2023-07-18 53 9
| Tue 18 Jul 2023 in 53,9: 53.8633826, 9.8765444 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox |
Location
on a field of tall maize in Lentföhrden, Schleswig-Holstein
Participants
Expedition
Made it through the ma(i)ze.
I was studying for an exam the next day, but this hash was too close to miss. After taking the train to Lentföhrden, I cycled 2 km to the hashfield, which turned out to grow maize. Unfortunately, the hash was located 280 m deep into it. I slunk along its edge, trying to avoid overarching trees and the gazes of anyone in the adjacent gardens, but occasionally had to venture into the maize because there was no getting through the branches at the edge. Because the lines of maize seemed to run parallel to me, the plan was to enter the field at the back and walk 125 m between the rows. I reached the point where the field gave way to a meadow, which I had to cross to get to where the field continued. The meadow seemed wet but passable, until a sod gave way under my right foot and completely submerged it in an ankle-deep puddle. What luck.
The lines changed from running vertically to running parallel to the street before the field was over, so I entered there, still being 70 m behind the hash. However, their direction soon changed again and I was forced to make my way through the rows, each time bending two of the tall stems apart and stepping through. My shoes accumulated mud at an accelerating rate and my left foot seemed almost as wet as my right one. With every step, the wet leaves slapped into my face. Suddenly, a ridiculous though appeared: What if they started harvesting the field now? I had no idea in which season maize is usually harvested, the cobs seemed ripe and the stems were so much taller than me that I'd have to way of noticing a harvester except its noise. What an embarrassing death that would be (though doing what I loved, I guess).
Rational thought soon took over and I reminded myself how unlikely that scenario was. Still, when I finally reached the hash I wasted no time, took some quick pictures of the all-encompassing greenery and then struggled my way directly back to the edge, 38 m away. The whole ordeal had taken way longer than expected and now I had to hurry to catch my train back. I noticed someone driving a vehicle on the adjacent meadow, so I resorted again to walking in the maize until I was out of sight. Arriving at my bike, I swiftly sped back to the station, making up a lot of time on the way and arriving with so much to spare that I was able to quickly check out the abandoned lot behind a barn just south of the station before I caught the AKN back.
Photos
to follow
Achievements
Land geohash, Public transport geohash
