2008-06-21 39 -119

Sat 21 Jun 2008 in Reno, Nevada: 39.9793177, -119.6139621 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

The hash point is in the water, about a quarter of a mile beyond these geese.

There were two potential locations for the Saturday, June 21 geohash. Check out the discussion page about alternate locations. After a contentious and close election, Paveman met up with some friends for a Pyramid Lake hash attempt. While the hash point was not crossed (it was in the lake, and the water was very cold), a good time was had by all. Additionally, a geo hash Scrabble variant was proposed.

The Location

Coordinate map

The official hash location was in Pyramid Lake. The lake is the outlet for the Truckee River, whose source is Lake Tahoe. The point was about 500 feet (about 150 meters) northeast of Separator Beach. This location represents a rare opportunity for Reno hashers to earn the Water Geohash achievement. Additionally, this location is on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Reservation, and a $6 day pass should be purchased upon arrival.

The Meetup

Paveman, Shay, and Tim arrived at approximately 4:15 PM. Shay and Tim provided the vast majority of snacks, including pastrami, salami, sauerkraut, and other sandwich fixings. Paveman provided snack crackers and coffee. While one unopened can of cola was lost to the lake, approximately six pieces of trash (including the trash bag itself) were removed from the lake shore.

In a futile attempt to reach the hash point, Paveman attempted to swim out. The first obstacle were the rocks on the lake floor near the shore. These rocks were not sharp, but they were slick, smooth, and make wading difficult. Sandals did help a little, but they did not stay on. Secondly, the water was quite cold; easily 45°F (approximately 7°C). The swim attempt was abandoned after about twenty minutes.

Back ashore, Scrabble was played, and a new rule was made up. The word "geohash" was made acceptable, and an automatic win.

The hash was concluded with hugs and careful packing at approximately 7:30 PM. A marker was constructed using nearby rocks, and was placed near the swim attempt's entry point.

Statistics

Meetup statistics

Arrival time	4:15 PM
Geo hashers present	3
Gulls encountered	1
Pelicans encountered	1
Achievements earned	2
Lizards encountered	0

Paveman, Shay, and Tim earned the Done with Nature consolation prize by failing to reach the (39, -119) geohash on 2008-06-21.

Paveman earned the Drag-along achievement by dragging Shay and Tim to the (39, -119) geohash on 2008-06-21.

Photo Gallery

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  Carl the gull hung out in the hopes the humans would drop food. His request was denied.

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  The pyramid for which Pyramid Lake is named. Its proper name is Anaho Island.

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  The Nevada state government's Department of Cultural Affairs placed this sign, and 265 others like it, all over the state to mark points of historical interest. [1]

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  The geo hash marker, which is really just rocks stacked up to look cool.

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  Shay and Tim. Paveman snapped the photo, but was too excited about getting into the water to think about setting the camera down.

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  Date and time as presented on a GPS LCD. This was the most readable photo of the display.

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  GPS coordinates as presented on an LCD. This was the most readable photo of the display.

Old Planning Information

Additionally, votes were cast for the preferred meetup location using the faboo official mapping utility. The red dot represents the hashed location for our graticule, while the blue dot corresponds to the South Lake Tahoe graticule's hashed location for voting purposes.

Location 1: Pyramid Lake

This looks like it's actually in the lake. There seems to be a nearby campsite, so we may be able to borrow a boat or I may be able to find a small raft in my garage.

This location represents a rare opportunity for Reno hashers to earn the Water Geohash achievement. Additionally, this location is on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Reservation, and a $6 day pass should be purchased upon arrival.

To vote for this location, point your browser to the official mapping utility, click on the red dot, and say "yes" or "no."

Location 2: South Lake Tahoe Graticule's Location

Our neighboring graticule to the south have been dealt a hill approximately 10 miles east of Minden. This location appears to be accessible without admission charge, however there will be significant hiking.

This option also gives us a chance to meet our neighbors, and potentially get someone started on their Endurance Geohashing achievement, among others.

To vote for this location, point your browser to the official mapping utility, click on the blue dot, and say "yes" or "no."

Who's Coming

Although he's campaigning for the Pyramid Lake meetup point, Paveman will check which site has the most votes at 1:00 PM. Whichever site has the most votes, he will be present at 4:00 PM. Seriously, he needs that much time to prepare.