2009-05-26 -37 145

Tue 26 May 2009 in -37,145: -37.7380157, 145.3800513 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

The Place

-37.738016°, 145.380051°. Just south of Coldstream, 5kms north of Lilydale, off Ingram Road near what turned out to be a private road.

Who is going

Felix Dance

Once I'd got two consecutive geohashes under my belt from the previous two days I knew I was going to attempt the next one, and sure enough I did.

After coming home from work, meeting some people at Melbourne Uni, and getting to Melbourne Central Train Station at 8:41pm, I was on my way. I had my bike with me and allowed exactly 40 minutes to reach the geohash about 6kms north of Lilydale station in order to get the train home in time for a proper night sleep.

I raced from Lilydale to Ingram Road in about 15 minutes, then abandoned my road bike to walk along a disused path, which I soon realised was the wrong way (very dark), so I had to double back - very conscious of losing time.

The first entrance into what turned out to be a private road was open, but exposed to an occupied farmhouse on a nearby hill, so I rode around to the other end of the road from the trafficked Ingram Road, 1km up the hill. The gate was closed for another nearby house but I jumped over anyway (sorry about that, residents, if you're reading this!).

After walking up the path, to within 250m of the hash point, I realised that I was running badly out of time and needed to get back, and that this house was also occupied and even closer to the road - I could see that the TV was on. There would be no way around the house without being seen or heard. So I did what I had to do and gave up.

Just as I was jumping back over the gate, a cop car raced up towards me with sirens blasting.... !!! But, they were apprehending a P-Plater hoon (who had been driving along Ingram Road) and weren't interested in me.

I raced back to Lilydale at over 30kms/hour after taking a couple of photos of the gate and the GPS (the flash would've given me away in the property). However, I did have the effort and unfocus to appreciate the brilliant starscape from my bike, which I don't usually see from inner Melbourne. I just made it to the station with 15 seconds to spare (the next train to Flinders St was in an hour).

Reading a book on the return trip I got back home just after 11:30pm - not bad timing for an evening geohash adventure.

Photos

Will upload when I get a chance.