Successfully completed a Galactic Circumnavigation around the Milky Way Galaxy.
The circumnavigation part: According to the EDSM data, from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2 took from April 17 3303 3:13:38 AM to May 22 3303 5:24:30 AM. So, 35 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes, 52 seconds.
A few pictures:
The route - finished
Orange Giant
Herbig Ae/Be
Skid marks?
Anyway... just a few of the highlights of the trip:
Day 1
Explaining the why of this trip – and this journal – would take awhile.
Up until now, my exploration was… fast. Really fast. The sort of fast that would drive so-called exploration purists nuts. My primary method of exploration would be to go somewhere as fast as possible – literally within a day – literally ANYWHERE within a day – and make a somewhat slower trip back.
Well, this trip isn’t going to be like that. Might be fast – sort of – might not be. But this isn't the sort of trip that can be done in sixteen hours. By my estimation, it could be done in 80-100 hours – if a CMDR was capable of being there that long. Of course, now that we have Multicrew… no. Just… no.
At any rate, it should be apparent what I’m discussing: a galactic circumnavigation. Go out to the edge, explore the ends of the various arms, and just see what’s out there.
This was not in my plans. I’d heard about the changes to the DBX and, well, as the record holder for an A* Challenge time in a DBX, I was planning another run. (Ed. Note: Since the record has been broken since the DBX buff, it seems I’ll be planning a run for this anyway in the near future. Hi, Crotalus!) But, well, a couple of things happened to change my mind.
This got me to thinking… maybe it was time for my “someday”. Let’s face it; a lot of explorers have said that they intend to make a galactic circumnavigation “someday”, so much so that it's a part of the Exploration subforum drinking game. I had been somewhat out of sorts of late since losing Shiroe, working on my trade rank, and decided it was time to get back to doing what I loved, what I preferred – exploration.
So… a galactic circumnavigation it is.
The new Anaconda… it is times like this that I wish that F
allowed for non-Western scripts for ship names, especially given the inspiration and theme for the character. The name of the new ship, if I’d had my way, would have been written as:
放蕩者の茶会
or, in romanji, Houtou Mono no Chakai, or for a translation, Debauchery Tea Party. (Though I like Google Translate’s version: “Tea Party of the Ruthless”.) Thus, the name of my ship. The name is appropriate, because of what I try to do in-game.
Do what few can, do what few dare, and have fun doing it.
So… from Fullerene C60, the new home of the Buckyball Racing League, I start.
(Ed. Note: The distances determined are approximate. For the first 20 days or so, distances were calculated by taking the distance between the starting measurement and the ending measurement. After day 22 or so, distances were calculated using EDSM and taking the start-day and end-day distance.)
Takeoff at 3:47:37 April 16 3303
Start of Day 1: Fullerene C60
End of Day 1: Qiedeau SC-W A1-1
Distance: 5962.31ly.
Day 2
This kind of exploring is different. Not bad, probably better to be honest, but certainly different.
Whoa. At the -8000 mark, the stars just vanished. I went from 19 jumps per kylie to 24 jumps.
Which, I guess, makes sense in a twisted way. At the moment, I’m 34000 ly from Sagittarius A*. 34000 ly from Sagittarius A* in the opposite direction is the middle of the Abyss.
And now I get to the first decision point. Spaidou TP-G D10-2.
Going up each of the four spirals of the Milky Way is a given. I’ve reached the point where I need to go one way or the other.
The natural move is to the East on the map.
East it is.
Going to need to remember that star, though. The circumnavigation of the galaxy has officially begun.
Start of Day 2: Qiedeau SC-W A1-1
End of Day 2: Dryuae Aihm CR-C C26-0
Distance:
2968.81 from Qiedeau SC-W A1-1 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2
2003.87 from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Dryuae Aihm CR-C C26-0
Total distance: 10934.99 ly.
Day 3
One other difference between this and previous expeditions – and to understand why, some history of the A* Challenge might be needed.
Basically, an A* Challenge is an exercise in precision. The fastest A* Challenges are planned down to the last jump, down to how much to scoop with each star. This was especially a necessity before 2.2, when unscoopables could not be automatically avoided. As a result of this, I always felt it necessary to plan certain areas of exploration runs. After my first trip there, my Beagle Point runs were all planned in certain critical areas, most notably the Abyss.
There is no plan here. The plan is “Fly around the edges of the galaxy. Go up each of the outer arms.” We’ll see if that’s enough.
Another example of how relaxed this is: cooking supper in the middle of the trip. One thing I had to learn to do as a result of the Beagle Point runs: Learn how to microwave-cook in 13-second increments. In this case, I don’t mind actually taking a time out to cook supper, because I’m not in a significant time crunch on this.
Start of Day 3: Dryuae Aihm CR-C C26-0
End of Day 3: Jongoi KE-G C24-0 (Yeah, I could use a KE-G after all this is said and done.)
Distance: 7304.40ly
Total Distance: 18239.39ly
Day 4
I’ve reached about as far as I can go by going straight east. So, at Dryau Aip JC-D D12-0, I start to curve upward.
In fact, that may have been too far. The route plotter had me going backwards first before I could go on.
Today was more of a “Oooh, shiny!” day. The sort of day where you go, “So what if it’s a HMCW! It’s pretty!” It was also a “”Route Unavailable” day – for obvious reasons.
Decide to wrap it up a little early.
Also, need to be a little more careful on my exit jumps. Been too hot on some of them. If I keep on taking damage like this, I’m not going to make it.
Oooh, apparently I ran into a known bug! In this case, the Deactivated ADS bug! Fun…
Start of Day 4: Jongoi KE-G C24-0
End of Day 4: Hypisc KL-P D5-1
Distance: 3195.84ly
Total distance: 21435.23ly
Day 5
Day 5 can be summed up with four words.
Mr. Braben’s Wild Ride.
Witchspace times were far greater tonight than they had been in previous days. Up to tonight, they’d been the usual 13-14 seconds. Tonight, most of the witchspace times were up to a minute in length. Made for a fairly long and frustrating trip. Going to see if switching to vanilla E: D helps. If this was an A* run, I would have thrown in the towel by now; no way could I have made a good time on a night like this.
Doesn’t seem to help. Unfortunately.
Start of Day 5: Hypisc KL-P D5-1
End of Day 5: Hypua Eaec NN-C B19-0
Distance: 6519.39 ly
Total distance: 27954.62 ly
That’s deplorable. It takes five days for me to go over 26000 ly? Shame on me! What are my racing skills coming to?
Day 7
Day 6 was a perfect example that sometimes things are not as they seem. Day 6 was supposed to be a day off for me – yet I was busy until well after dark with meetings and work. Needless to say, E: D did not get fired up last night.
Day 7, though… Day 7 was the first day that felt like an A* run. Not because there was a rhythm designed to optimize time, but there was a rhythm that best suited a Long Walk such as this. Basically, jump into a system, and start scooping while scanning the system. Once the system is scanned, go into the System Map and see if there’s anything interesting. If yes, go to scan; if no (and it’s usually no), get out and charge the FSD. It’s not a time-optimized method, but it does have two bonuses. 1. It allows for a scan of the system, and 2. It allows for a fairly cool run, because the ship is usually away from the star by the time the FSD starts up.
The rhythm feels good. And, if I’m going to finish this, I’m going to need to settle into a rhythm like that.
