User:NWoodruff

Nathan, Software developer since 1983

I live in Norcross, Georgia , at I-85 and GA-378 on the north east side of Atlanta.

Dedication

I have reached so many geohashes in Atlanta that many of my fellow geohashers think that I must be cheating, or that using a car should be called cheating in order to disqualify me from my consecutive hashes. What they don't realize is that I do use a bicycle, and I achieve all these geohashes because I really am that dedicated.

You want to know of Dedication, I had turned 41 in September of 2006. I was pushing 215lbs, it was hard for me to walk up stairs. I was getting short of breath and had a resting blood pressure of 160 over 100. My doctor was pushing me to start me on blood pressure medication for fear of me having a heart attack in a few years.

I said to hell with that. I found me an inexpensive bicycle and rode to the end of my street every day which wasn't more than 300 feet and an incline of not more than 50 feet up. Riding back to my house was easy because I didn't have to pedal at all. By the end of September I was starting to time myself on how long it took to ride that 300 feet and would push myself to do it faster every day.

To show how bad it was, I was trying to cut seconds off of riding a bicycle ride 300 feet a mere 100 yards, a little less than 100 meters. That is how bad it was.

By the end of October 2006, I had ventured out of the neighborhood and was now riding to the end of the major street that I lived off of. That was 1.3 miles.

As it started to get really cold in November 2007, I purchased a stationary bicycle and was pedalling for an half hour every day. I have no idea how far that was. I did know that I was losing weight.

February 2007, I decided that if I was really going to have dedication to lose weight and get in shape, I would have to start riding my bicycle to work. I looked at Google Maps and picked a shopping mall that was 6 miles from where I worked as a starting place. I purchased a much better bicycle, put it in the back of my truck, drove to the shopping mall and rode to work the rest of the way.

Here is a picture of me from the first day that I rode my bicycle to work. I am 205lbs in this picture.

I rode the 6 miles to work and the 6 miles back to the shopping mall every day that I went to work. I made the dedication to get up an hour early EVERY SINGLE LAST day that I went to work in 2007 to ride a bicycle to work.

Here is a picture of me from June 2007 4 months later at 180 lbs. I had lost 25 pounds in 4 months.

By November 2007 I was 170lbs. In a little more than a year, I had lost 45lbs and my blood pressure is now 120 over 80 as near perfect as perfect can be.

Here is a picture of me in the SAME EXACT OFFICE chair taken November 2008 at a respectable 180lbs. Most of the gained weight is from muscle mass in my legs.

Now I have gained weight over the winter of 2008 - 2009 but I am once again back on my bicycle every day.

You might not count the daily six miles from work back to my truck as part of a geohashing expedition. I haven't been documenting it, but it does mean that every single last consecutive geohash point I have reached has started with a bicycle ride. On the weekend, it is 20 miles or more. Well, that was except for April 21, 2009 because I had to buy a new rim because of a car and bicycle meetup. Car and bicycle meetups don't go well. Don't try them yourself. The bicycle always loses.

For a new Consecutive Geohash ribbon that would be easy for other geohashers to win, it would have to be something to exclude Atlanta like, swimming, or mountain climbing. Achievements are not made to be easy. What I have done in the last 17 days, hasn't been easy.

Just get out and Geohash!

Geohashes I've scouted

1. On 2008-06-22. Got with in 10 feet of actual spot at 16:00 local time. Fear of snakes and poison Ivy prevented me from touching the actual location. Met a hot looking woman living in the complex though.

2. On 2008-08-01. Made it to the exact spot at 12:15pm local time. I dragged a friend from the office along with me.

3. On Saturday 2008-08-02. I took a motorcycle ride north east to an old stomping ground of mine. I went to Lanier Tech/Gainesville Junior College in 1983-1984 which was just across the street from Georgia Hwy 53. The place has changed drastically in more than 20 years. It was nice to know that the Pizza hut is still there across the street. That is where I bought my first beer. It was incredibly HOT waiting for people to show up. I got there around 4pm local time. I waited through a rain shower and left about 5pm. Nobody showed up except me. I looked for the Master Trespasser award which I would qualify for. There is none :(.

