2009-12-09 33 -84

Graticule

About

In the back yard of a house in Lawrenceville Georgia.

Expedition

NWoodruff

Finally a return of Geohashing to the Atlanta Graticule. I loaded up Google maps to my eTrex and set out from work to the Geohash spot. Going to this hash spot, I pass within 2 miles of my house, so it is an every day drive for me.

Google maps has some bad directions becuase of some older maps from the interstate that has changed recently. But knowing the local area, I ignore the directions to Hwy 120 and follow my own path. I follow the rest of the directions to the subdivision and turn in. Google directions has me turning on the last street and going to the house at the end of the street.

I find the house and walk up to the front door and knock. Nobody home. I walk back to my truck and think that I drove all the way out here for nobody to be home. It is a few minutes after 6pm and the neighbors are just getting home. I'll wait 10 minutes and see if anyone shows up.

I wait 10 minutes and just as I decide to start the truck up, another car turns into the street. I wait to see where the car goes and luckily it is the home owner of the house. As the guy gets out of his car, I walk up and introduce myself. I explain some about Geohashing and explain that I would like access to his back yard.

The guy explains that it is totally fenced in because he has dogs and would really prefer that I or anyone not venture into the back yard.

I thanked him and decided to take a "No Trespassing" award. I walk down the driveway and take a picture of my eTrex to prove I got within distance. 500 feet to go. Close but not there.

I made it back to my truck and I was looking at the Google map to find my way out of the subdivision, I turned the map so the orientation would match north and south. I then looked really closely at the map and figured I was on the wrong street.

I went to the WRONG house. Note to self.... GPS Coordinates from Google maps are never correct. I drove out of the street and found the correct street. I pulled up to the house and got out and knocked on the door. Luckily again someone was home.

A nice guy about my age answered and I again explained some about Geohashing and kept showing the map. I explained it again as an Internet game and kept pointing to the map with authority. For some reason that seems to work for me for gaining access. I think it makes me look like I know what I am doing. I really don't know it is just a guess, but it works for me.

I point to my eTrex and as I was standing at his front door I told him that it is 95 feet to the spot. He says "Okay but be careful". His back yard only has a thin strip of grass and the rest of the back yard is trees and bushes. As I am walking around the side of the house, the homeowner turns on the flood lights to the back yard. That helps some but not much. I do have my flash light with me though.

I find the spot with 1.25 feet to go. SUCCESS! I take a few pictures and try to take a picture of the overgrown woods. My camera doesn't work that well in the dark so I give up.

I walk back around to the front of the house and once again knock on the door. The guy answers and I thank him for letting me have access to his back yard. He tells me that I am welcome and I go on my way.

I make it back to the truck and then drive home to Norcross.