2018-12-08 53 6

Sat 8 Dec 2018 in 53,6: 53.3044294, 6.5829999 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

The hash is in Bedum, in a residential area, very easy to reach.

Participants

• Shevek
• Gamma
• Malaila

Plans

Shevek and Gamma are going by car. We'll leave from Groningen around 15:45, so we should roughly 16:00. Intended achievement to score:

• Tron achievement
• No Batteries Geohash - should be easy as it it only a short drive and the geohash is easy to reach and find.

Gamma intends to score:

• Drag-along achievement

Expedition

Because of the no batteries attempt, Gamma made a "map" before leaving. His new printer was not yet configured on his laptop, so he drew one by hand. A rather poor one since he lacked time and was in a hurry to be on time to meet Shevek. Gamma's couldn't drag his girlfriend into going along; she insisted in setting up the Christmas tree and does not seem to like geohashing.

Once at Shevek's place, Gamma and Shevek debated over trying other achievements. But since they wanted to go for Tron badly, other achievements could ruin Tron. Since the weather was bad, they also dismissed bicycle geohash achievement and walk geohash. When they decided tot go by car, Shevek's girlfriend Malaila decided she would come along too. They settled for tron achievement and no Batteries Geohash. Shevek pulled out his phone and checks Gamma's hand drawn map: sloppy, but useful and doable.

Since Tron has very specific requirements, Shevek and Gamma debated the route in detail (although they did not read the actual requirements beforehand). Malaila tried to add a remark about the exit ramps on the N46 on the way back, but was not heard by both Shevek and Gamma. They would discover later that this would have made things easier. Shevek was keen enough to start GPS recording at his house before actually starting their journey. Next stop was Gamma's house, since Shevek and Gamma could do the Tron cheevo from their own homes. Gamma knows the area of Beijum, Zuidwolde and Bedum well enough to use some bumpy roads in other to make the small trip seem like a worthy/lengthy journey.

The geohash was not reachable by car (not without ruining 10 meters of path/park and/or stranding Gamma's car in muddy grass), so they pulled over near the geohash, made short walk around the local pond (in order to carefully avoid use the same road segment twice), made some pictures and returned to the car. Well, Shevek actually did not completely return but waited for Gamma and his car to drive to his as Shevek was very cautious about road segments and his GPS recording not showing crossing trails. Gamma was also very cautious and used the grass to return to his car so he avoided using the road he has to drive on seconds later, and entered his car from the passenger side to avoid even crossing only centimeters of his own tracking. Shevek and Malaila both grinned at seeing Gamma trying so hard. Gamma pulled up to Shevek and Shevek got in.

There was only one entrance to the area, but the road was clearly divided by a strip of grass. Google Maps also shows a road for going into the suburb and a road for leaving the suburb. Neither Shevek nor Gamma is a native speaker, so they are somewhat concerned about "without using any segment of road twice". They reckon that they did not violate this requirement since entrance and exit roads where clearly separated.

The way back was via some rural roads. Coming back to civilisation nearly spoiled Tron: exit ramps for both Beijum Noord and Beijum Zuid cross the N46, which would have violated requirements "you cannot go over bridges (and highway exits etc.) that put loops into your tracklog if it is drawn on a flat map". Although noted in the nick of time (Malaila says: "hate to say 'told you so', but 'told you so'"), they avoided these exit ramps and took the exit at Kardinge. Next "stop" (drive-by) was Shevek's and Malaila's home (of course approaching from the right side). And last stop was Gamma's home.

Shevek's GPS recording showed some signs of GPS wobble. The evidence is not 100% fool proof, but when going for Tron, one will not deliberately run in circles. Gamma can vouch for Shevek and Shevek can vouch for Gamma.

Photos

• 

  Gamma's comprehensible map for No Batteries Geohash

• 

  Gamma and Shevek at the hash

• 

  All three of us at the hash

• 

  The gps track

Achievements

Shevek, Malaila and Gamma earned the Land geohash achievement by reaching the (53, 6) geohash on 2018-12-08.

Shevek, Malaila and Gamma earned the No Batteries Geohash Achievement by reaching the (53, 6) geohash on 2018-12-08.

Shevek, Malaila and Gamma earned the Tron achievement by reaching and returning from the (53, 6) geohash without crossing their own tracks on 2018-12-08.