2012-09-04 47 -122

Location

Northbound 37th Ave near the county line in Lake Forest Park

Participants

Expedition # 1: Thom

Geohash on the way to work; didn't even have to drive too far off my usual route. Had to drive past twice due to tree cover (the vehicular GPS dance), but got geohash droid to report "on the spot". Will come back with Sidewalk Chalk on the way home.

On the spot - 7:06 am -- Thomcat @47.7764,-122.2904 07:06, 4 September 2012 (PDT)

Update - chalked the spot on the way home and searched for the Geocache, which was not visible from the hashpoint (although the starting location for the search is).

Plans for expedition # 2

I will also try to get this one sometime this afternoon or evening, now that I know I'm not making like a tree to try and get 2012-09-05 global. Does anyone want to join me there? I'll say 6:30pm at the hash, but that time is very flexible to suggestions... -- OtherJack 18:34, 4 September 2012 (EDT)

Easier for me to stop on the way home, probably 4:45-5:00. Got some web work to do tonight. I'll chalk if you're not available. --Thomcat 19:11, 4 September 2012 (EDT)

No way I'm going to get there that fast by bike at this point, so I won't plan on meeting you. I'll still say 6:30 for now... -- OtherJack 19:20, 4 September 2012 (EDT)

Exploring the possibilities of a Hash/Cache collision (336 ft N - but is it really?)

Expedition # 3 (??) (OtherJack)

I left home by bike around 5:30 (a bit late) with my GPS on and my Tron route all planned out... no way I was going to miss this ribbon yet again. The wind was unexpectedly strong out of the north, slowing me a bit, but it was still a fine ride and I reached the hashroad around 6:34pm, coming from the north end of the block.

Now, since I wanted to do this in at least something like true Tron spirit, I had to stay on my bike while doing the hashdance. The point seemed to be right in front of me in the southbound shoulder as I slowly rolled south while holding the gps. But as I drew closer it migrated to the northbound lane, and I curved left across the road. Soon it was apparent that I'd gone a bit far south, so I continued turning left, going just a few feet north along the very inside of the northbound shoulder until the coordinates were nailed.

Then I stood there astride the bike for what must have been five minutes, taking pictures of the gps, Thom's chalk XKCD, and the neighborhood. Passing cars must have been annoyed by my position right by the driving lane, but I didn't care. I was going to get a Tron. Once I was satisfied with my documentation, I rolled forward, quickly doing a U rightward to take me southbound along the outside of the same shoulder for a while. My light cycle path had just done a bizarre, asymmetric S shape, but it had not crossed itself. When I was sure I was south of my previous track across the road, I crossed back into the southbound lane, and proceeded normally after that back toward Seattle and home.

Then things got even sillier, because I ran out of water along the Burke-Gilman trail in North Seattle, and began to watch for places to fill up that wouldn't make me cross my path or dismount. I passed two known water fountains (Matthews Beach and the little park by 40th Ave NE), but both were accessed only by single narrow paths! I seriously thought about dismounting to go into the Metropolitan Market on 40th, but finally decided to press on, especially since it was getting dark, the pavement on the trail was old and rutted, and I had no headlight. I was also getting quite hungry at this point, in addition to thirst.

Next opportunity was a McDonalds drive-thru on 25th Ave NE that I thought was right by the trail. When I realized it wasn't, I pressed on. (I only now realize that I could have made it work by going around the block afterward - too late though.) I finally ended up going to Dick's Drive-In in Wallingford for fries and a lemonade, which did not violate the tron criterion because I rode in from the east, ordered astride my bike (facing perpendicular to the window), kept rolling west, ate and drank astride the bike, and then continued west and out of the lot. Home was only a couple miles away at this point, but I really needed it.

Finally I pulled into my building's driveway and took out the gps to find that... it was off!!! Why? Did I accidentally shut it off out of habit after finishing back at the hashpoint? Is it set to automatically turn off after a while if you don't do anything? I haven't investigated the latter yet, but either way you will now have to take my word about the successful Tron hash, instead of seeing tracklog proof. ~~I will post my route below, in lieu of a Google Earth map which I will make later once I've installed and learned how to use Google Earth, which I was (coincidentally) gonna do anyway soon~~ The Google Earth map is now uploaded, at [1].

Crazy.