Geotagged Trail Promotion Photos 08/29/2018

I spent some time today re-organizing Adventurer's Project's data. When I was on trail promotion two days ago, I took some geotagged photos of the various cork boards and rack card/ brochure posting opportunities to replace the icons at those locations. The photos were exported to Google Earth Pro and are overlaid with just about any of my previous data. Those photos have more information than just the icons. It displays its size and measures its traffic.

Washington County Loop

I completed posting fliers on Adventurer's Project's Washington County Loop. But I better not sleep on my back tonight because its giving me hell for walking around a little bit in the Village of Beverly.

The Difficulty With 8am Event Start Times

Considering the lack of freeways in Far SE Ohio, Adventurer's Project's 14 county coverage is too big and vast for 8am start times.  Right now, I'm thinking that if the project is to promote events like this, it will need to come up with both the options to camp and have a second shift on a Saturday from 11am to 6pm to support local volunteers who only want to help on one day?

This is in reference of the Road Fork Work Week between October 13th - 17th at Caldwell Lake in Noble County.  But I also had this difficulty with the previous Work Week back in July.  The addition of the second shift might also help those wishing to commute in for a day from other places in the state.

Printer Troubleshooting

I was having trouble with my 20 year old HP Laserjet 4000tn on Windows 10.  No matter the quantity that I wanted to print, it was only printing one page upon command.  The few help posts that I read wasn't really fixing anything here.  So, I dove into my basic computer repair skills.  When I was in business, it was mostly in-home and I didn't have too much experience with printer issues.  But I tinkered around and found that the "collate" option under the quantity in the print menu had to be disabled.  Once I did that, I executed a quantity of 50 prints successfully.

Flier, Rack Card and Brochure Posting Opportunities

Not including speaking engagements, this is the total preliminary count for flier, rack card and brochure posting opportunities in the 14 county area that Adventurer's Project covers.  The gas stations are the most theoretical and that number should start coming down when I drive out to those places find that it doesn't have flier support.  But what I can tell you is that it isn't much more than that number. 

Post Offices :
17 near the trails
94 beyond 3 & 4 miles from the trail
111 total post offices

Libraries:
5 near the trails
27 beyond 3 & 4 miles from the trail
32 total libraries

Gas Stations:
254 count

Grociers:
64 count

Coffee Houses:
11 count

Miscellanous Posting Opportunities:
18 catloged

High Capasity Flier Location:
6 catloged

Rack Card/ Brochure Locations
14 count

PIcasa & Google Earth

I've always used Picasa to embed photos into waypoints in Google Earth.  But Picasa has been discontinued for years.  I found a download for it, imported my photos, but it needed a previous version of Google Earth, the free version to work.  When Google Earth 7.0 opened up, I see it found my My Places from Pro.  I sure hope it didn't taint my original work?

But I got my geotags to work.  As far as trail promotion, there are only 60 of them.  If there were more, I'm sure that they are lost?

Data Transfer

I was go to bed, but I decided to digest the data that I transferred out of The Robot. What happened is that I was trying to setup a home cloud and I couldn't get it done because my old Internet gateway didnt have the features necessary to do it. When I left, I forgot to transfer the files to my laptop. I also didnt back up the My Places on The Robot.  As a result, The Robot had some things and the Laptop had others.

Getting back to Home Port on the fly isn't exactly simple these days. And I've been miss missing the geotagged photos that I've already taken. Some of them display flier posting opportunities that I've collected in the previous 2 years.

I think I have them now? They'll be used to try and estimate how many fliers I'll need coming up on Adventurer's Project's marketing routes.

Back Problems 08/23/2018

My back is still giving me problems.  This time, I didn't wake up with the pain.  I went grocery shopping yesterday and forgot to get some Tylenol.  Now, that's going to have to wait about a week.  I have to get into a stretching routine twice daily because my issues are muscle related going back to the Night From Hell

The problem from back then was I had no choice but to push myself way beyond my design parameters that day.  I wouldn't have ordinarily done this without sufficient testing of my abilities.  By way of testing back then, I was only rated for an absolute maximum of 32 miles in one day on flat terrain.

The first test was on a loop using a portion of the Pemberville Section - Buckeye Trail.  That was 31 miles in 10 hours, 04 minutes and 28 seconds.  I then had to notch it up to 32 when I was on the International Appalachian Trail - Newfoundland and Labrador when I had to make a regional bus stop on time.  Normally, I hiked in the ball park of 20 mile days.

On the Night From Hell, I prepositioned my bicycle and scheduled a 24 mile day hiking.  The bike ride back was supposed to be about 12 miles.  I started late and my hike took me past dusk.  Road Fork Section - Buckeye Trail (North Country concurrent, during that time) wasn't maintained well and I didn't trust it.  I've had plenty of off-road night hiking experience.  And at night, it's slower.  There's also optical illusions out there.  Even the most powerful flashlights can't display certain depths right (like inside of a rut). 

