Water Data Continued for ADT - Nevada

The re-organization of the water GIS data for the American Discovery Trail - Nevada continues.  There are dozens of intermittent, or perennial ponds, particularly in the area of Lahontan Lake on Segment 5 of that state's turn-by-turn guide.  I was able to determine their intermittence using the symbols as stated by my USGS Topo overlay in Google Earth.  Those ponds and lakes must be eliminated in order for thru adventurer's to, perhaps, rely on the data for water resupply.  You might say that this project is like bringing water to the desert, but it's more like finding it.

For those of you who don't know, there several methods for purifying water down trail  The first is boiling.  The second is with using water purification tablets, or drops.  But for some of the information that I'm gathering, it maybe necessary to use a portable device to filter the water due to sediment and micro organisms which may be present in the water source?

I own a Katadyn Hiker Pro which is rated to filter 99.9% of protozoa cysts from a natural water source.  At one point, Katadyn had a video of somebody filtering from a stagnant pond.  There's a "rock, paper, scissors" to what I do.  And being down trail is better than a desk.  Sitting here in Ohio, I highly doubt that I'll be in Nevada anytime soon.

The idea to what I'm doing is to see to that ADT - Utah and Nevada can support multi-day hiking at roughly 10 miles per day.  And that support entails water.  It's resupply is a more intensive need.  At some point, I'll have to go back through Utah and Nevada's water data and eliminate places that are on private property. 

But I'm running out of time.  Utah's state coordinator needs this data is whatever shape it's in two days.  Then I have to affect a repair on my car on the third and resume Adventurer's Project's normal operation afterwards.

Hydrography Download for ADT - Nevada and Re-Organization of Data

I already have the National Hydrography Dataset (concerning streams, brooks, creeks, runs, rivers, ponds, lakes and oceans) for the American Discovery Trail - Utah.  But, it's been hell in a hand basket getting it for ADT - Nevada.  But I found it.  On https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/usgs-national-hydrography-dataset-nhd-downloadable-data-collection-national-geospatial-data-as, click once on the FTP "Download" option. 

Now, I'm an IBM based computing expert and it didn't dawn on me until late that the next page was to an open File Transfer Protocol server.  When I figured it out, I copied the address in the web browser, then I switched to Windows Explorer and pasted the location in it's address field.  I use shapefiles and it seems that USGS has the National Hydrographic Dataset for Nevada in a ZIP file.  Its somewhere in the ballpark of an 800MB download.  My connection is slow for the time being, so it's looking like it's going to take over 2 hours?

I just sifted through my ADT data on Google Earth Pro today.  I seems that I moved the campsite/ campground files?  When the BTA GIS/ GPS Repository was still online, the tracks were downloadabale for free.  That means that I had to split my BT data between items that could be found with that information verses things that could only be found in the map & guides that one has to purchase.  ADT never had this information.  My tracks are based on its copyrighted and proprietary turn-by-turn guides which never had this circumstance.  Therefore, all information that's generated and based on them are closed (not open to the general public).  And that's what I was compensating for. I was moving it's campsite/ campground data from the "open" folder to the "closed." 

Log Titles, 1,000th Entry and USGS Hydrography

Some of my log entry titles are written with a generic title and their date.  They make up over 50% of my total entries. I had a task written to rename them all, but it would require shutting off the service that notifies Facebook when I post one.  Since all those logs have to be updated, it's probably going to drive my Facebook profile wild when I do them.

I'm not comfortable doing it yet.  And it's going to require a considerable amount of time.  At the moment, the full speed of my mobile hotspots are either nearing, or exceeding their limits.  That means that Verizon Wireless has downgraded my download speeds.  I wanted to start working on the hydrography (streams, creeks, runs and rivers) for the American Discovery Trail - Utah and Nevada.  But it's creeping by at just over dial-up Internet speeds.  But I think I remember that these downloads from the United States Geological Survey are slow anyways?

And as an amendment to the previous entry, this is the 1,000th log for Treeman's Adventures & Volunteerism.  According to the stats, it's has 23,186 pageviews at point.

