User:Dratheus

• 2011-03-02

Wed 2 Mar 2011 in 44,-90: 44.6620520, -90.0380045 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

The hash was located near the town of Hewitt and Auburndale in the Marshfield graticule. It was located in a field near county highway H, along Shady Rd.

Participants

• Dratheus
• Atrum

Plans

We planned on driving until we neared the hash point, then calling the land owner. We noticed that the hash point lay on the far side of a field, and it's winter, so we decided to bring two pairs of snow shoes. We determined that if we were denied permission when we arrived, we would handle the situation accordingly.

Expedition

Taken from Atrum's "Expedition" page of this trip, with some edits here and there. Thanks buddy. XD (He knows the route better then me.)

    After much planning, and debating about our route and strategy, we left from my house a little north of Spencer. We traveled to Spencer and started to head east on highway C. We followed C until it reached a town called Rozelleville where we started to head south on highway M. It was on highway M where Atrum spotted about 30 whitetail deer eating in a field just before dark, with some turkeys in another field near by. Eventually, we turned west on highway H and came to a road called Shady Road. 
    Atrum pointed it out just a hair too late, and I decided not to slam on the brakes, so we missed the turn and had to turn north on some other road, working our way back to the west to hook up with Shady Road. We came to an intersection right near the field where the hash was located at. We called the land owner only to get an answering machine. We sat and debated our options for a moment or two, and ultimately decided that there was no fence around the field, and no signs warning people off. If we happened to get caught and/or yelled at, we would explain ourselves as best we could, and take any punishment to come our way. Getting on our snowshoes, we walked to the west around the cut down corn and got far enough that we were able to cut back to the south to where we believed the hash to be. 
    On Google Earth, you can see the shadow of a large pine tree and we orientated ourselves with what we believed to be the same tree. There was also a small food plot (standing corn) in a small indent on the west side of the field and we were able to see this as well and were able to get our bearings. After deciding we were at the right spot, Atrum took some pictures, including me after tripping over my own two feet, and headed back over the same tracks we already made. 
    The entire time we were snowshoeing, my left ankle had been killing me. I counted it as an error with how I strapped myself to the snowshoe. When we got to the car, and took off our snowshoes, I discovered that my ankle had a cut in it. Of course, I never saw the raptor. I can only think that he saw some juicier prey farther along, and spared me.(The strap had cut into my ankle.)
    So we worked our way to Marshfield after snagging a picture of some yaks at a farm near by. We stopped at McDonald's where I got some supper, finally,  and Atrum got a Shamrock shake. Our evening ended perfectly as after we went through Spencer on the return trip home, "Africa" by Toto was played on the radio, one of the best songs ever created. A fitting end to a fun journey!