2008-11-08 49 -123

Sat 8 Nov 2008 in Vancouver: 49.1282440, -123.0973623 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

Today's geohash was located on a cul-de-sac in an industrial park in Richmond, close to the Steveston highway.

Participants

• Robyn was there at quarter to four with Wade (instead of T-Rex).
• Garyuuko made it about five minutes later.
• HollyB was hoping to go around 4, but we didn't see her. She likely couldn't spend 4 hours not studying physics.
• Thepiguy was there around 1900. And did someone mention physics?

Expeditions

Robyn & Wade

Robyn and Wade were on the way to visit Robyn's brother, and the geohash was right on the way, so Robyn brought Wade and the car, and a picnic basket. Robyn assigned Wade to program the (new) GPS and to determine exact driving directions to the geohash. He did the former and then printed off the later in Tagalog. Yes, Tagalog. For some reason Google maps defaults to Tagalog on Robyn's computer.

Robyn drove to the geohash with Wade giving directions such as "Lumiko Pakaliwa sa No. 5 Rd." We now know the Tagalog for "turn left" and "turn right." When we pulled into the cul-de-sac there were some kids raking leaves, so we parked away from their work and walked back to the zero point. The new etrex Venture is much better than the old etrex Legend, especially as the Legend won't turn on properly anymore. The Venture acquires position faster, even in a building or car and oscillates less. Also it's in colour.

The kids raking leaves came over to see what we were doing as we located the 0m point and photographed the GPS there. "What is that?" they asked. We told them, and explained that we were playing a game where we come to places to see what and who is there. They regarded us incredulously and explained that there is nothing here. We thanked them and got out our picnic basket. I was just pouring the grape juice into plastic wineglasses, when Wade spotted a motorcycle entering the cul-de-sac. "Here's someone," he said. He isn't a veteran of as many solitary geohashes as I am, hasn't sat and watched as many people who might be geohashers but aren't, so I didn't even look up until Wade said, "He's waving." It was Garyuuko, my first meeting with him, and he accepted a glass of grape juice.

The kids did a very good job of raking the leaves. We chalkmarked the geohash, took a few photographs and continued on our separate ways.

Photos to follow.

Garyuuko

With the motorcycle finally out of the shop, Warren was ready for another random adventure. Plus he needs to put some miles on the engine before Thanksgiving.

The weather reports were daunting for the Saturday hash, with an 80% chance of rain, but there was a promise of others showing up, so a border hop was called for. Took it really easy on the new engine parts, and settled into a nice and easy cruising speed.

Showed up about 10 till 4. Met Robyn for the first time, as would have happened eventually. Got to toast a glass of grape juice over a successful journey. (thanks again!)

The weather wasn't as bad as Warren had expected, not that it would have really mattered, since had had the itch to make it to a hash. A light mist was encountered when crossing the border north bound and then Just a few drops just past the border going south bound. northbound border wait was only about 5 minutes, but southbound was busier, about a half hour. Could have been much worse.

Thepiguy

Thepiguy was unfortunately volunteering all day, and couldn't make it out for 4. He got home around 6, quickly assembled the necessary geohashing equipment and set off on his bike.

Thepiguy made it into the vicinity of the coordinates within a half hour but was to over confident to stop and check the map and ended up biking around in circles for 15 minutes. He eventually ended up at the end of a different cull-de-sac and finally admitted he had no idea where to go. GPS now in hand he proceeded to make a right hand turn at the intersection which he had previously made 3 left hand turns and found the location almost immediately.

After propeing Josephine against the curb he immediately began his search. Although markings from previous geohashers were to be expected, there was still something surreal about discovering the pink chalk almost beneath his feet. It was unmistakable: the internet had been here. And along with it three other geohashers, for this was surly what the three small stick figures were trying to communicate. Robyn was quickly identified as one of the geohashers in question, but there were insufficient clues to match the other two.

Heart broken that he had missed such a significant event, thepiguy added his own image to the mural, surveyed his surroundings and let out a small *sigh*

Maybe next time.

Things I learned while Goehashing

Don't make plans for Saturday!

Images

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  The (new) GPS showing 0m to the geohash. Note the picnic basket underneath.

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  The picnic includes plates, sandwiches, stemmed goblets and grape juice.

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  So that others coming later would know they had not geohashed alone.

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  My slight modifications to the geohashing monument.

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  Spot on!

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  And one more bicycle geohash.

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  We glow!