Change Spark Plugs and Fuel Leak

I changed the spark plugs to see if that was my problem with my 2008 Chevy HHR LS starting hard.  What I can say is that the Seafoam that I put in the oil a while back really did the trick with plugging the break in the oil manifold gasket.  The spark plugs were changed at the mileage on the odometer as pictured.

But I found the real problem... the Chevy sprang a leak in the driver's side gas line in front of the right rear wheel.  Looks like I'll have to take care of that problem tomorrow?

Tailgate Release

I tried to wire the new harness and attach it to my 2008 Chevy HHR LS's electric tailgate release today, but it didn't work. I discovered that its 20amp fuse was in the wrong spot, but putting it in the right one didn't change anything. The next step is to change the its relay in Slot #18. But I took it out and didn't hear any rattling.

Motorhome Turned Over and Car Levels

After more than a week, the motorhome turned on and the engine is sounding like it should.

And I took my 2008 Chevy HHR LS for about a 40 mile drive in Far SE Ohio and the computer has yet to display another diagnostic code. Now that it's off, the battery is reading 12.2V when it's off and 14.8V when on.  Both are in the normal range. I'm starting to suspect that the spark plugs are fouled?

The oil level looks good. But it might need a little Dexcool in the radiator reservoir. The brake fluid looks fine. And the milage on the odometer is 204,448 miles.

Chevy HHR Code and Right Rear Drum

My 2008 Chevy HHR LS was giving me a diagnostic code stating that there was something wrong with one of the environmental system.  It said that it had a slight leak.  I believe that I found it as the clamp on the hose from the air filter manifold to the engine block was loose.  I tightened the clamp and reset the codes.  I have a Bluetooth code reader that uses the "Torque" app on my Android based smartphone.  I'll just have to see if it comes back on again and go through the troubleshooting steps if it does.  When my app gives me a code, it comes up with recommended places to troubleshoot and web links.

Here at camp, there's been some funny "gasoline like smells" every time the wind blue.  And there might be something going on with one of the gas lines near the right rear side of the car.  But since I tightened up that clamp, there's only been a slight hint in the wind which leads me to believe that somebody either has gasoline uncovered somewhere, or somebody else is leaking, or spilling?

The rear right brake drum has been making a lot of noise.  It sounds like metal against metal.  But my foot position on the brake pedal seems to be too good for that and I believe that it has contaminates in it.  I'm hoping that I can just spray some brake cleaner inside there and call it a day?

Changing the Motorhome's 110V/ 120V Receptacles

I was going to call it a day, but I got the nerve to replace another electrical outlet.  I replaced the one in the main bed area to no avail.  But I found the one that is a junction.  I wanted 3 RV outlets, but Stoney's RV in Cambridge of Guersney County only had one in stock.  So, I tried to replace the one at the junction from the one that I took out of the main bed area and that didn't work.

I have a catalog from Stoney's and I think I'll have to place an order for two RV type 110V/ 120V electrical outlets and one standard household one for the outside.  My motorhome is 30 years old and it's just time for them to be replaced.  I'm running my mini fridge on a high quality extension cord that I'm running out of the motorhome's driver's side vent window and into the 120V receptacle on the power box outside.

The motorhome's walls are too thin for electrical boxes like you'd see behind a typical house's 110V/ 120V power outlets.  RV electric receptacles have this back plate that snaps on the main body.  The wires go into slots. The wires and the slots are tough, so I learned today how to use a "C" clamp  to make the two pieces snap together.

And in case you were wondering... I shut off the power before I started working on these.

In the future, I'd really like the converter to supply power to the auxiliary batteries.  When I get that fixed, I can install a switch in the cab that would toggle between it's batteries and the auxiliaries.  If I can do that, then my stereo, which has a remote control could be used from the chassis.  It has a Bluetooth and auxiliary input jack, so I could connect the laptop, smartphone and tablet sound to it.  I could also power the CB with the weather band radio to it without having to worry about draining the cab's batteries.