  I executed two contingencies that evening that added mileage on foot.   For me, it works out to be 1:2 or 3 in hilly terrain and 1:4 on flat terrain. The rear rim on the bike was so out of true that I couldn't ride it much more, so I had to walk it on-foot for about 6 miles.  The bike has a drivetrain that spreads out the load on a person's stamina.  In total, it turned out to be a 54 mile day, 44 of those were on-foot.

Bath/ Shower - Motorhome

I took my first bath/shower in the motorhome today.  Turns out that I need a new faucet in there because the shower mode that pull up on it won't stay up.  Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be?  After all, this thing does have a tank and is meant for boondocking.

Canceled Events - Adventurer's Project

Without a manned trail promotion in Parkersburg and upcoming personal circumstances, the following events are canceled:

Scheduled Shuttle Service
during the Ohio Sternwheel Festival
September 8 and 9, 2018

Mid- Ohio Valley Introductory Hike
needs to be canceled because our audience isn't yet established in the Mid-Ohio Valley

My stand alone thru hike of The Wilderness Loop which was to be in October.

But, I'll be working on some getting some more trail promotion for Adventurer's Project in the upcoming days.

Data Transfer Aug. 19, 2018

Systems maintenance is complete.  I'm now trying to move mapping and photo files from my network area storage to my laptop.  Only that I have to back in Woodsfield by 11am for a meeting.  Those files are extensive, so I saved the My Places from Google Earth on The Robot to the laptop and I'm transferring the pictures there now.  There's over 8 gigabytes of photos that have to go through the router.  I don't think that I have a flash drive on-board that could handle it.  I even forgot to pack the motorhome's smartphone USB cable.  That could have made it faster?

I tried taking the hard disk out of the network area storage and tried plugging it directly into the laptop with a kit that I have, but Windows couldn't read the drive's formatting.  The drive back to Woodsfield is about 3 - 1/2 hours because I'm taking my mini fridge down there on a trailer with wheels that max out at 55MPH.  I hope to get enough sleep?

What's special about these photos is that I might be able to use them for Adventurer's Project's Internet media.  We've had a shortage recently.  Most of my photos are for the Whipple Section and they're mostly maintenance ones, taken of a tree down, or some other issue.  At the moment, we may not have many photos taken in the best of circumstances and know where they are???

Adventurer's Project's Facebook page is young.  It's perhaps a struggle to keep it's content fresh and the way to survive a winter is with plenty of photos.

Systems Maintenance

I'm back at Home Port today visiting relatives. In the meantime, I'm performing much needed maintenance on the computer systems. There's also a number of mapping and photo files that I need.

Current Milage - 2008 Chevy HHR

208,245 miles

Correction on Yeti Cooler

My Yeti cooler is not 134 quarts. It's only 125. Its still big and still melts 10lbs of ice daily in my motorhome under mixed conditions, including 8 - 10 hours in air conditioning bringing down its temperature to roughly 68°F - 72°F.

Fuel Injector Cleaner

Fuel injector cleaner was added to the fuel up a fill up in my 2008 Chevy HHR LS, but I do not know what the mileage was when it went in.

Lightning, Event Rescheduled

The Trail Maintenance Day at the Ring Mill in the Marietta Unit of The Wayne (National Forest) in Monroe County, to take place on the Road Fork Section - Buckeye Trail (North Country National Scenic Trail concurrent), Points 21 - 23 that was scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday, August 18th, 2018) has been rescheduled to Saturday, September 1st, 2018 due to lightning in the forecast.

Partial Tune-up: 2008 Chevy HHR

I changed the oil, air filter, cabin air filter and the gas vapor recycler in my 2008 Chevy HHR LS at the mileage displayed above.  The gas vapor recycler was so easy to replace that it didn't even need any tools.  I then used Torque Pro and Wi-Fi OBD II module to clear the fault codes.  For right now, the only thing that remains lit on the dashboard is a "Tire Service Monitor."  This Chevy breaks tire pressure monitors (TPM's) like crazy.  The last that I knew, they were $75 a piece and they always break on the right rear rim.  I haven't kept up with my tire rotations and I think that I blew a belt in that tire?  But I think it will get me by until next month?

The HHR was driven and arrived back at home at the mileage above.  The power improved, but I wasn't able to get a reading from the oil dip stick until I took the front end off of the ramps and ran it for about 5 minutes.  It spooked me for a minute as I went back over my steps, confirmed that the oil pan bolt was secured properly and there wasn't anything other than typical residue around the engine mounted oil tube.  I lowed the car on the basis that it had to be there.  But this isn't the first time that I got confused with Houdini engine oil in this car.  But it showed up.  I think that I need a new dip stick because the one that I have is corroded and confusing me when the oil is clean?