4. On Saturday 2008-08-09. Made it to the dirt road entrance at 4:10pm local time. I looked to me as a private driveway so I didn't drive up it. I did park on the side of the road and walked up it about 30 feet. I could see other houses with people outside so I didn't go any further. I waited till about 4:30pm local time to see if any one else would show up. I left with out taking pictures.

5. On Sunday 2008-08-10 I made it out to Douglasville. I was there a few minutes after 4pm local time. I was the only one there at the hash in the 4pm hour. I had given advanced notice since Friday that I would be out at this hash and was hoping that other Atlanta Geohashers would be there. I assumed that I was the only one. I did pick up another achievement award, the Speed Racer Award.

6. On Monday 2008-08-11 I made it out to Lawrenceville to do the speed racer achievement again. It took me a few attempts to get a picture of the exact spot to qualify for the speed racer. I waited around on the side of the road for 30 minutes for other speed racers. None showed so I left for Norcross.

7. On Saturday 2008-09-06 I arrived about 10 minutes before 4pm. I did not know how far exactly the bicycle ride was going to be, so I left my house about 3:30pm local time. It was a very good ride, except for it was very hot and muggy. It turned out to be 3.47 miles from my house and I did it in about 15 minutes of actual bike time. I did have to stop for street lights so total time was just at 20 minutes. I waited for other Atlanta Geohashers to show up but none did. I waited around till about 4:30pm and then left for home. With this GeoHash I qualify for the bicycle achievement.

8. On Monday 2008-09-15 I drove out to Powder Springs in search of this hash point. I stopped for something to eat on my way to the hash point so I would have something to eat as I sat there. I had my bicycle with me in the back of the truck and rode the streets of the neighborhood before I got some stares from the people living there probably wondering what I was doing there. I know that this doesn't qualify me for another bicycle geohash. I wrote XKCD in the dirt and left for home.

9. On Saturday Oct 18, 2008 I set out to Roswell. I was to be in the Peachtree Corners area earlier that day so making it out to the Geohash was only going to be about 10 minutes out of my way. I arrived about 15 minutes early expecting to meet other geohashers because I posted notice in both the Atlanta Graticule and the Talking Rock graticule that I was going to be out at the hash point. I was the only one that showed at the regular scheduled meeting time.

10. On Saturday Nov 01, 2008 I originally planned to make this a bicycle Geohash but because of a time constraint helping a friend, I did not have the time to ride a bicycle today, although the weather is fantastic today. It was as sunny as sunny could be, with a high temp in the lower 70's. Perfect bicycle riding weather. I knocked on the door and met the home owner. I asked for permission to take a couple of pictures in his front yard and he agreed. I tried to explain XKCD but stopped when he looked at me weird. I then just said that it was an adventure club and he said fine go ahead. I hung around for only 25 minutes because the guy kept looking out his front window wondering if I had left or not. I was the only one to show up at the regular meeting time. For this trip I do earn the Ambassador award.

11. On Tuesday Nov 04, 2008 I made it to a hash that is only about 1/2 mile from my house as the crow flies. I knocked on the door to ask if I could take some pictures of the actual hash point and was DENIED!!! I took some of the surrounding area and left for my house.

12. On Saturday Nov 08, 2008 I made it out to this hash point at about 3:45 pm. I noticed the very large front gate that was locked. I could have slipped under the gate, but since it was on a major busy road, I decided that it was best that I didn't. DENIED!!! I waited around till 4:15pm for other Geohasher, but none showed. I will again accept the no tresspassing award for this Geohash.