So… fun stuff after the first week: Four untagged Earthlikes, one tagged Earthlike (hi, Bartizan!), a Herbig Ae/Be, various and sundry Water Worlds both tagged and untagged, including two Water-world moons.
Start of Day 7: Hypua Eaec NN-C B19-0
End of Day 7: Throofiae FC-X C4-2
Distance: 11085.58 ly
Total Distance: 39040.20 ly
Okay. That was a good run. Great to see a day like that.
Day 10
An odd quirk of my life. Sometimes, my days off are more busy than the days I have to work. Basically, days I have to work are intense for several hours, laid-back for several hours, and I’m just tired enough when I get home that I don’t feel like working. Days off… oftentimes, I’m writing things up I don’t have the patience or brainpower for on the days I work.
Thus, Day 8 and Day 9 were spent elsewhere – work, mainly, but Record Store Day on Day 8 was fun. Then again, sometimes it helps to have eclectic tastes in music. Considering that the two purchases I was most excited about involved Stevie Ray Vaughan and Dmitri Shostakovich,..
Found unscanned ELW#5 today. I sometimes wonder how many will remain unscanned by the time I make it back. (Ed. note: All but two of the untagged ELWs scanned remained unscanned at the end. The two that slipped away I'll talk about later.)
Just got a look at the paintjob. It already looks sandblasted. Cool.
I love these parts of the galaxy. The absolute edge of the galaxy, where you look in a particular direction and there are no stars AT ALL. A look in the opposite direction, and the Milky Way – all of it – glows like a beacon, like a city looming in the distance.
Start of Day 10: Throofiae FC-X C4-2
End of Day 10: Lyroorb BV-V D3-1
Distance: 10378.44 ly
Total distance: 49418.64 ly.
Day 11.
Today’s the sort of day that reminds a person why they play the game. In terms of events and accomplishments, there’s not much to talk about for today; I didn’t find any ELWs, though I found plenty of water worlds. It’s a lot like looking at a map for a location and seeing absolutely nothing marked on the map – a space of nothing – but still seeing roads and highways. The Perseus Arm should have ended kylies ago, but nobody told the stars.
No, today reminded me why I play the game because of things that happened away from the computer.
I spent about twenty minutes today on the phone while I played, taking care of things for work. E is something I use to escape from that stress. I can stop being this person for awhile, and explore the cosmos, be CMDR Hanekura Shizuka. Given some of the events this year, that escape has been a godsend.
I’m glad for the escape tonight. I’m pretty far from the galactic core; I look at the map of my route so far, and today seems to extend into nowhere.
Sometimes, nowhere is where we can be found.
Start of Day 11: Lyroorb BV-V D3-1
End of Day 11: Bloa Aick ON-K D8-0
Distance: 8672.27 ly
Total distance: 58090.91 ly.
Over 50 kylies so far. Yay.
Day 12
And I thought Day 11 was bad. Flying today… I didn’t have the music on. I didn’t need it. My mind had the Stones’ snarling, slithering, “Paint it Black” playing on repeat.
Reached about as far as I can go on the Perseus arm. After Byiae Aick PY-Z D13-0, there’s not a lot left. Now to find my way out.
Got as far as I could going straight. Need to backtrack. Not pleasant, but not unexpected, either. Traveling up the spiral arms almost certainly means backtracking. So the spiral arm is going to look like it has a flat-top on it. And I really don’t feel like starting the backtracking tonight.
Start of Day 12: Bloa Aick ON-K D8-0
Start of the flat-top (end of Perseus Arm): Byiae Aick PY-Z D13-0
End of the flat-top and end of Day 12: Byai Airgh LO-Z D13-0
Distance from Bloa Aick to Byiae Aick: 1781.48 ly
Distance from Byiae Aick to Byai Airgh: 3154.26 ly
Total distance for the day: 4935.74 ly
Total distance: 63026.65 ly
Day 13
Not a lot of time to fly. Mainly just an exploration day – trying to find a way out of the Perseus Arm.
Typical: First ELW I find in three days, and it’s the first system in three days that has someone else’s name on it. (Hi, Allitnil!)
Start of Day 13: Byai Airgh LO-Z D13-0
End of Day 13: Blea Airgh EI-B D13-1
Distance for the day: 1418.98 ly
Total distance: 64445.63 ly.
Day 14
Went a few kylies, then made a slight turn at Swaupy RG-Y D2.
Have a route I think will work out of the Perseus Arm. Let’s see how it works.
Wow. An orange giant at Oodgonns TM-W D1-0. The hilarious bit? The reason I discovered it was because I misspelled the name of the system – I’d initially intended to go to Oodgonns TM-W D1-1, and keyed on that for a good midpoint for my escape from the Perseus Arm. So… I think I have a good stopping point for the night.
Start of Day 14: Blea Airgh EI-B D13-1
End of Day 14: Oodgonns TM-W D1-0
Distance for the day: 8316.42 ly. (Was actually a bit longer, as the path was a bit curved, but oh well.)
Total distance: 72762.05 ly.
Interesting. I’ve now gone further than a Beagle run, and I still haven’t gotten out of the Perseus Arm.
Day 15
Today I discovered the joy of using API keys with EDSM. Makes things a lot easier.
The gap between the Perseus Arm and the rest of the galaxy might be the ultimate tease. Just when you think you have a route back… it closes. Makes the Abyss look straightforward by comparison.
That said… I think I’m out of the Perseus Arm. The fact that I can go a bit north while going west out of the arm is a very good sign.
At Plu Aip KO-Z C13-0, I declare officially out of the Perseus Arm and the Orion Spur Shallows, and begin to head north along the edge of the Sagittarius-Carina Arm. Yay.
Damn. Multitasking is a bad idea sometimes. Basically turned away from the computer for a couple of minutes, crashed into a star, and other actions made it worse. Down to 28% hull. OUCH.
Just means I have to be careful from here on in.
It’s time to log off. Multitasking is going to be the death of me, if I don’t.
Start of Day 15: Oodgonns TM-W D1-0
End of Day 15: Pria Aip NM-W D1-1
Distance: 7584.52ly.
Total distance: 80346.57 ly.
One thing about this trip: It’s certainly not going to be boring…
Day 16
It’s a new game – in more ways than one.
First, I’m going to need to be careful. I can’t afford another catastrophic mistake like yesterday.
At the same time, I’m out of the Perseus Arm. One problem solved and completed. Now there’s a long stretch of open starway, followed by a very familiar puzzle – Beagle Point, the Briar Patch, the Abyss.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Don’t have the patch, because I was never a part of DW, but oh well.
“So if you’re lost and on your own, you can never surrender…
And if your path won’t lead you home, you can never surrender…”
I don’t give up. Not on this one.
Start of Day 16: Pria Aip NM-W D1-1
End of Day 16: Droerdy MM-W D1-1
Distance: 6245.92 ly
Total Distance: 86592.49 ly
“Some people call me the Space Cowboy… “
I’d forgotten just how twisted this little playlist was.
Day 17
Sometimes you get reminders of just how far you’ve gone, how much you’ve done. Two of those today.
One, another CMDR, Madbilly, wanted to write up my last Beagle run and send it for Galnet posting. (Hi, Madbilly!)
The other…. I submitted all of my logs to EDSM. All of my logs. Basically, any material for which I’d had VerboseLogging turned on. That took awhile for EDSM to parse.
Flew a lot of distance today; felt good. Also used neutron stars on two occasions. Neutron stars are fun – until they aren’t.