Accelerating in any gear was more smooth.  But this car is still pending a clutch replacement and there's a little slippage from that, but not as much as before with the old gas vapor recycler.  Considering that my dashboard computer display takes readings from multiple sensors that give me my fuel range and economy readings, I don't think that the new recycler is going to do much to improve what it already had?

I still have yet to clean the fuel injectors.  The HHR is about about 3/4 of a tank right now and I'll try to remember to do it when I refuel.  At this time, the engine is still going strong for it having been driven over 200K miles.

Supply Depot

I dropped off the trail promotion supplies. The supply depot is further south than the trail and Woodsfield is 20 minutes from it on the north side.  It's a 114 mile round trip on mostly rural highways and I don't like making it unless I really have to.

River's, Trail's and Trail's Expo

Yesterday, Adventurer's Project was being promoted at the Rivers, Trails and Ales (RTA) Expo in Marietta of Washington County.  I was there from 6 - 8pm.  Adventurer's Project picked up 2 new supporters, there were those who came by that have already covered the trails and I spoke to a few people.

Need to have support in order to get support?  Trail promotion has been a chicken and the egg like problem lately.  At the moment, many things look like we just need to increase our base of support and that flier deployment seems like the inescapable answer?

Bathroom Outlet Works

I just discovered that the bathroom outlet works.  That makes three, but I need to get an outdoor spring loaded door for it because it's right behind the toilet.  And I found the lens cap for the outside light.  I'll probably have to change its socket since it's been exposed and corroding for years?  But the screws are still in it.  I've got it soaking in the kitchen sink because it's got some kind of substance on it.

Microwave and Overhead Table Outlet

My motorhome's microwave AC outlet is working now. I just had to replace the outlet. And now the outlet over the table is working somehow, but the one at the side of the kitchen sink and the master bed still doesn't.

I've been using a heavy duty extention cord lately to connect my hotplate. It can be done, but with caution. Since I mounted the microwave outlet towards the front, its compartment is right over the stove where the hotplate sits on a cast iron slate on the liquid propane burners. Currently, I don't have any propane at the moment, so theres no harm with it being there.

I discovered that the overhead table, kitchen side and master bed outlets are special because they have a special backplate that protects things from protruding on to the wires.  The outlet that I got for the overhead (because it was dead before) is for a house and won't work in the motorhome.

Sewage Outtake, Pressure Regulator, New Bike Seat and My Back

The new stands for my outtake tube are in place from my motorhome's sewage. The pressure regulator is on the village water port, but even with the teflon tape, it's still dripping. And a new noiseless seat is on my mountain bike.

My back is still aching and this is day 2. I may have to forgo the showers at the YMCA for some Tylenol and a back machine at the local gym?

Adventurer's Project Sinage

Adventurer's Project is starting to need some event signage.  My idea is that we'll need 4 pieces of ply, 2x4's and some hinges (I don't know what width yet) to make something like 2 A-frame signs.  Now what my idea goes on to say is that our most common message will be painted on them.  As for anything else, the signs could be the same dimensions as a twin size mattress.  And that somehow we could use a fitted sheet with a screen printed image for other messages?

Yeti Cooler, Part 2

By present rates, my 134 quart Yeti cooler consumes ice at about $2 per day.

Yeti Cooler

I believe that my Yeti cooler has a 134 quart capacity. It takes 110lbs of ice to fill it (5 large bags). In SE Ohio in the month of August, at full capacity, the ice melted at a rate of 10lbs a day. The cooler is stored in my motorhome. The air conditioning is on for 10 to 16 hours a day. 

There's a package of pork in there now. As of yesterday, it has yet to change color.

Reorganizing GPS Data, Trail Conditions, DR Mower

It just took hours to re-organize my GPS data.  The directory for Adventurer's Project is getting bigger.  I just mapped out the known bad roads that could access the Buckeye Trail (North Country concurrent) in the Marietta Unit of The Wayne (National Forest).  I know where some of the fords are and I know what roads not to take with an RV.

At present, there are still 13 known obstructions, or trees down on the trail.  There are at least 8 areas that still need weed whacking, but most of them are brief.  They look like they were places in the middle of a segment where residential weed whackers gave out and quit for the day.  Some of it looks like somebody might have just ran them right over the centerline of the trail without swinging to get the 4ft width. 

Benching is another story.  The work crews tell me that it's probably not worth getting a DR Mower for this area.  But in working with Road Fork Section's (volunteer) supervisor, I weed whacked everything he said the DR couldn't access and in my opinion, a lot of those areas just need short stretches to be benched wider (leveling the roll of a hill side).

Playing the numbers and project plan

The point at which Adventurer's Project starts procuring new volunteers is the point where I can make an estimate regarding how long it will take to make the Road Fork and Whipple Sections have more sustainable maintenance crews.  At the moment, I don't have any answers. But I do think it's getting to be time that I revise Adventurer's Project's overall plan, but I don't see that happening for over a month.