New Roof Bars

I have new universal roof bars on order an they should arrive here on the 17th.

Almost: Off-line Verizon Coverage Map

I almost found an off-line method of knowing whether one is in Verizon Wireless signal on the Buckeye Trail.  I've been working with the "Verizon Cell and Data Coverage" layer on ArcGIS Earth.  Then I got the idea that maybe there was a mobile edition and there was (Explorer for ArcGIS).  I downloaded it on Android from the Google play store.

I had the sneaking suspicion that the same layer is available there and it was.  Sometime after that, I shut off the "Mobile Data" on my tablet, restarted the program and the cell signal data wasn't available.  I then tried to to find a way to download it for off-line use, but it seems that ArcGIS made that impossible?

Oh well.  It would have been a very valuable tool for smartphone carrying hikers.  But, I salvaged that session by plotting waypoints along the various highways and county roads that we have here in our sizable cellular signal gap (aka "The Gap").  I'll know now where the signal begins and ends, as well as a number of places that are off highway that are near by.  I plan on using it if I ever get out to check on those flood levels I mentioned in the previous log.

Adventurer's Project's New Web Host & Flood Conditions

The web host (the service with the hard disk space that stores a website) for Adventurer's Project was changed today.  I donated about $7 a month for paid service now.  As a result, I had to change some settings on the http://www.adventurersohwv.info domain name.  The Domain Name Server informed me that it would take 24 hours to fully resolve (link the domain name with the web hosting service).

Well, it's a hell of a day for that to happen because we're dealing flood conditions from a tropical storm now.  Hopefully, it will be resolved tomorrow afternoon because we might have the remnants of hurricane coming in to follow up this tropical storm.  And the website contains links to the various flood gauges along the Road Fork and Whipple Sections - Buckeye Trail (North Country concurrent).

We still have cellular data signal on Verizon Wireless in various places, particularly on the Duck Creek Corridor where the gauge in Macksburg of Washington County is starting to reach minor flood stage.

If the remnants of this next hurricane come to our area, my car might be in condition by then to watch these places flood?  If I can see them doing this, I might be able to form a basis of comparison to the reported level at that sites versus nearest flood gauge?  And I might be able to come up with some concrete answers as to what floods where?  It's something that I've been meaning to do.

In the meantime, my location in Woodsfield of Monroe County is good.  We've had lots of rain, but for the most part, it's too high to flood.  In fact, I don't think there's even so much as a dry stream in this village?

Change of Contact Information Complete

My change of address, email and phone number is complete.  It took two evenings had to be done with 42 different entities.

Today's Errands 09/04/2018

A couple days ago, I signed up for a membership at Midtown Fitness in Woodsfield of Monroe County.  Today, I canceled my membership at the YMCA in Marietta of Washington County.  While I was in the area, I purchased a used microwave on the Facebook Marketplace for $10.

I got some cleaning supplies and a case/ Bluetooth keyboard for my tablet.  Since the Verizon Wireless, mobile hotspot that I'm using to send an Wi-Fi Internet signal has a 15GB limit, I'm planning on using the tablet now for Internet communications and entrainment like Pandora, or YouTube.  If the data is used on my the tablet or smartphone only, then those have unlimited data.

My front overhead cabinets were screwed into the ceiling.  But as I was driving my motorhome to this area, I heard what sounded like "broken glass."  The windows are still in fine shape, but the top screws to this overhead cabinet stripped out of the ceiling.  I got two pieces of 1/4in wooden molding strips.  And I'm going to Gorilla glue them into place.  I'll then screw those away from the stripped out holes, then rock the cabinet back and screw them into the strip.

While I was at the home improvement store, I purchased six bags of gravel to help level the motorhome's right side in my oil and gas campsite.  About a week ago, I got my Rhino ramps out of storage and was going to use those to level the right rear duallies, but the gravel under the wheels isn't very good.  I have leveling blocks back there now, but one on one tire.  I didn't have enough blocks to level both on the right side duallies and the front tire.  And with the air conditioning having been run for two months, all the water goes off to that side and has made it muddy at times.  I felt that parking those wheels on bags of gravel was the best solution since that side of the motorhome needs to come up by a lot.

