2010-10-29 45 -122

Fri 29 Oct 2010 in 45,-122: 45.6381662, -122.4052664 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

Near Hwy 500 east of Mill Plain, Washington

Participants

• Jim

Plans

Print a Google Map, program a GPS, run a quick errand. Head out to the hashpoint, which was probably on private land.

Expedition

The template asks: How did it all turn out? Answer: Very badly.

This was one of those expeditions that really didn't seem to really have a chance.

I started by printing out the Google maps page with directions. I grabbed it and headed out the door, planning on programming the GPS on the way.

I got out the door when I noticed that for some reason Google Maps has stopped printing out the coordinates as the destination when you print out directions as well. So I ran back and quickly popped up the Peeron page and told it to print. I stuffed it into my bag and headed out to the car. On the way, I attempted to get the coordinates on my organizer as a backup. It reported that it had no battery left. It charges via the USB connection, so I couldn't just change the batteries.

"No problem", I think. "I've got the coordinates on the Peeron page. I'll go with them."

I get to my quick errand and go to program the GPS before I hit the road. Oops. The printout of the Peeron page doesn't include the box in the lower right!

Okay - I've got a final fallback. The browser on my cellphone will show me the coordinates if I hit the right page, which is painful, but possible. Except the browser won't show me any pages, let alone one with hashpoint data. Apparently a recent power outage has broken things. More work for me to do the next day.

Finally, I call APR and ask him to text me the coordinates. Which he does. Now I can put them into the GPS...the one with the low batteries...which die before I finish entering the coordinates. Luckily there are spare batteries in the camera case.

We hit the road...For a little while...Until I hit traffic. And I wait, and move a little, and wait, and move a little. And wait.

Finally, I realize that I've burned up so much time that at this rate I won't make it there and back close to in time for dinner. I give up and take the next exit to head home, leaving the hashpoint for some future retro expedition, perhaps when we go to visit the very first geohashing expedition ever, which happens to be in that direction.