A good day on the exploration front. Found the sort of ELW you dream about – a ringed ELW in binary orbit with a gas giant.
Start of Day 17: Droerdy MM-W D1-1
End of Day 17: Stuena XM-W D1-23
Distance: 10808.99 ly
Total distance: 97401.48 ly.
I am now on the ‘north’ end of the Galaxy – about 26000 ly north of Sol, and and just a hair further north than Sagittarius A*. It’ll be awhile before I go back to the ‘south’ end.
Day 18
No day 18. Needed to get some work done.
Day 19
Just a few casual kylies. Not going to be able to fly for the next couple of days, so I wanted to get some kylies in.
Was a good day, overall; found several ELWs.
Start of Day 19: Stuena XM-W D1-23
End of Day 19: Dryaea Chroa NU-X C14-0
Distance: 3019.74ly
Total distance: 100421.22 ly
Now over the 100 kylie mark. Cool.
Day 22
Days 20 and 21 were spent traveling. The less said about that, the better.
Day 22…
Start of Day 22: Dryaea Chroa NU-X C14-0
End of Day 22: Phoo Brou DW-N D6-2
Distance: 9824.99 ly
Total distance: 110246.21 ly
Day 23
Started early today. It’s an odd day anyway.
As it is Sunday (May 7), I’m reminded of one of the more oddball pairings of song and commercial I’ve ever heard – and it relates to the title of this message. Now, for those of you out there, just imagine this: the Morrissey song “Everyday is like Sunday” being used to advertise and promote American football.
Yeah. There’s enough irony in that statement to fill pages upon pages.
Living dangerously: Using neutron star jumping with 27% - wait, make that 26% - hull.
Wow. Just found a Stulli-scanned system. Trying to remember the last time I saw someone else’s fingerprints on a system. Probably a few of Allitnil’s that I ran into getting out of the Perseus Arm…
The Sagittarius-Carina arm is different from the others, for one very simple reason. It’s not entirely clear how far the others stretch beyond the glow. I took the Perseus arm until I couldn’t plot forward anymore, for instance. The Sagittarius-Carina arm, on the other hand… the ending of that I know fairly well. Put simply, I’ve been there and done that and have the stars to my name to prove it.
Start of Day 23: Phoo Brou DW-N D6-2
End of Day 23: Byae Auwsy ZD-T D3-19
Distance: 13758.80 ly
Total Distance: 124005.01 ly
Another milestone: I passed the 1.5 million total ly distance with today’s activities. Am currently at 1,505,111 ly total distance traveled.
Oh, one other bit of fun: Total hyperspace jumps? 39,999. (Usually systems visited is more important than total hyperspace jumps. Systems visited is just over 37k.)
And, to close out the night, I decided to look up how far I am from Beagle Point. As it happens, about 32 kylies. So it’s going to take at least that much, and likely more, to get there.
Day 24
Another day… going up the Sadge-Carrie arm. Seeing a pretty good number of ELWs around here.
Start of Day 24: Byae Auwsy ZD-T D3-19
End of Day 24: Qauthai HV-G C10-3
Distance: 16118.66 ly
Total Distance: 140123.67 ly
I chose an interesting place to stop today. Qauthai HV-G C10-3. It’s the first system I’ve encountered that I’d visited previously since leaving Fullerene C60. Was here a little over a year ago; see, this is the starting point for a race known as the Voyager Challenge. Basically, the intent after my Beagle run last year was to go over to Qauthai HV-G C10-3 and use the Voyager Challenge to make my way home.
That didn’t quite happen, for multiple reasons. The main problem with the Voyager Challenge, though, was not the distance. It was the start time.
Maybe one day I’ll race the Voyager Challenge, or at least the start and finished asked for. That said, if I do that, I’ll do it on my own time.
Interesting. There’s a discrepancy between the EDSM numbers and the calculations in the game itself. Wonder who’s right?
About 19.6 kylies (as the photon flies) to Beagle.
Day 25
Not a lot of flying done tonight. The stars are getting more and more sparse as I get closer to the end of the Sadge-Carrie arm.
Start of Day 25: Qauthai HV-G C10-3
End of Day 25: Ooctat RX-U D2-0
Distance: 9380.06 ly
Total Distance: 149503.73 ly
Still about 12 kylies to Beagle. At this point, the stars are sparse enough that a ‘straight line’ route isn’t very straight – especially as I’ve basically removed the ‘small’ M and K class stars from consideration along with the usual unscoopables.
Day 26
Interesting. Seeing a lot more discovered systems. Not too surprising, I guess. Only a fool would have been flying where I was before now; there’s not a lot out there. Now, though, is well-traversed territory; anyone and everyone with a jump range of around 25 ly who wanted to go to Beagle would have had to follow this path.
A galactic circumnavigation differs from any other long-distance trip in that progress is oftentimes not measured in kylies, but in degrees (or radians, if you prefer). Every circumnavigation starts at some position on the galactic clock. I started due south of the bubble, due south of Sagittarius A*. Sometime tonight, I should be due north of A*, due north of the bubble. 180 degrees, pi radians completed.
Halfway.
Anyone else ever notice how beautiful a type L dwarf is up close?
And… I finish the night with a couple of judicious uses of jumponium, and a stop at Oevasy SG-Y D0. I only brought four injections with me. Four is all I intend to use. I have an SRV with me, but I don’t intend to use it except in emergencies.
And, at this point, any step I take will be on the way home.
Start of Day 26: Ooctat RX-U D2-0
End of Day 26: Oevasy SG-Y D0
Distance: 15664.37ly.
Total distance: 165168.10 ly.
Day 27
Time to start the journey back.
It’s really odd in this part of space. There’s not a lot of stars, most of the ones here have already been scanned, and some of them have my name on them.
It’s interesting in one other respect. Last time I passed through here, I discovered a couple of ELWs; because my ship was destroyed before I turned the data in, I still haven’t claimed them. Some I’d need to go out of my way for, so they won’t be scanned this time around, but a few are directly in my path. Scanned those; still unclaimed as of yet.
Out of the Abyss; stopping there for the night. Going to start West up Scutum-Centaurus tomorrow.
Start of Day 27: Oevasy SG-Y D0
End of Day 27: Chua Eohn TA-U D4-6
Distance: 13402.15 ly
Total distance: 178570.25 ly.
Day 28
Today was the day when I realized I had to take my time.
Which is ironic, considering how much ground I covered.
I got a crazy idea in my head last night and today: Buckyball the rest. In other words, run 20-30k a day, and finish it up within two weeks.
In a word…. No.
Just no.
I can’t have days like this every day for a week or two. That way lies burnout. (Ed. Note: I came close to it anyway!)
That said, I did find some great discoveries today. Found six ELWs in my travels today, which is an awesome day in anyone’s book. (Well, maybe not Chiggy’s, but Chiggy is Chiggy.)
Start of Day 28: Chua Eohn TA-U D4-6
End of Day 28: Blie Bra ZP-G D10-8
Distance: 22801.89 ly
Total distance: 201372.14 ly.
Day 29
Not much flying today. Yesterday was too much.
Did have a bit of a revelation, though, one which I’ll talk about later.
Start of Day 29: Blie Bra ZP-G D10-8
End of Day 29: Strivia CK-R D4-9
Distance: 6148.95 ly
Total distance: 207521.09 ly.
Day 30
The best way to describe it is “progression”.
