2009-05-03 50 5
| Sun 3 May 2009 in 50,5: 50.8703338, 5.5135538 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox |
Plan
Arvid was to Maastricht this weekend to cycle a lot, but brought his Xperia so he could get the coordinates, so when they were a bit lucky he could try them. This one was lucky enough to try on sunday. I was camping for two nights about 8km east of Maastricht. This hash is about 12-15km west of Maastricht. On saturday I cycled 300km in a Brevet. So for this hash I needed to feel ok. Ok enough to cycle 20km west with full camping gear (just my tent is 5.5kg, fyi, and people in this area have a different idea of "flat" than me).
It looked like the city centre, and just about 10m off a road. Probably just inside of a house or a garden then, or maybe even in a store! But only one way to be sure.
Achievements
- Cycled 35.8km.
- Crossed a border.
- No Trespassing.
Expedition
It was indeed in or just behind a house. The old lady living there just came out on the street before I arrived. We chatted a bit. I was wearing my "tour of flanders"-shirt, so she asked if I was doing that. (the tour was a month ago and is in the west of Flanders, Bilzen is in the very east, no way the tour ends up here). I tried to explain to her that I was looking for a point that was in her house today. She didn't seem to get it. I'm not entirely sure because I speak a completely different kind of Dutch than her, or just the concepts were so weird that she didn't even try to understand. When a neighbour came by I couldn't understand a word of what they were saying to eachother. And it probably was Dutch. So it doesn't really matter whether I hash in Germany or Belgium. Well, I had German in school. I was never taught any Flemish.
And four days later I find out this grat is actually a virgin! But since I didn't reach the coordinates, no new cherry for me.
Entering Flanders.
Entering Belgium (50m after Flanders).
Latitude right, longitude... not so much.
Bike as close as possible.
View to nearby crossing.
View to the house from other side.
As close as I got.
Leaving Bilzen.
I should keep my sunglasses on next time. You can see "De Ronde"(the tour) on my shirt.
Going back to Maastricht, downhill
Entering the Netherlands again. I can tell this is the border because the asphalt changes color. The sign in the middle of the road is Belgian, the cycle/moped sign is Dutch. There was no proper border sign this way.
