2011-05-28 43 -79

Location

On a parking lot near the Scarborough Bluffs.

Participants

Plans

Well, I think I'll be making it to the Saturday meet-up this time. The meet-up is in a parking lot, making it quite easy to get to if you're going by car.Splitdipless 23:23, 27 May 2011 (EDT)

Wow, this is crazy... I'm staying with a friend at the moment, and her home is just a kilometre away from that geohash! Unfortunately we've already planned on being downtown Toronto tomorrow, but I'll definitely try to go there in the evening, so if you could leave a marker at the location it would be wonderful... --HiroProtagonist 23:44, 27 May 2011 (EDT)

Change of Plans: We'll go there early in the morning, anything else is unrealistic. We don't have a GPS, but we should be able to find the spot pretty accurately without GPS I hope... --HiroProtagonist 00:27, 28 May 2011 (EDT)

We'll be there around 8.15 am - and if anybody is able to make it that early it would be great of course! I'll check the wiki in the morning before we leave. --HiroProtagonist 01:08, 28 May 2011 (EDT)

I actually made it. Enjoying some fries at the nearby snack bar. Splitdipless 16:41, 28 May 2011 (EDT)

Expedition

Hiro and Aia

When I found out on Friday evening that the Saturday geohash was right around the corner, I told my friend right away and marvellously she was very enthusiastic about it (and now even signed up in the wiki) and after showing her the list of achievements she insisted we go for the Formal attire achievement. We spend the evening preparing for the hash, i.e. trying on dresses and discussing which ones were the most formal :)

When my alarm clock rang very early on Saturday morning, the hash didn't seem like the very best idea, but once we were in the car and driving into the cold fog, I got excited to be geohashing again! Aia found the way to the hash easy enough, since she's often been to that same parking lot. We got out and took some pictures of us in formal attire which attracted weird and confused looks of a man walking with his dog. We put up the poster at a near-by tree and walked around a bit to make sure we had been on the geohash despite Google Maps inaccuracy. The views over the completely foggy lake were a little scary, but spotting Canadian geese was nice (although not exactly rare in Toronto). I remembered that I had brought my Poi for the Circus Geohash, but we weren't able to get most of the other achievements planned: No Pie (forgot the cake at home, but the hash was still easy as pi(e) ;) ),no Speed Racer (didn't do it at the exact hashpoint but only on the road there), no hashcard (store was not open), no geotrash (it was surprisingly clean there) and also no Tron (screwed it up shortly before the end). Still it was a very nice geohash and I'm glad that we made it there in the morning on this completely booked day! Also, I've converted a Torontian to geohashing! *hurray*

In the days afterwards we've been to the Bluffs several times and I got a nice picture of the geohash from afar in sunny weather =]

Splitdipless

So, after looking at some satellite images and maps, I set out in my car, "Em," to the geohash. The sun was shining, it was warm out, and I was really enjoying the idea of going down to the lake.

The road down to this area is Brimley Road, which for most of it's length through Scarborough, is a nondescript north/south road. South of Kingston Road though, the road looses it's curbs, becomes a bit bumpy, and starts to curve a lot as it drops down to the bit of land below the bluffs. I thought it was a fun drive, but was reminded it could be dangerous because of the 'escape' routes built into the sides, for vehicles that have lost control going down the road.

When I get to the bottom, I park in the first parking lot I see and pull out my GPS. By looking at the GPS, I thought that the point was supposed to be in the parking lot, but my GPS starts saying it's about 300 m away. Looking in that direction, I see boat ramps into the water. I ask myself: What if satellite images have failed me, and the point is in the water? Well, a little beyond the ramps and water is another bit of land, so I decide to walk to it. Perhaps there is another parking lot.

I pass by disused marine police unit, then find the other parking lot. I walk in, take some snaps, sit on a curb and wait a bit, but then I feel the need to walk around. I find a bar and restaurant, a snack bar (where I purchased some yummy french fries), then walk back to my car, then to the park for a little walk about.

Despite being a nice day, the paths and grass were still a bit wet from the day before. Not wishing to trudge through tall wet grass, I head back after taking some pictures of the bluffs.