2017-06-11 42 -78

Location

Orangeville Center, in the woods AT a family friend's cottage!

Participants

Pedalpusher
Simon the dog
Myka the dog

Plans

This is REALLY cool. Last week, the hash landed really close to this property and now it's RIGHT THERE! And not only that, but it's a weekend! The initial thought was that I would just go on Sunday with the dogs. Then I realized not only could I camp out there, but I could practically stay at the hashpoint. I'm going for a bunch of new ribbons with this one: Camping, Midnight, Sunrise and Picnic. Looking at the satellite pictures, it's really close to the property line and I'm not sure from that view. I'll be better able to tell when I'm there, but it looks to be VERY close to my father's area where he sits and hunts. If it turns out that I think it's on the neighbors property, I'll camp as close as I can on the Cottage property.

Which brings up the ambiguity of the Ambassador Ribbon in this situation. My father's friend's family has owned this cottage for 40-50 years and my parents have gone out there since they've been married(my father before that too). I've been going out there since I was born and the owners being such close friends of our family, we have a standing Permission of Access. Does that qualify? It doesn't seem like it's a Restricted Area either since there isn't guards or an access badge needed either...but being Posted, the public shouldn't be there without permission. Your thoughts on the Discussion page please!

Anyway, Plans are to head out this afternoon, and make a stop first somewhere. Maybe Knox Farms in East Aurora or State land somewhere out that way to go for a short hike to tire out the dogs a bit first. Then, upon arriving, find the hash and set up camp. Then I'll head back to the house and hang out there for the evening as well as grilling up my dinner. Will probably have a camp fire by the pond and watch the stars/satellites for a while before heading to the tent to sleep. I'll set my alarm for just before midnight to pick up that ribbon, then for sunrise. Sleep for a bit longer then have a picnic breakfast before packing up.

Expedition

We had a relaxing morning as I packed up and got ready to go. I made a stop at the local farmers market to find some small broccoli plants to finish off my summer garden and planted those. Early afternoon, we packed up the car and headed out. I decided to just go to our normal spot and hike around Chestnut Ridge which is not really out of the way. With the dogs a little tired, we drove out to the cottage.

Arriving, the dogs went a little nuts as they are always excited to be out there. I unpacked most of my stuff and started taking some of it down to the hash. Locating the hash, I found not only was it well on the property, but it was very close to where I camped once with a friend of mine back when we were in College. I pulled out the GPS and had a REALLY hard time locating it, as I was thinking it was in the pines, but it turns out it was on the other side of the swamp(and VERY fortunate that it wasn't IN the swamp). Now that I knew where it was, I set up my tent as close as I could under the pines since the ground there would be much softer. I was only 75 feet away and prepared for the Midnight and Sunrise hash achievements. I wouldn't have to worry about much of a GPS dance at that time.

After setting up, we headed back to the cottage and spend some time relaxing by the pond...well I did anyway. The dogs just wanted to play and swim. I got the grill out for dinner and cooked some chicken that had marinaded in a Rosemary Balsamic vinegar and foil-wrapped scalped potatoes. I put them on at the same time, not realizing the potatoes needed a little longer so they were still slightly crispy in the middle. I hadn't made those in years, but I'll remember for next time.

Toward evening, I went into the woods to collect some fallen branches and spent some time sawing them up for a fire. Not wanting to pull out the fire grate to have a fire in the grass, I just decided it would be easier to do it in the grill. As it got darker, a few stars started to come out and I identified Arcturus and Vega along with the handle of the big dipper. There was a lot of chirping from the trees too and I was pretty sure there were tree frogs calling each other. After it got dark enough where details are impossible to see, I heard a thump in the grass next to the grill. Something small, but significant and Simon got up to investigate. I did too because that was pretty weird and I found a Tree Frog! I've only ever seen one of these before. I think he may have felt the warmth of the fire and tried to get closer. I'm really glad he missed, but it was only by about a foot. I picked it up and brought it back to the trees where it was safer.

As it continued to get dark, I have to lead with this: Myka has a few wires loose in her brain and being around water really sets her off. It's like her body is running full blast and all that energy has no where to go. If I'm not throwing her stick or she's not swimming, she is whining and crying the entire time and won't lay down. I got tired of this a bit after 20:00 and decided to see if she would calm down at the tent, which she did.

I set my alarm for midnight and sunrise and settled in to finish the book I was reading. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is really good and about his walk on the Appalachian trail. Finishing the book, I found it was 23:17 and almost time for the hash to go active! I rested for a while until my alarm went off a few minutes before midnight. I walked over to the hash and because it's now official, I wanted to get the GPS reading at this point. Unfortunately, the GPS was still not getting a great signal, so while I was there and wandering all over the hash area at Midnight, I didn't get the proof until a few minutes after. I think that still counts.

I headed to bed but the wind had picked up and the trees were making all kinds of creaks and groans making it difficult to sleep. At least the ground was moderately comfortable. I passed in and out of sleep until my alarm again went off for the crack of dawn. Getting up, I headed back to the hash and got a few more pics with the same issues as before. I tried getting a little more rest, but it was fitful.

When I got tired of laying there, I got up and started to pack up and as I thought about breakfast, I realized that was the thing I forgot to bring! Doh! No breakfast this morning for me. I'll have to pick that one up at another time. This was quite a fun hash and a good trial run for camping with the dogs. Note to self: No camping with the dogs around water!

Photos

Setting up the tent, I'm only 23 meters away from the hash.
Our setup with the tent on the left and just squeezing in the hash on the right.
I found the hash for later and I'm lucky it's close to the swamp and not in it!
A view of the hash, it's by the first large tree.
Coming back from the woods, a view of the cottage(this was actually taken in the morning but the view doesn't change).
Back by the cottage, I check the time for sunrise so I can set my alarm later.
The Tree Frog! How cool!
Getting up for the Midnight hash, I made it!
Accuracy.
Simon at the hash with me.
Fun adventure and success!
Proof we are still camping.
Getting up for the Sunrise, I'm glad I took a screenshot of the time...
...because even 5 min later, I still didn't have a signal to get an accurate reading. A few min later, I said screw it, good enough and went back to bed.
Before packing up, proof we are still here in the morning.