2022-08-28 53 10

Location

This Geohash is located on a meadow in Schlagsdorf.

Participants

Plans

Meet at 11:42 in Ratzeburg at the Demolierung bus stop and walk the rest of the distance from there.

Expedition

Leidenfrost

At night, I noticed that I couldn't do the initial plans as I was still preoccupied at that time, so I texted Fippe if he could do a bit later and that if we'd hurried up we could still do his earlier connection. Immediately after, I went to sleep and when I woke up, I received the message that Fippe went ahead without me, it sounded like a repeat of Sylt. Thankfully, after some more troubleshooting we'd arrived at a solution that would mean we'd meet up after all: Fippe'd go ahead and walk leisurely to the hash, wait for me, and then we'd walk back, and I'd somehow try to take as little time as possible, possibly by hitchhiking again. I got to Hamburg-Rahlstedt and took the 9 to U Wandsbek-Markt, and from there I took the 8700 to Ratzeburg, Demolierung, an amazing connection I'd've never expected to exist, especially not nearly every hour on a Sunday; one comfortable tour-bus ride later, I'd arrived in the picturesque Ratzeburg, Demolierung, and while "Demolition" evokes images of decay and ruins, it is actually a reminder of the demolition of the fortification of the city by the Danes in the early 19th century.

Having arrived in Ratzeburg, it was now time for the last leg of the journey, a 6.6km walk to the hash, and if I hurried and beat the Google estimate significantly, Fippe would get his connection, so I hurriedly walked, and jogged at times, one time having to awkwardly tell the bus-driver that just held for me that it wouldn't bring me where I needed to go. After a bit, I was finally in Ziethen, and shortly afterwards on the Landesstraße where it finally made sense to signal to people that I'd like to hitch a ride, since it is incredibly probable that we are going the same way. Sadly, no one was stopping for me at first, but after I'd gone half of the way, a car stopped, and they asked me where I was going, I told them, that I'd be going just across the border, after I'd gotten in, after just a short ride, I told them that I'd be off just around this parking space for the Mechower See where they told me that this was also their stopping point, as they wanted to go to the lake. In the short time we talked I tried explaining geohashing to them, sadly to no avail. I texted Fippe my ETA, and walked for just a bit.

I arrived at the meadow shortly after, shortly thereafter spotting Fippe, I couldn't help but grin at the absurdity of it, seeing a total stranger at a premeditated spot chosen at random; this was only the second time I'd met someone geohashing, and the first time where I was expecting someone to be there. We greeted each other and then walked to the hash (once more for Fippe), where I recorded proof, and we took the classic "Feet at Hash"-picture since Fippe does not have a face.

Due to me having hitchhiked we now had made up enough time for Fippe to catch a good train, success! But we hurried nonetheless just to make sure. We walked and talked for a good long while about geohashing, achievements, general geography, public transport tariff plans, and many more topics. It was delightful to talk to you about our collective niche hobby and I promise I won't talk to the authorities about your planned conquest of Germany. We walked back the same way I arrived here, and this time I actually had the pleasure of walking on the road I was driven over before, the Erlebnisstraße der deutschen Einheit and, I must admit, I did experience the German unification, it's certainly very helpful for geohashing. After a bit over an hour, we arrived back at my bus-stop, but, enjoying the conversation, I accommodated Fippe to the Ratzeburg train station, where we said our goodbyes until my train arrived just a minute before his. I hope we meet again, maybe at a good 53,9-HH, or at least 53,8-HH or 54,14-DE.

On my way home, I took the RE 83 to Lübeck Hbf., the RE 80 to Ahrensburg and finally the RB 81 to Hamburg-Rahlstedt. I thought about exploring Lübeck by foot for a bit, but my legs had other plans after the last few days.

Fippe

It did not go as we initially planned! :D

After I went to sleep, Leidenfrost wrote me that the bus from Hamburg would not be arriving at 11:42, suggesting 12:40 as an alternative. I read this message after waking up, but not wanted to risk a coming back home too late, so I counter-suggested 10:42 and left the house, hoping that she might see the message in time. I took the train from Hannover via Lüneburg to Ratzeburg.

In Ratzeburg I got the message that 10:42 would not be possible for Leidenfrost, but she would come at 12:40. I had just narrowly missed the bus that would go to the Demolierung stop, so I figured since I had time now, I might as well walk there. Further chatting resulted in a new plan: I would start walking towards the hash, and Leidenfrost would catch up to me on a rental bike or by hitch-hiking.

At 11:42, I was at the Demolierung in order to pick up any Ninjas who might have read the original plans, but nobody else showed up. Then, I started walking east. Ratzeburg is a nice city, and Demolierung (Engl. demolition) seems like a misnomer for their central bus stop named after a main street in front of their nice city hall. The central city is located on an island in the lake bearing the same name, connected to the main land through isthmi and bridges to the east and west. The train station had been to the west, and now I was walking eastwards off the other side of the island.

After walking through the rest of the city I arrived at a highway without a footpath next to it. Arriving at the state border there finally was a path. Not soon afterwards, I took a left into the forest, and the a smaller path led me to the site of the Geohash, an overgrown meadow next to a cornfield. In there, there already are some trails. Earlier Geohashers? Animals? Perhaps the latter. After locating the coordinates and recording proof, I got out of the meadow, back to the path, and waited for Leidenfrost. Not for long though: ETA 13:37, Leidenfrost wrote, just ten minutes from now!

And then she arrived: After our Radio Yerevan situation on Sylt, we had a proper meetup. Leidenfrost reached the coordinates too, and I got into the meadow again too. Afterwards, we walked and talked all the way back to Ratzeburg, and even arrived a few minutes early at the station. I was nice to meet you, Leidenfrost! It is always nice to have a conversation with someone who is excited about Geohashing too.

From Ratzeburg, I took the train to Lüneburg. There I saw that not only the next train to Uelzen had been cancelled, but also the train after that. A bad day to try to travel via Uelzen. Instead, I took the train via Hamburg-Harburg and Buchholz back to Hannover.