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.