2009-02-22 51 10

Sun 22 Feb 2009 in Goslar: 51.2803137, 10.8701622 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

About

Between some trees in a rural area north of Erfurt. Reachable on foot from Niederspier (2.3 km) or Wasserthaleben (3km).

This is going to be europe's largest xkcd and/or geohashing meetup so far!

Games

Proposed addition to Games We Play -- Hive if only two of us, Zoka: The Battle of the Baristas if 3 or more. Yes, the Seattle guy brought a coffee game...; Munchkin;

Schedule

OK, here's the plan:

• Tomcat and Hans drive, by car, to Riegling and pick up dawidi there at 6:15.
• They drive to Nürnberg, get on the train there at 8:04 (Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket, which dawidi will buy)
• In Würzburg, they meet Danatar and ekorren on the train (Gleis 11a/b) that leaves for Erfurt at 10:01.
• In Erfurt, they meet Thomcat (and his own ticket) on the train (Gleis 4) that leaves for Niederspier at 13:04.
• These 6 arrive at the Niederspier stop (remembering to request the stop!) at 13:50
• We walk to the hashpoint and expect to be joined by relet and friend(s) somewhere along the way.
• Hashpoint activities around 14:30
• We walk on to Wasserthaleben, disrupting the quiet sunday village life in Otterstedt on the way there.
• We get on the train back to Erfurt which leaves at 16:10 from Wasserthaleben.
• The hashers split up in inverse order at Erfurt and Würzburg.

Planning

What time?

I would suggest 2pm, as some of the southerners will have to return by 4pm. -- relet 22:05, 20 February 2009 (UTC)

More detailed suggestion: The southeners will arrive at Niederspier at 13:50 and then walk to the hash, arriving there probably around 14:20. I would suggest to stay at the point not longer than 15:00 and then comfortably move on as a group either through Otterstedt to Wasserthaleben or back to Niederspier. The alternative would be to stay as long as possible and then hectily run to some station, possibly missing the train if anything goes the slightest bit slower (as it usually does in a group).

Bonus: None of those three villages is decently mapped on OSM. We could change that ;-) --Ekorren 13:33, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

Assuming Thomcat and his German phrase book can figure out the trains, he can be there. Should we meet up at the Niederspier train stop/station just NW of the spot?

My train route. Hildesheim south to Holle and Seesen, then south and east through Osterode Am Herz and Herzburg Am Herz and Nordhausen. Looks like I change to a different train or tram running south to Sondershausen, then south towards Hohenebra and eventually Niederspier. --Thomcat 21:04, 20 February 2009 (UTC)

I have serious doubts about the route you are describing here. The railway line from Holle (Derneburg) to Seesen has been abandoned about 20 years ago. It's actually possible to cross both of these places but only when going via Salzgitter. Did you get an actual timetable already, and also pricing information? Online timetable information in english is available here. For further information you may always ask me, I'm quite an expert on german public transport and tariffs.

There are no trams involved, but some trains are operated by other companies and thus have other names. However, they all count as local trains, and usually accept the standard tickets, so this is non-relevant for you. Only IC/EC/ICE and a number of international or overnight long distance trains are more expensive. --Ekorren 02:06, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

I could arrive at Niederspier at 13:50, leaving again at 16:05. I will only consider the trip if I can share the ticket (it's valid for 5 people anyway) --Ekorren 02:06, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

Thank you for the link; I was unable to find one in English previously. I figured the route by looking for train tracks on Google Maps :) As to sharing tickets, I will gladly join with anyone, if you are going via Hildesheim. If not, I assume I am to purchase the "Happy Weekend" ticket for 37 Euros? --Thomcat 04:50, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

That will probably be the best choice. There may be other variants to save an Euro or two, but the "Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket" provides the flexible solution. It's a daypass for almost all local trains within of Germany, along with many buses, trams, subways and even a number of ferries. (for sake of completeness: HSB trains are not included). So, using that ticket, you are fully flexible to go whichever strange detour has the best timetable (you know, with public transport the shortest way isn't always the fastest), or take some visit before or afterwards if there is some time left (there are a number of famous touristical places in that area). It's valid for five people, but even for you alone, it's the sensible solution. Mind that the price of 37 EUR is only valid if bought from an ticket vending machine or from a bus driver where available. If bought at the ticket office, a supplement of 2 EUR applies. --Ekorren 10:13, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

