2025-02-06 55 -4

Thu 6 Feb 2025 in 55,-4: 55.8571915, -4.0199519 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

The drive-through lane of a KFC, Coatbridge, Scotland

Participants

Mcbaneg (talk) 21:44, 5 February 2025 (UTC)

Plans

Bus from work to Edinburgh Park station, Scotrail to Coatdyke, bus toward hashpoint. Should arrive around 630 pm. It's not clear that a pub will be visible from the hashpoint, but I may nevertheless seek out a post-hash beer and burger nearby.

Expedition

As planned. The initial bus was late, and an extra 5 minutes was spent changing drivers enroute, so the train (for which I thought I had planned in plenty of wait time) pulled up just as I arrived at the station and there was a brief moment of uncertainty about whether I'd get aboard. I did.

A friendly bus driver in Coatbridge figured out I didn't know the local geography when I told him my destination was 'KFC', and offered to let me know when we reached the best stop. I ended up in a pleasant conversation with him on the nearly-empty bus, and he advised me that it would probably be best to just walk back to the station when I was done rather than wait for the only service that would still be running, which runs only hourly. I took his advice.

The hashpoint was easily reached, just as expected. I hadn't seen any attractive pubs on the way in so I ate a chicken sandwich at KFC and headed to the station for the return home.

This is my 20th graticule with a successful expedition. It adds a 3rd graticule that touches my current base Edinburgh to my tally, so I might as well start a Minesweeper count. Edinburgh is in the northeast corner of the graticule so the S and SW ones might be particularly challenging, though.

Photos

• 

  Grin (sorta).

• 

  Proof.

• 

  View north from hashpoint.

• 

  According to Wikipedia, the oldest family business in Coatbridge (as seen on the walk back to the train station.)

Achievements

George earned the Public transport geohash achievement by reaching the (55, -4) geohash on 2025-02-06 via Lothian route 32, McNairn's route 16, and Scotrail.

George achieved level 3 of the Minesweeper Geohash achievement by visiting coordinates in Edinburgh, United Kingdom and 3 of the surrounding graticules.

George achieved level 4 of the Minesweeper Geohash achievement by visiting coordinates in Edinburgh, United Kingdom and 4 of the surrounding graticules.