2009-07-10 45 -123

Fri 10 Jul 2009 in 45,-123: 45.3700966, -123.0038234 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

Appears to be south of Hillsboro, near McCormick Road. Hillsboro seems to claim the land, at least for postal purposes, however, it seems to be part of Yamhill County, not Washington County. (This explains why I seem to always have to tell vendors what county I am from, even when I give them my zip code.)

Participants

• Jim

Plans

Jim decided it was a nice day and he'd give this geohash a try. He printed out a google map of sorts and programmed the GPS. After work, he headed south.

Expedition

I started out by telling the GPS I want to go to the new hashpoint, and started out. After a few miles, once I'm on the highway, I look at the GPS, and find it pointing in the wrong direction: I know roughly where the hashpoint is. I take a break and have a discussion with the GPS. I'm afraid I misprogrammed the GPS, and I don't have the co-ordinates with me. Luckily, I find I've simply picked out the wrong date/hashpoint in the GPS: June 10 instead of July 10. I manage to avoid a Blinded-by-Science achievement.

Picking the right point improves things and we continue south. I get to avoid the sudden left turn at 45 mph that the road takes near the Midway Fire Station (our local fire station) and to go straight ahead for once. As I pass the station, I start to look at the couple of street signs that are there: None of them match the road I'm looking for. I seemed to remember that it was straight initially, so I plunge ahead, but find the street name isn't getting better. I hit a major intersection and pull out the Thomas Guide. It looks like taking a right will connect up, so I head right.

Needless to say, the GPS is of no use at this point. It it pointing in a direction that there is no road, and the roads weave around and are not a full grid in the mountains. The road loops around, and I finally end up on McCormick Road, but the GPS is pointing in an unexpected direction. I finally realize that I've managed to loop around and I'm coming at the hashpoint from the "other" end of the road.

The extra distance isn't a problem, as the scenery is pleasant, and I'm getting to listen to stuff on my iPod. Also, the hashpoint is up in the hills between Hillsboro and Yamhill, and so there are pretty views of the valley. I don't get to see any of the big local mountains, though: Hood, Adams, and St. Helens (or what is left of it.) Of course, I'm close to another not-so-large peak, Chehalem Mountain, which lends its name to the local wine sub-appellation. I'll get to come through this area tomorrow for the Saturday hashpoint, unless I decide to drive all the way across town. (I bet I don't sound really enthused about doing that.)

The arrow on the GPS finally swings to the side, and I start to look for a way to the hashpoint. It being the usual Oregon rural road, there are only two lanes and no shoulder, so parking on the side isn't an option, unless you want to end up in a deep ditch. After a little bit of back and forth, I finally find what looks like the way in, but it is blocked by a closed gate. That road leads into a field, and wandering into fields that may contain unfriendly animals isn't recommended. The adjacent driveways that appear to lead to houses are also gated.

So, I give up and head home, getting to look at the pastoral scenes of cows and goats enjoying the fields before they start to dry up from the late summer lack of rain.

Achievements

Jim earned the No trespassing consolation prize by almost reaching the (45, -123) geohash on 2009-07-10.

Photos

• 

  View towards the Hills