages you to seek out a historical map and appreciate the stories it tells. If you’d like to visit what is considered the oldest surviving world map, you’ll need to visit The British Museum in London, UK to see The Imago Mundi! Dating to between 700 and 500 BC, The Imago Mundi (otherwise known as the Babylonian Map of the World) was taken from Sippar, Iraq.
1) Locate and visit a map that is at least fifty years old. The older the better!
Note: You must be in the presence of the physical map, not a digital version.
2) Photograph your map and share it in our Facebook group! Alternatively, or additionally, feel free to share the social media platform of your choice with the tag #QuestScouts.
Note: If there is a rule against photographing the map you may skip this requirement and explain this in the comments.
3) Along with your photo, use your post’s caption to tell us:
The story of your map adventure from start to finish.
How did you locate your map?
What type of building was it in? What did the map look like?
Explain any differences between your map and a current map of the same location that you notice.
Alternatively, or additionally, you may complete step 3 in the comments below!
1) Make a find* that requires you to follow a map. (Alternatively, you may place a hide that meets the same criteria.) This means that without following a map it would not be possible to find the geocache or letterbox.
An example of this would be a cache or letterbox that provides you a map at its initial location, which then leads you to the final container. Alternatively, you may need to use a map for a puzzle that leads you to the location of the hide.
2) Take a photo to document your adventure and post it in our Facebook group! Alternatively, or additionally, feel free to share the social media platform of your choice with the tag #QuestScouts.
3) Along with your photo, use your post’s caption to tell us about your experience making the find.
Alternatively, or additionally, you may complete step 3 in the comments below!
*A "find" can be either a geocache or letterbox. Not familiar with either? Watch this video by Geocaching, the #1 lister of geocaches or read about letterboxing from Atlas Quest.
It’s time to travel to another world with the aide of your television. (Or tablet, or phone… it’s 2022 after all!)
1) Choose and watch one of the documentaries or movies listed below.
2) In the comments below, tell us:
What film did you watch?
How many stars (out of four) would you award your film?
(0= No redeeming qualities, 4= Best film ever!)
A short review of the film, including at least one thing that you learned or found interesting while watching.
Faces Places. Directed by Agnès Varda.
Available from Netflix DVD and Amazon Prime Video.
A Map for Saturday. Directed by Brook Silva-Braga.
Available from Amazon Prime Video.
Bonus fun: You may also be interesting in reading this article which checks in with the filmmaker 10 years after his travels.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Directed by Ben Stiller.
Available almost everywhere.