+----------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| version number | w/Checkpoints | wedge block # | Notes              | 
+----------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| 0.5.3          | no            | none          | [N.00]             |
+----------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| 0.5.3          | yes           | none, 168000  | [N.01] & [N.01.1]  |
+----------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| 0.5.3.1        | yes           | none, 168000  |[N.02][N.02.1][N.03]|
+----------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| 1.5.3          | yes           | 168000        | [N.04] & [N.05]    |
+----------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| 70002          | yes           | 168000        | [N.06]             |
+----------------+---------------+---------------+--------------------+

Notes:

[N.00]: No checkpoints, no wedge.
[N.01]: Full sync once
[N.01.1]: Another time or two, full sync was attempted and wedged at 168000
[N.02]: Ben & mod6 have hit wedge 168000 at this checkpoint block multiple times
[N.02.1]: mod6 patched a version by hand, instead of build-by-script to ensure
          wedging was not occuring because of build-script defect.
[N.03]: TomServo has had success getting to over 254585 blocks with
        checkpoints included.  
[N.04]: Attempt was made to re-version the daemon to > than any current version
        This resulted in it still wedging at 168000.  
[N.05]: After wedged at 168000, rm_checkpoints patch was applied and sync'ing
        was able to resume and move past the 168000 checkpoint block.
[N.06]: In debug.log file, most of the nodes that fed the test version of
        the RI were either PROTOCOL_VERSION 70001 or 70002.  v0.5.3 doesn't
        contain PROTOCOL_VERSION, VERSION is used for both.  The test here
        was to see if v0.5.3 could disguise itself as a higher version to 
        bypass the checkpoint block at 168000 no such luck yet.

Links to pastebins showing errors, versions and block-heights:
Ref [N.01]: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=FSA9gxs8
Ref [N.01.1]: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=bMWQLyfR
Ref [N.02]: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=5PEse2MZ
Ref [N.02.1]: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=Jthw6A6w
Ref [N.03]: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=wDhASJYn
Ref [N.04]: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=SeTLZ320
Ref [N.06]: http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=yp2bD86N

debug.log snip when wedge @ 168000 occurs: 
    http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=vmMmRA92