Log 2014080901

I finally made it into Basecamp C at Burr Oak State Park and got to sleep in the front seat of my car at about 0530hrs this morning.  Burr Oak doesn't have any sites where campers can arrive after hours, set up and camp for as long as they need.  Instead, they publish a list of vacant campsites and the user has to fill out their camper registration and, well... pray that nobody else is scheduled through that time.

I did that.  And 0830hrs this morning, I got a knock on my window from one of the park staff, telling me that I had to move.  She's so lucky that I awoke then as I was 5hrs from my required 8hrs of sleep.  I was in somewhat of a daze when I had to get up and couple the trailer.  I'd say it was barely in the relm of being a safe thing to do.

She told me to move about 4 sites over and I did.  But when I left, I remembered that she did not tag my new site.  So, I tried to contact the campground, but the only phone number that i have is for a collective of 3 state parks.  It was automated and I left a message.  So far, it's been about a few hours since I did that and nobody there has returned my call.  Burr Oak's west campground is popular and I know that there is a staff member there.

Today, I got some much needed shopping done.  I purchased some knobby tires because the I don't trust the chubby's on some of the backcountry dirt roads that I believe I'm going to put them on.  I want more traction to deal with thick, loose, pasty dirt with flood channels chiseled through them and small boulders embedded in the surface.

Days ago, I found that in the electric camps, I'll want to use the USB powered hub, which is located on the stem of the laptop mount in the front passenger's side of the car.  So far, I have a conventional 7ft indoor extention cord and an DC to AC converter.  But I forgot to get a universal AC adaptor for it.

- pouch for the external bike/ smartphone battery was procured.  When I use the USB generator, it only makes power when I pedal.  And the smartphone is so power intensive, that the best thing that I can do these days is slowly drain it, instead of keeping the power level the same, or charging more than I need.

Log 2013091301

Some how, I transposed the date of the BTA Informational Booth with Liz D from Saturday the 7th to Friday the 13th.  I alerted the staff at the elementary school, got stopped by a Sheriff's Deputy (because of it) and I'm disoriented trying to figure out how I made this error. 
Well I know now.  On the 6th, I finished up my last 32mi on the NCT - NW Ohio Independant.  It spilled very late into the morning on the 7th.  So, I probably went to bed having dismissed the the event alarm the day before, or it went off in my sleep.  
So I spent the rest of the morning shopping at Walmart and the auto parts store.  I got a new rachet set, so I can remove the old one out of my tool bin and into the spare tire compartment incase the car breaks without the trailer.  Then I purchased two small tool boxes to prop and relieve my tool basket in the tool bin.  I also purchased one torque wrench for a possible belt replcement and a 18 1/2" breaker bar.
A new propane two burner range was picked up today along with a 2 year extended warranty.  The warranty was registered with Wal-Mart's service on-line today.
Pictured here is the condition of my passenger's side rear brake shoes and hardware.  What is not pictured is the caliper, which is its boots are chewed up and the piston is warped and the unit is spitting brake fluid inside the drum.  Overall, I'd say that their condition is "destroyed."  The replacement drum cylinder (containing the caliper) is scheduled to arrive at 7pm tonight in Napoleon of Henry County.  I won't be there to pick it up until tomorrow.
The tail gate had some problems releasing today.  So, I performed some diagnostics.  It indeed has a 20 amp fuse along with its relay and both are in perfect working order.  But the latch itself is weak.  Sometimes I have to activate the electronic hand popper three times to get it to release.