I won't be able to come, unfortunately. I stand in awe at dawidi who gets up at 6am to reach this hash, but travelling two times for six hours is too much for me (no car). I wish you all a great trip and have fun at the meetup! -- relet 23:37, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

Aww, boo :( Btw, *all* of us had to get up at more like 4:00 to make it... --dawidi 03:37, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

A note to all train travellers to Niederspier: Niederspier is a stop on request. That means: Like in a bus you have to press a button in time before the train approaches the station, because otherwise it may just run through it without stopping. But unlike in a bus, shouting Eep, I wanted to get off here! at the moment you notice it's too late won't help you here. --Ekorren 10:30, 21 February 2009 (UTC)

Timetables

Ok, for the fraction coming from the south, here's the main plan:

The way there:
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Bahnhof                 |   An   |   Ab   | Zug Nr.  | Bemerkungen    |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Riegling, Regensburg    |        |  06:15 | (car)    |                |  dawidi joins
| Nürnberg Hbf            |        |  08:04 | RE 34604 |FB              |
| Würzburg Hbf            |  09:19 |  10:01 | RE 34683 |                |  ekorren and Danatar join
| Erfurt Hbf              |  12:21 |  13:04 | RB 16446 |FB BH EH 3T     |  thomcat joins
| Niederspier             |  13:50 |        |          |                |  stop on request!
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+

The way back:
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Bahnhof                 |   An   |   Ab   | Zug Nr.  | Bemerkungen    |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Wasserthaleben          |        |  16:10 | RB 16449 |FB EH 3T        |
| Erfurt Hbf              |  16:52 |  17:32 | RE  3365 |                |  thomcat splits off
| Würzburg Hbf            |  19:58 |  20:40 | RE 34631 |FB              |  ekorren and Danatar split off
| Nürnberg Hbf            |  21:55 |        |          |                |
| Riegling, Regensburg    |  23:30 |        | (car)    |                |  dawidi splits off
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+

dawidi will bring the Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket for all of us (except Thomcat).

Trains for Thomcat:

+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Hildesheim Hbf          |        |  09:37 | ERB81210 |FB              |
| Elze(Han)               |  09:53 |  10:01 | ME 80835 |FB SN MM        |
| Göttingen               |  10:52 |  11:07 | RE  3659 |FB              |
| Erfurt Hbf              |  12:47 |  13:04 | RB 16446 |FB BH EH 3T     |
| Niederspier             |  13:50 |        |          |                |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Wasserthaleben          |        |  16:10 | RB 16449 |FB EH 3T        |
| Erfurt Hbf              |  16:52 |  17:10 | RE  3670 |FB              |
| Göttingen               |  18:52 |  19:07 | ME 80852 |FB SN MM        |
| Nordstemmen             |  20:02 |  20:09 | ERB81231 |FB              |
| Hildesheim Hbf          |  20:20 |        |          |                |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+

Trains for ekorren:

+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Tübingen Hbf            |        |  05:36 | RE 22004 |FB              |
| Stuttgart Hbf           |  06:38 |  07:05 | RE  4938 |FB              |
| Würzburg Hbf            |  09:22 |  10:01 | RE 34683 |                |
| Erfurt Hbf              |  12:21 |  13:04 | RB 16446 |FB BH EH 3T     |
| Niederspier             |  13:50 |        |          |                |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+
| Wasserthaleben          |        |  16:10 | RB 16449 |FB EH 3T        |
| Erfurt Hbf              |  16:52 |  17:32 | RE  3365 |                |
| Würzburg Hbf            |  19:58 |  20:37 | RE  4953 |FB TM           |
| Stuttgart Hbf           |  22:53 |  23:22 | RE 22063 |FB              |
| Tübingen Hbf            |  00:23 |        |          |                |
+-------------------------+--------+--------+----------+----------------+