Any good game should have a progression of some type. In most RPGs, this takes the form of “leveling up”. E didn’t go this route, preferring to go the way of “Use your skills to make money. Use this money to buy better ships, and tailor them to what you intend to do.” Which leads to my primary advice for new players in the game: In game, do what you love, in the ship you love.
My tagline lists two professions. Explorer. Racer.
What I’ve come to realize is that the ways I push myself isn’t racing anymore. It’s something beyond any organized race.
Start of Day 30: Strivia CK-R D4-9
End of Day 30: Gatchue EC-D D12-10
Distance: 13912.88 ly
Total distance: 221433.97 ly.
Day 31
When I started today, like most days, I went onto EDSM to see where I was and what other commanders, if any, were around. There was one CMDR about 10 kylies back along the Scutum-Centaurus arm, and one CMDR at the very end, about 10 kylies ahead. Those were the closest CMDRs. In other words, there were literally ten thousand light-years between myself and any other person.
It was a sobering moment, really.
And it’s not like the Scutum-Centaurus Arm is completely desolate. I’ve found some absolutely breathtaking ELWs here, including two ringed ELWs that were absolutely gorgeous. It’s just that this is an out-of-the-way spot of the cosmos, one that few people have the desire to visit.
Okay, I’ve made it to the end of the Scutum-Centaurus Arm. Time to find a way out.
Start of Day 31: Gatchue EC-D D12-10
End of Day 31: Hypiae Brue DI-D C12-0
Distance: 14757.15 ly
Total distance: 236191.12 ly.
Day 32
Finding a way out is never as easy as it first appears.
The best way to describe getting out of the Scutum-Centaurus Arm: It’s a lot easier than getting out of either the Perseus or Sagittarius-Carina arms, if it’s your first time to try to get out of them. Basically, instead of going 10 kylies backwards, as I had to do with Perseus, I only had to go back 1 or 2 kylies.
That said, three of the four arms are done, completed, and in my rear-view mirror. One to go.
Start of Day 32: Hypiae Brue DI-D C12-0
End of Day 32: Hypou Chreou RM-W D1-41
Distance: 12312.35 ly
Total distance: 248503.47 ly.
Day 33
Going down.
I need to learn to go down, not up. I’d been using up as forward for so long that I accidently went backward for a bit.
Also… met a bit of a milestone today: I found my 45th undiscovered ELW on this trip. If all of them are still undiscovered if/when I turn them in – and that’s looking like it’ll come much sooner than later – it means a total of 100 ELWs discovered for my career.
That should give you an idea as to the scope and scale of a circumnavigation, that over 40% of my acknowledged ELWs would come from one trip. If you can get through it, any stats you have – such as ELWs discovered – go through the roof. Completing a circumnavigation means adding at least 300 kylies to your total distance traveled, about 6000 total jumps (with at least 5000 of those being new systems)… exploration rank goes without saying.
Another oddity, this one not so pleasant: Had a case of Mr. Braben’s Wild Ride tonight. Not fun.
Start of Day 33: Hypou Chreou RM-W D1-41
End of Day 33: Ploade FL-P D5-14
Distance: 22958.64 ly
Total distance: 271462.11 ly.
The distance today seems weird. Doesn’t feel like that long a run. Felt more like 17-18 kylies, rather than 23.
I decided to count the number of entries in EDSM since starting from Fullerene C60. 5358 jumps so far.
Day 34
Not much to say, except that it looks like we might be able to make it within 40 days, and flying straight into a star when jumping out of hyperspace is Not Fun.
Start of Day 34: Ploade FL-P D5-14
End of Day 34: Blia Thoe AB-F D11-5
Distance: 16100.8 ly
Total distance: 287562.91 ly.
Day 35
Still not much to say. Was somewhat distracted today; also, illness has sapped my strength some. At this point, there's a part of me that really wants this done.
Did find some good ELWs, though. Also made a couple of interesting milestones – 50th untagged ELW found, 40,000 systems visited, total distance over 300 kylies.
Start of Day 35: Blia Thoe AB-F D11-5
End of Day 35: Hypau Airgh UM-W D1-19
Distance: 12880.77 ly
Total distance: 300443.68 ly.
Day 36
Illness shortened today. Basically slept most of the day, and didn’t start flying until evening.
Whoa. That’s something I haven’t seen on this trip – a permit-locked system. Bovomit, in this case. Hmmm… looks like Allitnil’s also spoken of it. What a name for a system. Cow puke.
Got to roughly -11000 (west) of Sol. Tomorrow has decisions – where to cross the Formidine Rift. Once that happens… well.
The Formidine Rift is one of those things I really do not want to play with if I'm pressed for time and can at all help it. So, the turn north has been made. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
Start of Day 36: Hypau Airgh UM-W D1-19
End of Day 36: Dryu Airg AA-A F0
Distance: 13142.79 ly
Total distance: 313586.47 ly.
Day 37
Note to self: Investigate Pha Aeb EJ-P C19-0. Wasn’t paying attention, but saw something odd on the screen as I was about to jump.
Didn’t write much tonight. Two words I do get to write, though.
Circumnavigation Accomplished.
Made it back to Spaidou TP-G D10-2 – where I first turned east over a month ago. Will go into the bubble tomorrow to finish it. It’s kind of like the race down the Champs-Elysees, except with pirates trying to shoot me down. Time to get the shield working…
Start of Day 37: Dryu Airg AA-A F0
End of Day 37: Spaidou TP-G D10-2
Distance: 17247.08 ly
Total distance: 330833.55 ly.
Some times:
From Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2, according to EDSM timestamps: April 17 3303 3:13:38 AM to May 22 3303 5:24:30 AM. So, 35 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes, 52 seconds.
Jumps from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2: 6142.
Day 38
Like I said, kind of like the race down the Champs-Elysees, except with pirates. Fortunately, was relatively quiet.
Went into Solo about a kylie from Fullerene C60. It’s a populated anarchy system, and I’m not an idiot. I also followed the usual protocol of taking a roundabout route into Rebuy Prospect.
Touchdown at 18:39:38 May 22 3303.
Distance: 10117.8 ly
Total distance: 340951.35 ly
179 jumps from Fullerene C60 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2.
6142 jumps from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2.
176 jumps from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Fullerene C60.
Total number of jumps on this trip: 6497 jumps.
Was roughly 321 kylies to make it along the loop, with roughly 9-10 kylies to get from Fullerene C60 to the loop.
Another bit of weirdness: A single undiscovered ELW nowadays pays off more than Sadge did. (Unless you’re Zulu Romeo, but, well, ZR is ZR.)
Exploration money generated: 484,227,863 credits.
Number of planets landed on: 0.
Uses of jumponium: 4 (2 to get to Oevasy SG-Y D0, 2 to get back)
The paperwork after coming in to port is murder. First there’s the game stuff – Universal Cartographics. In the “Could be better, could be worse” department. Universal Cartographics bundles systems in batches of 50 now; it used to be 20 back when I was farming neutron stars. That said, when you have over 6400 stars to process through, well… this will take some time. Then there’s all the work with filling out the ELW list… yeesh.
At any rate, it's good to make it back. Going to rest for awhile before my next jaunt.
The circumnavigation part: According to the EDSM data, from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2 took from April 17 3303 3:13:38 AM to May 22 3303 5:24:30 AM. So, 35 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes, 52 seconds.
A few pictures:
The route - finished
Orange Giant
Herbig Ae/Be
Skid marks?
Anyway... just a few of the highlights of the trip:
Day 1
Explaining the why of this trip – and this journal – would take awhile.
