2009-05-28 49 9

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Revision as of 00:07, 29 May 2009 by imported>Danatar (story done, gallery will follow tomorrow)
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Thu 28 May 2009 in Würzburg:
49.9109198, 9.7966617
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Location

Today's location is in the forest near Zellingen.

Country: Germany; state: Bayern (Bavaria, EU:DE:BY); administrative region: Unterfranken; district: Main-Spessart

Weather: During a large part of the day it was raining, but it stopped at 19:00. Later it was DARK.


Expedition

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My original plan was to cycle to the hashpoint in the afternoon, using the cycle path along the Main. Thepiguy and Srs0 planned to be at the hashpoint at about 18:00 and because of the weather I changed that plan to taking the train for part of the way, but when I left the house shortly after 17:00 the rain turned me back. At about 7pm the rain stopped, and I could not restrain myself. My plan was: Train to Retzbach-Zellingen at 19:35, cycle to the hashpoint and back (~8 km), return train at 20:43.


The train arrived at Retzbach-Zellingen at 19:44. I could not get on the bridge that crossed the Main next to the train station because there was no ramp nearby, instead I had to set out away from the hashpoint to the pedestrian bridge upriver. I had the directions written down and the map in my head (+ a screenshot for the area near the hashpoint), and in the beginning everything went as planned. For the "turn north for 150m with 25m uphill" part I had to get off and push the bike, but that was to be expected.

Then I arrived at "intersection with 5 tracks, go NNE and take right one of 2 parallel tracks, between religious things". I found the parallel tracks and a Via crucis and took the right track, which went to the north as planned. After a short time the path was difficult to distinguish and then I didn't see it anymore. I continued north, because my instructions were "after 650m track arriving from the left, almost there" (at the "250" on the map). With no track available I pushed my bike along between the trees, sometimes carrying it over obstacles, until I arrived at a fence. He, was soll das? By then I guessed that I was too far to the east and when I followed the fence to the west it soon ended and I found a track that was running in the correct direction. When a track arrived from the left and the track started to slowly curve to the right I knew that I was almost at the hashpoint. From compairing the Google Maps satellite image (without tracks) with the Bavarian land survey's hybrid image (with tracks) I knew that the hashpoint was about halfway to the next intersection (~60m) and maybe a little bit to the north-west. So I measured the distance to the next intersection and after half that distance left the track to walk around between the trees. As usual I chose a tree with smooth bark to be the hashpoint and marked it with "xkcd". I then explored the nearer area, even finding the next track in north-western direction, which assured me that I was at the correct location.

On the way back I stayed on the track and soon found myself at the Via crucis again, but on the left/westerly of the tracks I had seen before. As it turned out there were three things that looked like tracks, and the most easterly one which I had taken before was not a real one. I had a look at the Stations (numbers XII to XIV in that place), then continued back towards home, using a slightly different route to pass the other Stations. When I arrived back at the Main, numbers I and II were still missing. A glance at my watch told me that I wouldn't be in time for the 21:13 RE train, so I decided to cycle to the next train station instead of waiting. I tried the eastern bank of the Main and found a cycle track that went to Veitshöchheim. By the time I arrived at Veitshöchheim train station (~21:40), it was getting dark. I found out that the RB train that I wanted to take, which goes hourly during the day, is discontinued after 20:45. Oops. And the RE train doesn't stop at Veitshöchheim. And the next bus will only be there one hour later. And as far as I know there is no cycle track along this side of the Main to Würzburg, and even if there is one I don't know where it is. But I want to go home...

I consulted the low-resolution maps (google, zoom=13) which I always carry with me on bike expeditions. The best available route would include many slopes, but I had no choice. Well, I had a choice, but waiting for one hour didn't really inspire me. I set out towards Oberdürrbach, uphill. It was dark and I had never been on that road, but I continued until I arrived at an intersection which I remembered from one of my first expeditions. From there it was just downhill, uphill, more uphill, downhill. I arrived at home at 22:30.


Wildlife encounters: 3 ticks

Total distance by bike: 5.9 km + 22.8 km = 28.7 km; Uphill: 340 m