I was ahead of schedule today and was about to go out to eat when I realized that I could make the post office in Woodsfield of Monroe County in time to open a new PO Box.  I zipped across the backcountry and got there in more than enough time.  Because I've been through two of these in the recent past, I filled out two change of address forms.  And for Adventurer's Project, I found out that this post office does in deed have a community cork board and I made a record of it.  Before, I eliminated this location because I thought that it doesn't have one?  The post office in Woodsfield is a general delivery location, but it's way off of the Road Fork Section - Buckeye Trail (North Country concurrent).

Now that I have a local PO Box, I can now order two new RV electrical outlets.  These have special plastic backplates that fasten on to it.  My guess is so something in the wall doesn't touch the wires in the backside and catch the motorhome on fire?  Either that, or these don't need mounting plates, which could require more depth than a RV wall can accommodate?

Also, I need a new box of 20lb paper.  The office supply stores around here are distant, like an hour in every direction.  Out here, I'd rather make an Internet order and have it shipped.  After I was at the post office, I had dinner at a nearby restaurant called "Traditions."  It's an Ohio State Buckeyes themed restaurant.  Then I went to the gym and got all my seating and equipment positions recorded in my workout spreadsheet on my smartphone.  In recent years, I've worked on on weight machines, so getting the correct postures and proper range of motion is very essential to them working right.

Motorhome Air Conditioner

I'm unsure what the temperature was inside the motorhome today.  But I'm in a gravel pit, oil & gas campsite in Far SE Ohio.  There aren't any trees around it, so it's constantly exposed to the sun.  The outdoor temperature today was about 91°F and the UV index was very high at 8 out of 11+.  Under these conditions, the air conditioner wasn't really keeping up.  I applied antiperspirant and still my arm pits were sweating.  When the outdoor temperature dropped to 88°F, the motorhome became more comfortable.

Trail Promotion Flier Routes

Adventurer's Project's trail promotion flier strategy consists of three loops, three areas and six routes covering about 13 of it's 14 counties.  The remaining county is where only 3/4ths of one township is closer to the Whipple Section, which is covered by the project.  For the most part, it's been seeded to Little Cities of the Forest Chapter of the Buckeye Trail Association.

The bad news is that I went through the post office lobby and library hours and determined a "least common denominator" as far as what days they're not open.  Until things change (like if these least common denominator locations is eliminated due to lack of flier support), two of those routes can only be executed on Monday's only.

Laptop Hard Disk Space

I wanted to resume work on my trail promotion routes for Adventurer's Project, but I noticed that my hard disk drive was almost full.  So, I got a pie chart and there was 500GB of back-up files on there.  Apparently, some must have made their way over from The Robot, or my back-up location.  I deleted them and I hope that the laptop's on-board software aren't installing them there?

Digital Mapping

One things that Adventurer's Project does is supports the Buckeye Trail Association.  The chapters are requested to take on the mission of the BTA with providing outdoor recreation, education and access to the varied natural resources according to http://www.buckeyetrail.org/chapters.php.

I interpret that as the chapters could appoint a digital cartographer to be a liaison to the Digital Mapping Subcommittee. In our efforts, I would appoint myself at the moment.  Our digital cartography is already pretty far along.

One of the things that I'm working on is getting waypoints for everything mentioned in the Road Fork Section - Buckeye Trail (North Country concurrent) map & guides.  When they were published in those paper documents, their distances mentioned were measured by a surveyor's wheel. As I understand, there's no digital equivalent for their positions yet.  Whipple's are already done.

I used Google Earth Pro's internet search and satellite imagery to plot as many places as I could find from the desk.  Then I made a list of the ones that I didn't find so that later, I could go down trail and waypoint them in person with a dedicated GPS.

