2013-06-02 63 28

Location

In Rasimäki, Valtimo. The point lies on a field near the house Tornio.

Participants

Pastori
The Wife
Tilley
Mrs. Tilley
Tilley's daughter

Plans

This hashpoint landed very luckily near Pastori's home, while Tilley with his family was visiting him. Actually the point was on the same farmer's land as this hashpoint, which Pastori visited. This time the point was on a field, so we couldn't be sure if the point was reachable. It would depend what was being grown on the specific field. Tilley tried to convince the party to try some epic achievements such as a juggernaut-hobbit expedition, but other's talked him out of that. After all, even Tilley had to admit that the perfectly sunny and warm summer weather, which these northern latitudes had enjoyed for a couple of weeks, was better suited for chilling on the Pastori's and The Wife's nicely tended garden and making pancakes on open flame than trudging in the bug-ridden bushes and thickets.

Expedition

Expedition team's youngest member checking the integrity of our equipment.

Thus we decided to be very lazy and go to the hash-site with a car, although it was only 3,5 km as birds fly. Otherwise bikes would have been a good option, but Tilley hadn't brought his baby-transport bike. A car it was then.

We left with minimal equipment and drove straight to the yard of the above-mentioned farmer. When approaching the premises we were a bit disappointed: the fields seemed to be quite recently sown (yes we are quite far up north), and could definitely not be trespassed. When reaching the yard we were however delighted: the specific field where the hashpoint was had longer grass, which looked it could well be walked on. Because we had parked on the farmer's yard and there was good visibility from the house to the field we still thought we needed permission to go to the field. Also we wanted to be sure the farmer wasn't going to be angry if we went there, after all Pastori and The Wife wanted to keep good relations with neighbours. Obtaining the permission fell on Pastori's shoulders. He was a bit of abashed and embarassed to go again after only two months to explain about geohashing and ask for permission to visit a random place on the farmer's land. He anyway went and did that. The farmer family was having a meal and was going to start milking in a moment. They were again a bit puzzled about Pastori's favorite hobby, but didn't oppose us going to their field. Ambassador achievement gained!

Entering the field.

In the meantime Tilley and the rest were waiting outside, in the shadow of a machine hangar. The atmosphere was actually a bit spooky. There was nobody in sight. Only sound was the occasional gust of wind in the corners of the buildings. Then suddenly loud bellows of some animal erupted from the cowshed! Raptors? Tilley's heart jumped a couple of beats and he started to look for escape routes, but then the most likely explanation occurred to him: probably only cows.

Team and the pose on the hashpoint.

Soon Pastori returned from the house and confirmed that all was well. The field was indeed a grazing area for cows and we could walk there. A farmer had had good foresight: a hundred meters less grazing area and the hashpoint would have been a no-go. So we started to trek towards the point 220 m away in a straight line. The point was easily located and we stopped to take the necessary photographs for evidence. Weather was splendid, even hot, about 27 degrees in the shade. Though there was no shade in the field, so it felt scalding. After some minutes on the point we walked back. We wrote the info of this hashpoint on a note template Tilley had previously used many times and Pastori went back inside to deliver it to the farm folks. Unfortunately they had already left to milk their ~~raptors~~ cows, but Pastori left the note anyway, in hope of spreading the geohashing sparkle.

Then we started homewards. Our expedition party's youngest member's mug had been left on the car roof, and after couple of hundred meters it naturally fell to the side of the road. Fortunately The Wife had eyes like an eagle (which she likes to watch with binoculars when they circle around looking for prey in the vicinity of their home), and spotted the loss of equipment immediately. So Tilley, who was driving, stopped and reversed for a few dozen meters so we could pick the mug back up. No leaving Geotrash behind!

When we reached Pastori's place, we were all quite scorching and The Wife served everyone ice cream, after which the oldest and youngest members of our team took a nap.

Additional photos

Pastori's shirt says: "Success allowed". The mug mentioned on the text in The Wife's hand.
Tilley and his daughter at the hashpoint.
A picture of the coordinates.