#1: [04-Aug-00] (incomplete)

01-Sep-2000 -- We get the cigar! I was planning on attacking 39N/80W for over a month when I learned that the confluence had been attempted, but not successfully. We set out to visit the confluence on Friday, September 1, 2000 from near 41N/81W. Our original plan was to approach it directly from due south by taking roads located on the topo maps from northwest of the confluence , and then circling around to the south of it. The roads went from paved to dirt and got rougher and narrower as we proceeded. Although they did not go as far as the map showed, we were able to follow the roads on the maps to a dead end driveway 0.18 miles from the confluence. No trespassing signs were posted on this side also, but we were able to get permission from the residents to hike into the woods to the confluence.

We hiked the 0.18 miles mostly through dense woods but a short distance of the hike was along an old logging road. The GPS worked really well for the heavy tree canopy we were under. We left a laminated note under a brick on a tree stump about 20 meters south of the confluence. The undergrowth was too thick to leave the brick on the ground at the actual confluence. The note explained what this was all about and gave the confluence project URL, for others to find.

However, we do not recommend that anybody else visit the confluence from this point, because as we were leaving, driving out the narrow dirt road, we were stopped by someone going the opposite direction and after explaining what we were doing there, were told not to come back. We said OK and left, getting ready to smoke that cigar in celebration.