2008-10-31 59 11

Snowy, the showy snowman.

Fri 31 Oct 2008 in 59,11: 59.7980240, 11.0469395 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Participants

• relet

Plans

• The hash is on an island, 6-10m from shore. Water temperature is 4°C. 30min bus ride from Oslo and a good bit of walking. Meet me in the bus 501 departing at 9:50 bussterminal Oslo. I wouldn't mind if you brought a rubber boat or a large ladder. -- Relet 22:37, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

Expedition

Everything went as planned. It was a hot and stuffy day - somewhere in Madagascar. Fortunately around here, those funny Norwegians have a white powder they call "snø" ("snoy!"). When applied to landscape, it produces a gentle and refreshing chill.

I took the bus from Oslo central bus terminal to Nordliveien (the famous bus stop in zone sø-4), carrying a small canvas bag containing my towel. From there on, I had to rely on my memory of various maps, as I did not bring any. The OpenStreetMap surveying stopped there, as well. It felt like the end of the world. Yet, it was just the beginning of the expedition.

I went on foot, following a road up the hill. And down the hill. And up that other hill. Having passed an innumerable amount of picturesque Norwegian lakes, wooden houses, and even more trees, I reached the lake that would contain the island. The island that would contain my hash. The road ending, I took the direct way across the snowy woods, always in direction of my hash (up and down the hills, and so on).

Several times I assumed to see the island I was looking for. Still, the relentless distance display on my GPS always told me to go further, and most of the presumed islands turned out to be other parts of the shore on the mainland. Eventually, when the distance meter was down to 42, I had the right one. And as the satellite survey correctly had predicted, it was some six meters from shore.

Having heated up from walking the whole time, I figured a refreshing bath would do me some good now. I packed all my stuff and my clothes in a plastic trash bag, and my shoes and the first bag into a second. Thus having protected my gear from humidity, and added the necessary buoyancy, I waded through the waist deep water onto the glorious island.

From there, it was another short hike, and the hash was mine. I took the temperature of the snow at the hash (I brought an infrared thermometer, which does not display ambient, but radiated temperature), took some photos, hid a geocache, and built a snowman. I made up a rather good story about Carribean Pirates being stranded on that Norwegian island, starving to death. You may read it if you seek the geocache some time.

Positively enthused by the experience, and the sheer amount of Achievements I just won, I crossed the lake for a second time, ate some cookies, and strode off full of verve - into the wrong direction. I ended up on some languet next to the road I was looking for, with just a few hundred meters of water between. I turned around with a little less verve, and followed the coastline back, then the road to the bus stop. I was surprised to catch the bus at 4pm - the whole trip had taken me but six hours.

Total Score: Coldest Virgin Frozen Snowman Geoflash Geohash of Snøøø!

Tracklog

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=70937

Geocache

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c910ccbc-9e7e-487e-8d2f-4569c7752d83

Gallery

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  relet at bus station, and snoy.

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  Lots of user mailboxes, and hiking paths.

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  The wood was flooded.

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  The road up the hill.

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  I photographed maps, to have maps. Came from "Fjell", now at P.

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  Now at "du na°", going to right right of right border of map.

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  Hash on island at right border. Remember the power lines.

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  They *do* have boats.

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  Picturesque snowy swamp.

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  Adorable Norwegian hut.

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  Dam.

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  Off the road, the "path" I took.

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  Would that be my island?

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  Well, that certainly isn't my 6 meter wide fjord.

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  Now, that it is! (cliffs on the left side)

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  Look on the island, along the power lines.

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  Fortunately, it wasn't all cliffs.

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  Exhilarating Norwegian.. trees.

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  Doesn't look too deep.

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  A little less than lukewarm.

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  My carry-all buoy.

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  That hoopy frood always knows where his towel is.

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  At the hash (note the lack of map).

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  Stupid grin. Check.

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  Chill, dood.

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  Whoa there, dood. My hat keeps falling off.

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  Snoy is coldest.

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  Had to re-use the hat.

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  Glad I brought the long towel.

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  Back across the lake - cookie time!

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  Another cookie photo.

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  Snoy and boots.

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  An outlook in the wrong direction.

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  Finally retraced my steps.

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  The road back up the hill, as seen from the other side.

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  They call it "ees".

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  Back at the bus stop.