2013-02-26 35 -92

Location

On private property outside of Conway.

Participants

Expedition

This... was a lengthy expedition, though the distance between Conway and the hashpoint on the map would suggest otherwise.

AshtaraSilunar and Haberdasher set out without much real certainty as to where the point was, except that it appeared to be in the middle of a forest not terribly far from Conway. Our first attempt to reach the hashpoint, guided solely by the GPS' instructions, led us to a road called Tally Road and a gate blocking our path. Strike one.

Our second attempt led us down a dirt road to a logging company, where the nearest approach- a little over two miles to the hashpoint- was blocked by a gate barring the road once more. Additionally, the logging company land itself had a No Trespassing sign. Strike two.

The third attempt was what took up most of our time, and came closest to reaching the hashpoint. The two of us agreed to ignore the GPS' instructions and turn down the next road that looked promising and in the right direction, since the GPS had led us to several private roads and at least one poorly-kept farming access road without really getting us near the hashpoint. Said promising road, thankfully paved, led to a park which AshtaraSilunar quickly recognized as having visited before. We parked in the nearest parking lot and began to hike the park's trails.

Not knowing much about the trails, we generally took those which appeared to lead in the direction of the hashpoint as shown on the GPS, which coincidentally was also more or less parallel to a nearby lake. It had also rained recently, as referenced in our expedition report from the day before, and while it was not raining now, the mud and puddles remained. Haberdasher almost fell into one of these mud puddles during an unwise attempt at using the steeper of two paths.

This haphazard trail selection got us to within two miles of the hashpoint, but a fence prevented us from going further. While the purpose of the fence was initially unclear, a little further hiking led us to discover that on the other side of it was a cow pasture. Haberdasher dutifully said hello to the cows she passed along the way, as well as a few paths and creeks, though the latter could not be expected to return her greetings and the former were generally lacking in small talk.

We followed the path parallel to the fence, hoping that it would lead to a path in the right direction eventually, but as we followed the trail's twists and turns, the two of us noticed that some of the scenery was familiar, as were the paths we were crossing... As Haberdasher put it: "It seems like we're just going in circles. Muddy, muddy circles." Though further attempts at following trails around in the hopes of a bypass were attempted, none got us closer than two miles from the hashpoint. Strike three.

Upon realizing that the trails were not going to help us reach the hashpoint and that it was doubtlessly blocked by fences anyway, we chose nonetheless to continue on the trail rather than retrace our steps, because adventure! AshtaraSilunar began rambling in a faux-philosophical fashion about the features of the path, and Haberdasher joined in and continued greeting the numerous creeks crossed along the way. At at least one point the path was entirely waterlogged, but we trekked onward nonetheless. Eventually we spotted a paved road, and then the turn where we had entered the park, and soon enough rediscovered the parking lot, car intact. After a short picture and hydration break, we headed back home.

We cannot be 100% certain that this counts as a No Trespassing hash, but our multiple attempts at reaching the hashpoint all ended because of fences blocking the way, clearly indicating that visitors were not wanted. I am fairly certain that the point was either within the cow pasture or on the logging company's land, neither of which are publically accessible.