24-Apr-2001 -- I live in Winchester, MA and I am working in Winchester, KY. On
one of my weekly flights from Boston to Kentucky I brought the GPS that is
usually on my boat in order to see if I could measure the flight speed of
the Boeing 757, (you can). I didn't know of CONFLUENCE.ORG at the time.
Surfing the web in my hotel one night I discovered CONFLUENCE.ORG and was
fascinated.
Much to my surprise, the next morning when I tried my GPS at my hotel in
Lexington, KY I discovered that 38N 84W was only about 27 miles to the east.
This was to be only about 8 miles from where I was working.
I verified that the site has not been recorded and I decided to scout the
area in order to determine the scope of the task at hand. I only came to
Kentucky with business clothes and wasn't outfitted to cross the wilds to
get to the "Holy Grail".
I fully expected to have to come back better
equipped and with some locals to witness and protect me from the natives.
With the advise of co-workers on which roads to take and traveling alone I
headed east out of Winchester, KY and was able to come within .57 miles of
38N 84W on paved roads.
I noticed nearby a long well kept drive leading in
the general direction of my goal so I ventured up it until I came to the
home and kennel of Sue and Andy Morrison. I explained my mission to Mrs.
Morrison and told her that I thought I could see the area on the next hill
of their property. She told me to go right ahead.
At this point the GPS, a Garmin 12XL with position averaging showed .37
miles to the destination.
Well this was the longest .37 miles I ever walked. The target was not the
next hill but 2 hills away, across two more different owners properties and
a small creek. The other properties were quite large with no homes or
buildings apparent, so I crossed over two fences without asking permission.
I was now within .02 mile and in the middle of the creek. I now had only to
climb the hill and monitor the GPS for direction. Three quarters of the way
up the hill I hit ground zero. I had no witnesses; after all I only came to
scout out the job at hand.
I had my camera in the rental car because I have been photographing old
Kentucky barns. I took the requisite pictures in both black and white and in
color. I was quite pleased with myself at my accomplishment.
From someone who lived for the better part of three years on a boat and made
countless waypoints in the course of all that travel, a fix was just a fix.
Having located this confluence provides an unexpected pleasure and
satisfaction that is hard to explain.