Interesting palce. Ideas as to what it is?

06/30/2019 By kekj
Now back to where we started to make this log about 8 hrs ago, now yesterday! Had been out caching all afternoon, got home around 6 only to find that this same CO had just published 3 new caches that had gone live at 5:38.

The crazy part is that we had been out on that very same road (where all three new caches were lined up) about mid afternoon as wanted to look at the ruts of the Old Spanish Trail from above, then left and went on to find some more caches, ending up at home just in time to get stopped where we started at above - does that make sense?

Had taken the smaller 4x4 as is more nimble and has softer ride for the rough roads. Having just taken this road (for about the first 1.5 miles, felt we could take the big diesel crewcab long bed and do fine as has a lot more speed and acceleration and the race was on for the FTF (or so we thought) and the Dakota does the grades on Hwy 50 at 40 mph in 3 gear! Well GUESS AGAIN for the rough road, the first two FTF caches were easy finds and not too bad of road but once we started for the third one (DNF - Hello, no communications available) I quickly decided we needed to air WAY down (20 psi) which meant we had to air WAY up once we hit the hwy - air down and up costs 45 minutes so we did ALL of the return trip in the dark getting home about 10:30. Bright side is we got two FTFs, traveled a new road we did not know existed, and left an FTF for the next daring geocacher. Dark side is - it was DARK outside and we won't talk about the rest of it . . . .

Now back to this one. We seldom spend more than 6-10 minutes searching for a cache but had cleared this area 4 years ago, were gone to project on East Coast for a year during which this one was set and has been the only green icon in a field of yellow smiles. We REALLY really wanted it so spent nearly an hour looking over (actually - under) every rock within 100'. We had GZ as about 30-50' West of the rock art but searched the art work also just in case. NADA
If the cache truly is well outside the art work then it should still be there, we just could not find it but if it was inside the artwork it could well be gone as there were obvious signs of recent usage, fresh ash inside the fire pit (since last rain) and numerous pieces of fresh bark and wood shavings (still very whitish in color) from someone who had a bone fire there recently.

As for what it is? I agree that it is to do with sun (worship) solstice or the like, have seen similar by the ancients of Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon. As for WHO? Looks like the work is fairly recent (not decades or centuries) by a scout group? or modern day mountain men? Thinking to get an articale in the paper and see if anyone knows the history! - - - - but none of that helps solve the TRUE riddle, where did the cache go?

08/01/2017 By Grand Junction Dad
A friend told me about this wheel about three years ago. I went out to look at it and was pondering a good geocache for it. But you beat me to it!

Three of us spent quite a bit of time speculating what it was and what it was for. Someone finally came to the conclusion that it points to the sunrise during the equinox (the center line with three circles) and each solstice (the outer two lines with circles). Who or why or when it was done is a complete mystery. My bet is it's on the order of 100 years old. But was it some sun-worshiping cult? Or sheep herders whose sheep all died out in the desert and got bored?

Whatever the answer, it's pretty impressive. It's no stonehenge, but impressive none the less.

SL TFTC.

Next day update: I talked with my nerd friends again about this and got brought up to date. Historical aerials on google earth indicate that the wheel was not there in 1993. The next photo they have is 2005, which does show the wheel. So it appears that the wheel was built in that time span. But by who and for what purpose?

So my bet of 100 years was way off. But my new bet is it was made by hippies. Maybe alien hippies. Or is that redundant?

07/08/2017 By BG2015
Pretty interesting although a little smaller than I anticipated. It doesn't appear to be very old, but hard to believe anyone "modern" would take the time to construct such a thing. Thanks for the mystery.

04/15/2017 By Jess n Lynda
Amazing place, would have never come here and seen this if not for this cache.

06/02/2016 By Armendariz6
Rough steering!! Too ro7gh for small car but amazing view and interesting wheel. Tftc!!

04/11/2016 By 2oldgoats
Nice hide great views TNLN TFTC