13. On Christmas day 2008 in the Pensacola Florida Graticle, I made it out to my Origin Geohash. I was in Pensacola for the week of Christmas for which I have a house in Pensacola to stay at. The beach is wonderful this time of year. It was slightly cold but well worth the trip. Expedition can be found here.

14. On Sunday Jan 11, 2009 I posted in advance that I would make this Geohash. I was glad to finally meet another geohasher. Woodveil was already at the hash point when I showed up. I attempted and completed both the Circus and Trash Geohash achievement.

15. On Saturday Jan 31, 2009

16. On Wednesday Feb 11, 2009

17. On Thursday Feb 19, 2009

18. On Monday Feb 23, 2009

19. On Tuesday Feb 24, 2009

20. On Friday Feb 27, 2009

21. On Tuesday Mar 3, 2009

22. On Friday Mar 6, 2009

23. On Saturday Mar 7, 2009

24. On Monday Mar 16, 2009

25. On Friday Mar 20, 2009

26. On Saturday Mar 21, 2009

27. On Monday Mar 23, 2009

28. On Thursday Mar 26, 2009

29. On Monday Mar 30, 2009

30. On Friday Apr 3, 2009

31. On Sunday Apr 5, 2009

32. On Monday Apr 6, 2009

33. On Tuesday Apr 7, 2009

34. On Wednesday Apr 8, 2009 4 in a row.

35. On Thursday Apr 9, 2009 5 in a row.

36. On Good Friday Apr 10, 2009 6 in a row.

37. On Saturday Apr 11, 2009 7 in a row. A new XKCD RECORD

38. On Easter Sunday Apr 12, 2009 8 in a row. Is he crazy?

39. On Monday Apr 13, 2009 9 in a row. Is he unstoppable?

40. On Tuesday Apr 14, 2009 Opps, I did it again(Sorry Britany), 10 in a row.

41. On Wednesday Apr 15, 2009 Okay, I admit it, I'm addicted. 11 in a row.

42. On Thursday Apr 16, 2009 12 in a row.

43. On Friday Apr 17, 2009 13 in a row.

44. On Saturday Apr 18, 2009 14 in a row.

45. On Sunday Apr 19, 2009 15 in a row.

46. On Monday Apr 20, 2009 16 in a row.

47. On Tuesday Apr 21, 2009 17 in a row.

48. On Wednesday Apr 22, 2009 18 in a row.

49. On Monday Apr 27, 2009 1 in a row.

50. On Friday May 01, 2009 1 in a row.

51. On Saturday May 02, 2009 2 in a row.

52. On Sunday May 03, 2009 3 in a row.

53. On Tuesday May 13, 2009 1 in a row.

54. On Wednesday May 20, 2009 1 in a row.

55. On Thursday May 21, 2009 2 in a row.

56. On Friday May 22, 2009 3 in a row.

57. On Sunday May 24, 2009 1 in a row.

58. On Tuesday May 26, 2009 1 in a row.

59. On Friday May 29 2009 - 1 in a row.

60. On Saturday May 30 2009 - In a back yard just south of Stone Mountain Park. The No Trespassing award was accepted.

61. On Sunday May 31, 2009 - In a parking lot just south of Dobbins Air Force base in Mayretta. It turned out to be in the Air force base. Puppet Master award was Achieved.

62. On Monday June 1, 2009 2 in a row.

63. On Tuesday June 2, 2009 3 in a row.

64. On Monday June 8, 2009 3 in a row.

65. On Tuesday June 9, 2009 2 in a row. I've decided to count backwards.

66. On Thursday June 11, 2009 1 in a row.

67. On Monday June 15, 2009 1 in a row.

68. On Tuesday June 16, 2009 2 in a row.

69. On Wednesday June 17, 2009 3 in a row.

70. On Friday June 19, 2009 1 in a row.

71. On Monday June 22, 2009 1 in a row.

72. On Tuesday June 23, 2009 2 in a row.

73. On Wednesday June 24, 2009 3 in a row.