Up until now, my exploration was… fast. Really fast. The sort of fast that would drive so-called exploration purists nuts. My primary method of exploration would be to go somewhere as fast as possible – literally within a day – literally ANYWHERE within a day – and make a somewhat slower trip back.
Well, this trip isn’t going to be like that. Might be fast – sort of – might not be. But this isn't the sort of trip that can be done in sixteen hours. By my estimation, it could be done in 80-100 hours – if a CMDR was capable of being there that long. Of course, now that we have Multicrew… no. Just… no.
At any rate, it should be apparent what I’m discussing: a galactic circumnavigation. Go out to the edge, explore the ends of the various arms, and just see what’s out there.
This was not in my plans. I’d heard about the changes to the DBX and, well, as the record holder for an A* Challenge time in a DBX, I was planning another run. (Ed. Note: Since the record has been broken since the DBX buff, it seems I’ll be planning a run for this anyway in the near future. Hi, Crotalus!) But, well, a couple of things happened to change my mind.
- There’s some sort of glitch in the 2.3 beta – and in 2.3 – that causes the jump range displayed in the Outfitting screen and the jump range shown and used in the galmap to differ. Bucky runs… it’s hard to explain, but they are some of the most exacting events you will find in E. Discrepancies of even a few hundredths of light-years can lead to problems in planning the overall route.
- Shiroe, the Anaconda I’d used for many of my speed runs, met the wrong end of a neutron star while on the way back from Beagle Point. Losing Shiroe had been painful. There’s always rebuy (and I always fly with rebuy), but there’s the loss of history.
- An odd conversation in the E Community Facebook page, where someone said, “Make a circle around the galaxy! No one’s ever done that before…” Needless to say, some people have no concept of what has been done in-game.
This got me to thinking… maybe it was time for my “someday”. Let’s face it; a lot of explorers have said that they intend to make a galactic circumnavigation “someday”, so much so that it's a part of the Exploration subforum drinking game. I had been somewhat out of sorts of late since losing Shiroe, working on my trade rank, and decided it was time to get back to doing what I loved, what I preferred – exploration.
So… a galactic circumnavigation it is.
The new Anaconda… it is times like this that I wish that F
allowed for non-Western scripts for ship names, especially given the inspiration and theme for the character. The name of the new ship, if I’d had my way, would have been written as:放蕩者の茶会
or, in romanji, Houtou Mono no Chakai, or for a translation, Debauchery Tea Party. (Though I like Google Translate’s version: “Tea Party of the Ruthless”.) Thus, the name of my ship. The name is appropriate, because of what I try to do in-game.
Do what few can, do what few dare, and have fun doing it.
So… from Fullerene C60, the new home of the Buckyball Racing League, I start.
(Ed. Note: The distances determined are approximate. For the first 20 days or so, distances were calculated by taking the distance between the starting measurement and the ending measurement. After day 22 or so, distances were calculated using EDSM and taking the start-day and end-day distance.)
Takeoff at 3:47:37 April 16 3303
Start of Day 1: Fullerene C60
End of Day 1: Qiedeau SC-W A1-1
Distance: 5962.31ly.
Day 2
This kind of exploring is different. Not bad, probably better to be honest, but certainly different.
Whoa. At the -8000 mark, the stars just vanished. I went from 19 jumps per kylie to 24 jumps.
Which, I guess, makes sense in a twisted way. At the moment, I’m 34000 ly from Sagittarius A*. 34000 ly from Sagittarius A* in the opposite direction is the middle of the Abyss.
And now I get to the first decision point. Spaidou TP-G D10-2.
Going up each of the four spirals of the Milky Way is a given. I’ve reached the point where I need to go one way or the other.
The natural move is to the East on the map.
East it is.
Going to need to remember that star, though. The circumnavigation of the galaxy has officially begun.
Start of Day 2: Qiedeau SC-W A1-1
End of Day 2: Dryuae Aihm CR-C C26-0
Distance:
2968.81 from Qiedeau SC-W A1-1 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2
2003.87 from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Dryuae Aihm CR-C C26-0
Total distance: 10934.99 ly.
Day 3
One other difference between this and previous expeditions – and to understand why, some history of the A* Challenge might be needed.
Basically, an A* Challenge is an exercise in precision. The fastest A* Challenges are planned down to the last jump, down to how much to scoop with each star. This was especially a necessity before 2.2, when unscoopables could not be automatically avoided. As a result of this, I always felt it necessary to plan certain areas of exploration runs. After my first trip there, my Beagle Point runs were all planned in certain critical areas, most notably the Abyss.
There is no plan here. The plan is “Fly around the edges of the galaxy. Go up each of the outer arms.” We’ll see if that’s enough.
Another example of how relaxed this is: cooking supper in the middle of the trip. One thing I had to learn to do as a result of the Beagle Point runs: Learn how to microwave-cook in 13-second increments. In this case, I don’t mind actually taking a time out to cook supper, because I’m not in a significant time crunch on this.
Start of Day 3: Dryuae Aihm CR-C C26-0
End of Day 3: Jongoi KE-G C24-0 (Yeah, I could use a KE-G after all this is said and done.)
Distance: 7304.40ly
Total Distance: 18239.39ly
Day 4
I’ve reached about as far as I can go by going straight east. So, at Dryau Aip JC-D D12-0, I start to curve upward.
In fact, that may have been too far. The route plotter had me going backwards first before I could go on.
Today was more of a “Oooh, shiny!” day. The sort of day where you go, “So what if it’s a HMCW! It’s pretty!” It was also a “”Route Unavailable” day – for obvious reasons.
Decide to wrap it up a little early.
Also, need to be a little more careful on my exit jumps. Been too hot on some of them. If I keep on taking damage like this, I’m not going to make it.
Oooh, apparently I ran into a known bug! In this case, the Deactivated ADS bug! Fun…
Start of Day 4: Jongoi KE-G C24-0
End of Day 4: Hypisc KL-P D5-1
Distance: 3195.84ly
Total distance: 21435.23ly
Day 5
Day 5 can be summed up with four words.
Mr. Braben’s Wild Ride.
Witchspace times were far greater tonight than they had been in previous days. Up to tonight, they’d been the usual 13-14 seconds. Tonight, most of the witchspace times were up to a minute in length. Made for a fairly long and frustrating trip. Going to see if switching to vanilla E: D helps. If this was an A* run, I would have thrown in the towel by now; no way could I have made a good time on a night like this.
Doesn’t seem to help. Unfortunately.
Start of Day 5: Hypisc KL-P D5-1
End of Day 5: Hypua Eaec NN-C B19-0
Distance: 6519.39 ly
Total distance: 27954.62 ly
That’s deplorable. It takes five days for me to go over 26000 ly? Shame on me! What are my racing skills coming to?
Day 7
Day 6 was a perfect example that sometimes things are not as they seem. Day 6 was supposed to be a day off for me – yet I was busy until well after dark with meetings and work. Needless to say, E: D did not get fired up last night.
Day 7, though… Day 7 was the first day that felt like an A* run. Not because there was a rhythm designed to optimize time, but there was a rhythm that best suited a Long Walk such as this. Basically, jump into a system, and start scooping while scanning the system. Once the system is scanned, go into the System Map and see if there’s anything interesting. If yes, go to scan; if no (and it’s usually no), get out and charge the FSD. It’s not a time-optimized method, but it does have two bonuses. 1. It allows for a scan of the system, and 2. It allows for a fairly cool run, because the ship is usually away from the star by the time the FSD starts up.