Adventurer's Project's Facebook Page

The Facebook pages for the Buckeye, North Country and American Discovery Trails are set up to appear on 4th, 11th and 18th of every month on Adventurer's Project's Facebook page.

USB Keyboard, Mobile Hotspot, Motorhome Needs, Weed Whacker Retrofit, Maintenance Day at the Ring Mill

I found the USB fob for my wireless keyboard and touchpad.  Normally, I wrap cling wrap around it and use this for automotive reasons when my hands get dirty.  But if all goes right, this should work with my tablet when I get a tether cable for it?  I'm really glad that I found it.  This should save some money?  I can't order that until I get my PO box changed to my local post office.  Tomorrow being Sunday, Monday is Labor Day, so, changing it will have to wait until Tuesday.

A few days ago, I got a warning that my 15GB allotment for mobile hotspot (using my cellular devices for an Internet connection to my laptop) was down to 10% and wont recycle for another 5 days from now.  I figured that I could stop listening to YouTube videos on my laptop when I'm doing computer work.  Instead, I can listen to them and do most of my communications on the tablet, which has an unlimited connection.

I don't have a coffee shop anywhere within 30 miles of where I live.  And I needed to do some GPS mapping work on Google Earth, which needs an Internet connection to be fully functional.  So, I went to my local McDonald's, but there's something odd on their server that was kicking out an erroneous certificate.  Turns out that I just had to use that 10% of hotspot that I had left.

I might as well spend Tuesday in the Marietta area.  I need about 3 bags of gravel to help stabilize my motorhome here in my oil & gas campsite.  The ground underneath it needs gravel and has sunk my rear wheels stabilizing blocks into the mud.  I have two of my automotive ramps here, but the mud is just going to sink those, too.  It would take a heavy steel plate under those, which could be pricey?  The right side needs to come up a lot.  So, I'm just going to run the right side duallies right up on the bags and see what that does?

My back problems are muscle related.  And my doctors have been wanting me to strengthen it with a back machine at a gym for years.  Considering how maintenance has gone so far, I'm going to take them up on it.  Since I'm pretty much settled in Woodsfield, I joined the local Midtown Gym, which is in walking distance from where I live, but so is any place in Woodsfield :-)).

I retrofitted my personally owned professional weed whacker.  Many weed whackers on the Buckeye
Trail are property of the BTA, so I make sure that I state this clearly so some people don't get any funny ideas.  It has bicycle handles on it for greater swinging ability.  But I added a residential handle to it to improve my stability when walking down trail steeply.  I believe that my other hand could be used for stability because there's some places where the Whipple and Road Fork Section's off-road could get treacherous for someone carrying a weed whacker?

I purchased a new outlet for the motorhome's bedroom.  I wanted to replace the one next to the sink, but the RV store didn't have another one in stock.  But I might get lucky like I did the last time where if I replace one, the other two will come on.

At the hardware store, I purchased 28 snap fasteners for the overhead bunk curtains that I'm making out of the surplus felt, which I used to make my trail promotion backdrop.  I really need 48 for this project, but I'll have to make due for now.  Two of the overhead bunk windows are oddly shaped.
The remaining two are at an angle.  My walls were replaced with pitted hard plastic, so stick on Velcro is out of consideration.   The male end of the snap fasteners will screw in.

The maintenance event at the Ring Mill failed as nobody showed up.  But if there's lessons to be learned, one might be to get in contact with the land owner on the north east side of OH-26 and Jericho Low Gap Road (I believe that it's in Benton Township of Monroe County).  The weeds were so tall on that corner that it was blocking Jericho Low Gap's sign.  Many people in Monroe County are unfamiliar with where the trail is in it's south.


There's a ford on Jericho Low Gap that could get too flooded for cars with a lower suspension.  Honestly, having the event at the Lamping Homestead Recreation Area would have been better had the highway between there and OH-26 not been shut down for so long.  There just wasn't a good alternate way for most people from most of Monroe County to get there and Lamping just wasn't an option.  But for a hike, it is now.