2009-04-05 30 -86

Successful and slightly less bloody than last expedition in the Crestview, Florida graticule. This one by Powertool, Bos and B4work

Sun 5 Apr 2009 in Crestview: 30.9456290, -86.4622726 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Planning

In pretty dense trees just south of Laurel Hill, about 500 meters from public road. Logging trail to within about 75 meters of the hash Powertool and Bos will try for 1600 meetup. --Bos 15:24, 5 April 2009 (UTC)

Expedition Report

By Bos

Summary

Successful mission, survived with no permanent injury but think we are resolved not to repeat this without significantly more motovation.

Another perfect day. Overcast and temperature 75 F. Rain in the forecast and threatening but not materializing.

Execution

Powertool and Bos started the expedition at our standard marshaling point, Tropical Smoothie in Niceville and headed north in the potato wagon. Picked up B4work at his dad's house in Crestview and continued on to the hash. The Work mentioned bringing his super brush axe machete but we left it behind. Mistake. Missed the eastbound turn off of Hwy 85 so circled through parts of Laural Hill none of us had ever visited before.

We navigated south on a clay road to a point about 0.28 miles SE of the meet where we encountered an unlocked gate protecting a trail impassable by potato wagon about 16:15. Recent heavy rains had soaked the ground, washed out some roads and turned others to mud. We set up base camp there, scratched our xkcd mark in the dirt and trudged (occasionally waded) in from there. Little worry except wet feet until about 75 meters from the hash. There we once again encountered very dense brush and almost gave up. This time at least we had learned to come prepared with Raptor armor - but still no machete (next time). Powertool saved the day by plunging into the brush to scout the difficulty and almost immediately disappeared. I procrastinated a few minutes hoping he would give up but when he reported some progress I crashed in behind. B4work was the only explorer to exercise good judgment and the better part of valor.

The way got no easier as we got closer to the hash. Powertool and I communicated by shouting really loud but didn't see each other again until we met up at the hash site about 15 minutes later. There we congratulated each other, took the obligatory photos and crashed back to the trail, emerging with relatively little bloodshed in comparison to our recent adventures. We executed our retreat from there to base camp without further incident.

At base camp we slugged down some iced tea before leaving to track down a couple geocaches in Laurel Hill and Florala, and checking on a set of geodetic benchmarks set in 1934 and 38.

Photos

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  Track from base camp to the hash and back.

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  Recent rains made lots of mud.

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  xkcd notice for late comers. Distance to hash 0.28 statute miles.

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  B4work and Bos slog down the soggy, soggy trail

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  B4work enjoys a pine hamburger near the hash - actually it's a wheel for a toy - found on the trail. Looked almost new.

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  Powertool's shirt barely visible through about 7 meters of dense brush.

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  Arrival at the hash.

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  Surprise - mushroom season doesn't start again here again until next month. Surprised to see this single mushroom - hallucinogenic at that. No, we did not eat it.

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  Back at base camp, Powertool enjoys well deserved refreshing beverage in the potato.