The rhythm feels good. And, if I’m going to finish this, I’m going to need to settle into a rhythm like that.
So… fun stuff after the first week: Four untagged Earthlikes, one tagged Earthlike (hi, Bartizan!), a Herbig Ae/Be, various and sundry Water Worlds both tagged and untagged, including two Water-world moons.
Start of Day 7: Hypua Eaec NN-C B19-0
End of Day 7: Throofiae FC-X C4-2
Distance: 11085.58 ly
Total Distance: 39040.20 ly
Okay. That was a good run. Great to see a day like that.
Day 10
An odd quirk of my life. Sometimes, my days off are more busy than the days I have to work. Basically, days I have to work are intense for several hours, laid-back for several hours, and I’m just tired enough when I get home that I don’t feel like working. Days off… oftentimes, I’m writing things up I don’t have the patience or brainpower for on the days I work.
Thus, Day 8 and Day 9 were spent elsewhere – work, mainly, but Record Store Day on Day 8 was fun. Then again, sometimes it helps to have eclectic tastes in music. Considering that the two purchases I was most excited about involved Stevie Ray Vaughan and Dmitri Shostakovich,..
Found unscanned ELW#5 today. I sometimes wonder how many will remain unscanned by the time I make it back. (Ed. note: All but two of the untagged ELWs scanned remained unscanned at the end. The two that slipped away I'll talk about later.)
Just got a look at the paintjob. It already looks sandblasted. Cool.
I love these parts of the galaxy. The absolute edge of the galaxy, where you look in a particular direction and there are no stars AT ALL. A look in the opposite direction, and the Milky Way – all of it – glows like a beacon, like a city looming in the distance.
Start of Day 10: Throofiae FC-X C4-2
End of Day 10: Lyroorb BV-V D3-1
Distance: 10378.44 ly
Total distance: 49418.64 ly.
Day 11.
Today’s the sort of day that reminds a person why they play the game. In terms of events and accomplishments, there’s not much to talk about for today; I didn’t find any ELWs, though I found plenty of water worlds. It’s a lot like looking at a map for a location and seeing absolutely nothing marked on the map – a space of nothing – but still seeing roads and highways. The Perseus Arm should have ended kylies ago, but nobody told the stars.
No, today reminded me why I play the game because of things that happened away from the computer.
I spent about twenty minutes today on the phone while I played, taking care of things for work. E
is something I use to escape from that stress. I can stop being this person for awhile, and explore the cosmos, be CMDR Hanekura Shizuka. Given some of the events this year, that escape has been a godsend. I’m glad for the escape tonight. I’m pretty far from the galactic core; I look at the map of my route so far, and today seems to extend into nowhere.
Sometimes, nowhere is where we can be found.
Start of Day 11: Lyroorb BV-V D3-1
End of Day 11: Bloa Aick ON-K D8-0
Distance: 8672.27 ly
Total distance: 58090.91 ly.
Over 50 kylies so far. Yay.
Day 12
And I thought Day 11 was bad. Flying today… I didn’t have the music on. I didn’t need it. My mind had the Stones’ snarling, slithering, “Paint it Black” playing on repeat.
Reached about as far as I can go on the Perseus arm. After Byiae Aick PY-Z D13-0, there’s not a lot left. Now to find my way out.
Got as far as I could going straight. Need to backtrack. Not pleasant, but not unexpected, either. Traveling up the spiral arms almost certainly means backtracking. So the spiral arm is going to look like it has a flat-top on it. And I really don’t feel like starting the backtracking tonight.
Start of Day 12: Bloa Aick ON-K D8-0
Start of the flat-top (end of Perseus Arm): Byiae Aick PY-Z D13-0
End of the flat-top and end of Day 12: Byai Airgh LO-Z D13-0
Distance from Bloa Aick to Byiae Aick: 1781.48 ly
Distance from Byiae Aick to Byai Airgh: 3154.26 ly
Total distance for the day: 4935.74 ly
Total distance: 63026.65 ly
Day 13
Not a lot of time to fly. Mainly just an exploration day – trying to find a way out of the Perseus Arm.
Typical: First ELW I find in three days, and it’s the first system in three days that has someone else’s name on it. (Hi, Allitnil!)
Start of Day 13: Byai Airgh LO-Z D13-0
End of Day 13: Blea Airgh EI-B D13-1
Distance for the day: 1418.98 ly
Total distance: 64445.63 ly.
Day 14
Went a few kylies, then made a slight turn at Swaupy RG-Y D2.
Have a route I think will work out of the Perseus Arm. Let’s see how it works.
Wow. An orange giant at Oodgonns TM-W D1-0. The hilarious bit? The reason I discovered it was because I misspelled the name of the system – I’d initially intended to go to Oodgonns TM-W D1-1, and keyed on that for a good midpoint for my escape from the Perseus Arm. So… I think I have a good stopping point for the night.
Start of Day 14: Blea Airgh EI-B D13-1
End of Day 14: Oodgonns TM-W D1-0
Distance for the day: 8316.42 ly. (Was actually a bit longer, as the path was a bit curved, but oh well.)
Total distance: 72762.05 ly.
Interesting. I’ve now gone further than a Beagle run, and I still haven’t gotten out of the Perseus Arm.
Day 15
Today I discovered the joy of using API keys with EDSM. Makes things a lot easier.
The gap between the Perseus Arm and the rest of the galaxy might be the ultimate tease. Just when you think you have a route back… it closes. Makes the Abyss look straightforward by comparison.
That said… I think I’m out of the Perseus Arm. The fact that I can go a bit north while going west out of the arm is a very good sign.
At Plu Aip KO-Z C13-0, I declare officially out of the Perseus Arm and the Orion Spur Shallows, and begin to head north along the edge of the Sagittarius-Carina Arm. Yay.
Damn. Multitasking is a bad idea sometimes. Basically turned away from the computer for a couple of minutes, crashed into a star, and other actions made it worse. Down to 28% hull. OUCH.
Just means I have to be careful from here on in.
It’s time to log off. Multitasking is going to be the death of me, if I don’t.
Start of Day 15: Oodgonns TM-W D1-0
End of Day 15: Pria Aip NM-W D1-1
Distance: 7584.52ly.
Total distance: 80346.57 ly.
One thing about this trip: It’s certainly not going to be boring…
Day 16
It’s a new game – in more ways than one.
First, I’m going to need to be careful. I can’t afford another catastrophic mistake like yesterday.
At the same time, I’m out of the Perseus Arm. One problem solved and completed. Now there’s a long stretch of open starway, followed by a very familiar puzzle – Beagle Point, the Briar Patch, the Abyss.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Don’t have the patch, because I was never a part of DW, but oh well.
“So if you’re lost and on your own, you can never surrender…
And if your path won’t lead you home, you can never surrender…”
I don’t give up. Not on this one.
Start of Day 16: Pria Aip NM-W D1-1
End of Day 16: Droerdy MM-W D1-1
Distance: 6245.92 ly
Total Distance: 86592.49 ly
“Some people call me the Space Cowboy… “
I’d forgotten just how twisted this little playlist was.
Day 17
Sometimes you get reminders of just how far you’ve gone, how much you’ve done. Two of those today.
One, another CMDR, Madbilly, wanted to write up my last Beagle run and send it for Galnet posting. (Hi, Madbilly!)
