2009-03-14 -35 138

Geohash Meetup

Several KM down dirt roads down near Cape Jervis. Basically the end of the earth.

Sat 14 Mar 2009 in -35,138: -35.5407367, 138.1119046 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

People

• TheJosh, Jessie
• UnwiseOwl

Narrative - TheJosh

This was my second geohash. It started as an idea, after seeing that todays co-ord was just off the coast, and was within tinny distance. I have a tinny... We actually scrapped the idea of the tinny because of conditions, and with Jessie coming along as well, we were ready.

Basically I got onto IRC and discovered UnwiseOwl was up for it as well. A very small amount of planning was made, including UnwiseOwl doing some baking, and catching a bus to Mount Barker - we met at maccas - and we were off.

We had a fairly typical drive to Jervis from Mount Barker to Echunga, Meadows, a bunch of other towns I cant remember the name of, but after about two hours we were there. We stopped in a few places and took photos. At one place there was JACK written all over the road. Vandals are funny.

Just outside of meadows is Kipito Forest, and as we were going past, Jessie mentioned that she had found a geocache there once for outdoor ed. at school. She didn't have the co-ords, but she did know it was 'in a big bush'... We found the geocache, and left a roll of tape in it. We also found some rubbish, and collected it, if only for an achievement.

Once we got to Jervis, we drove on random dirt roads for ages, using only the GPS by this time because our map was crappy. Eventually we got within 4 km of it but the cliff-face was too steep, and we didn't have the boat.

We did eat a pie though.

The views from there were amazing too.

Narrative - UnwiseOwl

“	"We were worried you were going to be a creepy paedophile or something" "My mother was worried you were going to kill and eat me" ... "This is so fun!"	”
—TheJosh and UnwiseOwl, upon their meeting.

“	"It's somewhere just in here, near a big bush" "Near a big bush?!?" "Yeah, but this bush is BIG"	”
—TheJosh and Jessie

“	"Go that way!" "Are you sure?" "The gate's open, isn't it? Go that way!"	”
—Jessie and TheJosh

There are other geohashers in Adelaide! This amazing fact more than made up for the fact that the geohash was in the Southern Ocean (halfway between the mainland and Kangaroo Island), so I arranged to meet two people I'd never met in a McDonalds I'd never been to and set off on my way.

After recognising each others coded signals (Josh was wearing a bright red T-shirt and I was reading a copy of Pride and Prejudice with a rose in it), we introduced each other, and, satisfied (at least in part) that neither of us were dangerous social deviants, we jumped in Josh's car and away.

Introducing yourself to someone while they are sitting in the back of your car must be an interesting experience, but Josh and Jessie were lovely, and we soon found we had many things in common, which is pretty nice, considering we'd only met briefly on irc just 3 hours before. After a quick stop for a geocache that Jessie remembered being somewhere along the way in the Kuitpo forest, we continued southwards to the officially marked alternative meetup point, the closest land-based point to the hash.

After a while driving on the scenic winding roads and only a little bit of carsickness, we hit a dirt track that seemed to be heading in the right direction. Snaking along past some interesting roadside attractions, we soon ended up at the lookout marked as our alternate location, which turned out to be a wind-farm veiwing station. We viewed them, but any photos Josh took of UnwiseOwl doing so didn't work, probably due to the Owl's typically vague instructions...

We continued along a little path, just to see if we could get closer, until we met every hashers nightmare, a "No trespassing" sign. This one was pretty classy, though. Luckily, Jessie spotted an open gate off to the side, and after a little bit of convincing Josh edged to car down the little track until in disappeared into a massive gully. Deciding discretion is the better part of valour, we stopped here, our geohashing adventure complete.

Then UnwiseOwl remembered the pie he'd baked for the dual occasion of meeting other geohashes and March 14th, so after warning them about the lentils (he made a mess in the kitchen, again!) he served the pie. They waited until he'd bitten into his piece (still wary about him being a weirdo killer, I guess), and then all sat down to declare the pie good (much the Owl's suprise).

On the way back to the bus station, we had chips and gravy at Myponga, a little town with a silly name and an odd town hall, but apparently having a "Food at Myponga" achievment is a bit too selective, or something ;) . They were nice chips.

Looking back on the day, I can only be amazed by the power of geohashing, that it can bring together people for such crazy journeys you've not ever met and know nothing about each other. Thank goodness for the current obscure status of geohashing, is all I can say.

Oh, and you'll have to ask TheJosh if the disclaimer on my userpage is justified.

Achievements

UnwiseOwl earned the Meet-up achievement by meeting Josh and Jessie (and vice versa) at the (-35, 138) geohash on 2009-03-14.

UnwiseOwl and TheJosh earned the xkcd Nullaturion achievement by attending 1 Saturday meetup.

UnwiseOwl earned the Pie Geohash Achievement by baking an Apple Shortbread Pie for other people to degustate at the (-35, 138) geohash on Pi Day 2009.

UnwiseOwl, TheJosh and Jessie earned the Food at Myponga Achievement by having a meal at famous Myponga on 2009-03-14 after having seen a geohash from afar.

Photos

Coming soon (honest) (Owl is having trouble with the camera).

yeah right --TheJosh 04:23, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Still? -Robyn 19:24, 11 June 2009 (UTC)

Coming Soon (honest) (Owl is having trouble with life). --

150.101.48.8 02:50, 28 October 2009 (UTC)

Still? -Arlo James Barnes (N35, W105) 16:52, 14 February 2013 (EST)