The other…. I submitted all of my logs to EDSM. All of my logs. Basically, any material for which I’d had VerboseLogging turned on. That took awhile for EDSM to parse.
Flew a lot of distance today; felt good. Also used neutron stars on two occasions. Neutron stars are fun – until they aren’t.
A good day on the exploration front. Found the sort of ELW you dream about – a ringed ELW in binary orbit with a gas giant.
Start of Day 17: Droerdy MM-W D1-1
End of Day 17: Stuena XM-W D1-23
Distance: 10808.99 ly
Total distance: 97401.48 ly.
I am now on the ‘north’ end of the Galaxy – about 26000 ly north of Sol, and and just a hair further north than Sagittarius A*. It’ll be awhile before I go back to the ‘south’ end.
Day 18
No day 18. Needed to get some work done.
Day 19
Just a few casual kylies. Not going to be able to fly for the next couple of days, so I wanted to get some kylies in.
Was a good day, overall; found several ELWs.
Start of Day 19: Stuena XM-W D1-23
End of Day 19: Dryaea Chroa NU-X C14-0
Distance: 3019.74ly
Total distance: 100421.22 ly
Now over the 100 kylie mark. Cool.
Day 22
Days 20 and 21 were spent traveling. The less said about that, the better.
Day 22…
Start of Day 22: Dryaea Chroa NU-X C14-0
End of Day 22: Phoo Brou DW-N D6-2
Distance: 9824.99 ly
Total distance: 110246.21 ly
Day 23
Started early today. It’s an odd day anyway.
As it is Sunday (May 7), I’m reminded of one of the more oddball pairings of song and commercial I’ve ever heard – and it relates to the title of this message. Now, for those of you out there, just imagine this: the Morrissey song “Everyday is like Sunday” being used to advertise and promote American football.
Yeah. There’s enough irony in that statement to fill pages upon pages.
Living dangerously: Using neutron star jumping with 27% - wait, make that 26% - hull.
Wow. Just found a Stulli-scanned system. Trying to remember the last time I saw someone else’s fingerprints on a system. Probably a few of Allitnil’s that I ran into getting out of the Perseus Arm…
The Sagittarius-Carina arm is different from the others, for one very simple reason. It’s not entirely clear how far the others stretch beyond the glow. I took the Perseus arm until I couldn’t plot forward anymore, for instance. The Sagittarius-Carina arm, on the other hand… the ending of that I know fairly well. Put simply, I’ve been there and done that and have the stars to my name to prove it.
Start of Day 23: Phoo Brou DW-N D6-2
End of Day 23: Byae Auwsy ZD-T D3-19
Distance: 13758.80 ly
Total Distance: 124005.01 ly
Another milestone: I passed the 1.5 million total ly distance with today’s activities. Am currently at 1,505,111 ly total distance traveled.
Oh, one other bit of fun: Total hyperspace jumps? 39,999. (Usually systems visited is more important than total hyperspace jumps. Systems visited is just over 37k.)
And, to close out the night, I decided to look up how far I am from Beagle Point. As it happens, about 32 kylies. So it’s going to take at least that much, and likely more, to get there.
Day 24
Another day… going up the Sadge-Carrie arm. Seeing a pretty good number of ELWs around here.
Start of Day 24: Byae Auwsy ZD-T D3-19
End of Day 24: Qauthai HV-G C10-3
Distance: 16118.66 ly
Total Distance: 140123.67 ly
I chose an interesting place to stop today. Qauthai HV-G C10-3. It’s the first system I’ve encountered that I’d visited previously since leaving Fullerene C60. Was here a little over a year ago; see, this is the starting point for a race known as the Voyager Challenge. Basically, the intent after my Beagle run last year was to go over to Qauthai HV-G C10-3 and use the Voyager Challenge to make my way home.
That didn’t quite happen, for multiple reasons. The main problem with the Voyager Challenge, though, was not the distance. It was the start time.
Maybe one day I’ll race the Voyager Challenge, or at least the start and finished asked for. That said, if I do that, I’ll do it on my own time.
Interesting. There’s a discrepancy between the EDSM numbers and the calculations in the game itself. Wonder who’s right?
About 19.6 kylies (as the photon flies) to Beagle.
Day 25
Not a lot of flying done tonight. The stars are getting more and more sparse as I get closer to the end of the Sadge-Carrie arm.
Start of Day 25: Qauthai HV-G C10-3
End of Day 25: Ooctat RX-U D2-0
Distance: 9380.06 ly
Total Distance: 149503.73 ly
Still about 12 kylies to Beagle. At this point, the stars are sparse enough that a ‘straight line’ route isn’t very straight – especially as I’ve basically removed the ‘small’ M and K class stars from consideration along with the usual unscoopables.
Day 26
Interesting. Seeing a lot more discovered systems. Not too surprising, I guess. Only a fool would have been flying where I was before now; there’s not a lot out there. Now, though, is well-traversed territory; anyone and everyone with a jump range of around 25 ly who wanted to go to Beagle would have had to follow this path.
A galactic circumnavigation differs from any other long-distance trip in that progress is oftentimes not measured in kylies, but in degrees (or radians, if you prefer). Every circumnavigation starts at some position on the galactic clock. I started due south of the bubble, due south of Sagittarius A*. Sometime tonight, I should be due north of A*, due north of the bubble. 180 degrees, pi radians completed.
Halfway.
Anyone else ever notice how beautiful a type L dwarf is up close?
And… I finish the night with a couple of judicious uses of jumponium, and a stop at Oevasy SG-Y D0. I only brought four injections with me. Four is all I intend to use. I have an SRV with me, but I don’t intend to use it except in emergencies.
And, at this point, any step I take will be on the way home.
Start of Day 26: Ooctat RX-U D2-0
End of Day 26: Oevasy SG-Y D0
Distance: 15664.37ly.
Total distance: 165168.10 ly.
Day 27
Time to start the journey back.
It’s really odd in this part of space. There’s not a lot of stars, most of the ones here have already been scanned, and some of them have my name on them.
It’s interesting in one other respect. Last time I passed through here, I discovered a couple of ELWs; because my ship was destroyed before I turned the data in, I still haven’t claimed them. Some I’d need to go out of my way for, so they won’t be scanned this time around, but a few are directly in my path. Scanned those; still unclaimed as of yet.
Out of the Abyss; stopping there for the night. Going to start West up Scutum-Centaurus tomorrow.
Start of Day 27: Oevasy SG-Y D0
End of Day 27: Chua Eohn TA-U D4-6
Distance: 13402.15 ly
Total distance: 178570.25 ly.
Day 28
Today was the day when I realized I had to take my time.
Which is ironic, considering how much ground I covered.
I got a crazy idea in my head last night and today: Buckyball the rest. In other words, run 20-30k a day, and finish it up within two weeks.
In a word…. No.
Just no.
I can’t have days like this every day for a week or two. That way lies burnout. (Ed. Note: I came close to it anyway!)
That said, I did find some great discoveries today. Found six ELWs in my travels today, which is an awesome day in anyone’s book. (Well, maybe not Chiggy’s, but Chiggy is Chiggy.)
Start of Day 28: Chua Eohn TA-U D4-6
End of Day 28: Blie Bra ZP-G D10-8
Distance: 22801.89 ly
Total distance: 201372.14 ly.
Day 29
Not much flying today. Yesterday was too much.
Did have a bit of a revelation, though, one which I’ll talk about later.
Start of Day 29: Blie Bra ZP-G D10-8
End of Day 29: Strivia CK-R D4-9
Distance: 6148.95 ly
Total distance: 207521.09 ly.
Day 30
The best way to describe it is “progression”.
Any good game should have a progression of some type. In most RPGs, this takes the form of “leveling up”. E
didn’t go this route, preferring to go the way of “Use your skills to make money. Use this money to buy better ships, and tailor them to what you intend to do.” Which leads to my primary advice for new players in the game: In game, do what you love, in the ship you love. My tagline lists two professions. Explorer. Racer.
What I’ve come to realize is that the ways I push myself isn’t racing anymore. It’s something beyond any organized race.
Start of Day 30: Strivia CK-R D4-9
End of Day 30: Gatchue EC-D D12-10
Distance: 13912.88 ly
Total distance: 221433.97 ly.
Day 31
When I started today, like most days, I went onto EDSM to see where I was and what other commanders, if any, were around. There was one CMDR about 10 kylies back along the Scutum-Centaurus arm, and one CMDR at the very end, about 10 kylies ahead. Those were the closest CMDRs. In other words, there were literally ten thousand light-years between myself and any other person.
It was a sobering moment, really.
And it’s not like the Scutum-Centaurus Arm is completely desolate. I’ve found some absolutely breathtaking ELWs here, including two ringed ELWs that were absolutely gorgeous. It’s just that this is an out-of-the-way spot of the cosmos, one that few people have the desire to visit.
Okay, I’ve made it to the end of the Scutum-Centaurus Arm. Time to find a way out.
Start of Day 31: Gatchue EC-D D12-10
End of Day 31: Hypiae Brue DI-D C12-0
Distance: 14757.15 ly
Total distance: 236191.12 ly.
Day 32
Finding a way out is never as easy as it first appears.
The best way to describe getting out of the Scutum-Centaurus Arm: It’s a lot easier than getting out of either the Perseus or Sagittarius-Carina arms, if it’s your first time to try to get out of them. Basically, instead of going 10 kylies backwards, as I had to do with Perseus, I only had to go back 1 or 2 kylies.
That said, three of the four arms are done, completed, and in my rear-view mirror. One to go.
Start of Day 32: Hypiae Brue DI-D C12-0
End of Day 32: Hypou Chreou RM-W D1-41
Distance: 12312.35 ly
Total distance: 248503.47 ly.
Day 33
Going down.
I need to learn to go down, not up. I’d been using up as forward for so long that I accidently went backward for a bit.
Also… met a bit of a milestone today: I found my 45th undiscovered ELW on this trip. If all of them are still undiscovered if/when I turn them in – and that’s looking like it’ll come much sooner than later – it means a total of 100 ELWs discovered for my career.
That should give you an idea as to the scope and scale of a circumnavigation, that over 40% of my acknowledged ELWs would come from one trip. If you can get through it, any stats you have – such as ELWs discovered – go through the roof. Completing a circumnavigation means adding at least 300 kylies to your total distance traveled, about 6000 total jumps (with at least 5000 of those being new systems)… exploration rank goes without saying.
Another oddity, this one not so pleasant: Had a case of Mr. Braben’s Wild Ride tonight. Not fun.
Start of Day 33: Hypou Chreou RM-W D1-41
End of Day 33: Ploade FL-P D5-14
Distance: 22958.64 ly
Total distance: 271462.11 ly.
The distance today seems weird. Doesn’t feel like that long a run. Felt more like 17-18 kylies, rather than 23.
I decided to count the number of entries in EDSM since starting from Fullerene C60. 5358 jumps so far.
Day 34
Not much to say, except that it looks like we might be able to make it within 40 days, and flying straight into a star when jumping out of hyperspace is Not Fun.
Start of Day 34: Ploade FL-P D5-14
End of Day 34: Blia Thoe AB-F D11-5
Distance: 16100.8 ly
Total distance: 287562.91 ly.
Day 35
Still not much to say. Was somewhat distracted today; also, illness has sapped my strength some. At this point, there's a part of me that really wants this done.
Did find some good ELWs, though. Also made a couple of interesting milestones – 50th untagged ELW found, 40,000 systems visited, total distance over 300 kylies.
Start of Day 35: Blia Thoe AB-F D11-5
End of Day 35: Hypau Airgh UM-W D1-19
Distance: 12880.77 ly
Total distance: 300443.68 ly.
Day 36
Illness shortened today. Basically slept most of the day, and didn’t start flying until evening.
Whoa. That’s something I haven’t seen on this trip – a permit-locked system. Bovomit, in this case. Hmmm… looks like Allitnil’s also spoken of it. What a name for a system. Cow puke.
Got to roughly -11000 (west) of Sol. Tomorrow has decisions – where to cross the Formidine Rift. Once that happens… well.
The Formidine Rift is one of those things I really do not want to play with if I'm pressed for time and can at all help it. So, the turn north has been made. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
Start of Day 36: Hypau Airgh UM-W D1-19
End of Day 36: Dryu Airg AA-A F0
Distance: 13142.79 ly
Total distance: 313586.47 ly.
Day 37
Note to self: Investigate Pha Aeb EJ-P C19-0. Wasn’t paying attention, but saw something odd on the screen as I was about to jump.
Didn’t write much tonight. Two words I do get to write, though.
Circumnavigation Accomplished.
Made it back to Spaidou TP-G D10-2 – where I first turned east over a month ago. Will go into the bubble tomorrow to finish it. It’s kind of like the race down the Champs-Elysees, except with pirates trying to shoot me down. Time to get the shield working…
Start of Day 37: Dryu Airg AA-A F0
End of Day 37: Spaidou TP-G D10-2
Distance: 17247.08 ly
Total distance: 330833.55 ly.
Some times:
From Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2, according to EDSM timestamps: April 17 3303 3:13:38 AM to May 22 3303 5:24:30 AM. So, 35 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes, 52 seconds.
Jumps from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2: 6142.
Day 38
Like I said, kind of like the race down the Champs-Elysees, except with pirates. Fortunately, was relatively quiet.
Went into Solo about a kylie from Fullerene C60. It’s a populated anarchy system, and I’m not an idiot. I also followed the usual protocol of taking a roundabout route into Rebuy Prospect.
Touchdown at 18:39:38 May 22 3303.
Distance: 10117.8 ly
Total distance: 340951.35 ly
179 jumps from Fullerene C60 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2.
6142 jumps from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Spaidou TP-G D10-2.
176 jumps from Spaidou TP-G D10-2 to Fullerene C60.
Total number of jumps on this trip: 6497 jumps.
Was roughly 321 kylies to make it along the loop, with roughly 9-10 kylies to get from Fullerene C60 to the loop.
Another bit of weirdness: A single undiscovered ELW nowadays pays off more than Sadge did. (Unless you’re Zulu Romeo, but, well, ZR is ZR.)
Exploration money generated: 484,227,863 credits.
Number of planets landed on: 0.
Uses of jumponium: 4 (2 to get to Oevasy SG-Y D0, 2 to get back)
The paperwork after coming in to port is murder. First there’s the game stuff – Universal Cartographics. In the “Could be better, could be worse” department. Universal Cartographics bundles systems in batches of 50 now; it used to be 20 back when I was farming neutron stars. That said, when you have over 6400 stars to process through, well… this will take some time. Then there’s all the work with filling out the ELW list… yeesh.
At any rate, it's good to make it back. Going to rest for awhile before my next jaunt.
