Log 2014110201

These days, I moved back to my hometown of Painesville of Lake County for the time being.  I asked about sharp declines and inclines in the immediate vicinity of streams to members of the Buckeye Trail Association's (BTA) Facebook page for the Scioto Trail, Sinking Spring and Shawnee Sections of the Buckeye Trail (BT) [North Country (NCT) & American Discovery Trails (ADT) concurrent].  The inquiry was in regards to snowshoeing.  And the information that I got back was that this effect was not isolated to the Whipple Section, but I've determined that it may not be safe to hike when there's snow, or ice on the ground.  Therefore, hiking in January and half of February might be out of the question with out re-routing on to the road.  I could move my end point, which is currently in the Village of Mount Orab of Brown County at the West Union Section, Pt. 32 to Shawnee Section, Pt. 23 of the current map, I could possibly eliminate that section in the winter because it's almost all on-road.

Tentatively, I'm planning to hike between Scioto Trail Section, Pt. 21 to Sinking Springs Section, Pt. 23 in early December.  This is because the Village of Waverly in Pike County is near ST 21 and Village of Peebles in Adams County is at SS 23 are both linked by the regional Greyhound affiliate "GoBus.'  Pike County has a local rural transit agency offering shared/ dial-a-ride/ curb-to-curb type services who cater to the general public.  The GoBus stop is actually in the nearby Village of Piketon in the same county.

Since the BT's is a 1,426mi circle within the four corners of Ohio, the BTA Store sells pocket size map and guide combos on one document.  The trail can be hiked in both directions and there is mileages for both, but it only fits the guide in the clockwise (CW) direction.  Even with a GPS, I personally prefer to hike CW when ever I can.  Because the BT's maps are digital and look great these days, but in navigating odd intersections off-road, or having to turn on to something unsigned on the on-road can be little harder when reading the CW directions, then reversing the mileages mentioned (for instance) while heading counter clockwise (CCW).  So, I see myself starting this trip from ST 21 on foot, hiking.  It's a 73 mile trip that should take roughly 5 days to complete.

But at the moment, I'm staying in a 15' x 20' room.  Space is in short supply here, so I acquired some of the hardware to lift my queen size box spring and mattress.  I'll be using 4x4's to lift it about 3 to 4' off of the floor.  Then the framing will be built out of 2x6's and 2x4's all the way around.  It will be bolted, but I'm not sure with what yet.  And I'm not sure how much support the underside of the bed frame will need to support everything without having to rely on another support going to the floor.  And two sets of rails will be installed along the bottom and mid way to the bed frame underside.  But the left side of the structure can not have a mid brace due to the fact that the underside of the bed will be used for storage and it needs unobstructed access.

When I had my last apartment, I'm a single guy, so I had two smaller marker boards mounted in the vertical position, and a larger unit next to them in the horizontal.  Today, I purchased the same type of boards from Wal-Mart in Chardon of Geauga County.  They'll be installed just like before with double sided adhesive tape. I got them today, because I needed the big one to draw out the plan for my new bed frame.  Otherwise, they'll be used for my projects, such as the Ohio Transit Hiker's Resource (OTHR).

Right now, I'm waiting to receive a 'L" shaped desk.  I inherited it from a relative, but right now, it's in his condo.  It's going on the market soon, so they need to use it for photos.  In the meantime, I have a plastic table that I'm using as a temporary desk.  The laptop is on what I like to call the "wheelie desk," which is a raised platform on wheels just large enough for it with a small amount of space on the side.  So, I can still work on a project, but the setup in one corner of my new room hasn't been finalized yet.

Log 2014062801

I did my very best and I hope that this works for others. I just took off the rear interior shielding on my 2008 Chevy HHR LS. The picks shown are of the tailgate release. My screwdriver is on the manual release.

My smartphone was having trouble with the light levels in making these photos. The manual release is a metal piece with an eyelet that is mounted on the driver's side of the tailgate release mechanism. It pushes toward the rear of the car to release the tailgate and is spring loaded. The side of the eyelet has a place, a cut out specifically designed for a flathead screwdriver that when it makes contact, you can push the screwdriver against it and it should pop the gate.

I took the crash shielding off today because I was unable to find it myself with the owner's manual, Haynes, or by help of any Internet forum. Speaking strictly in theory, the eyelet should be barely large enough to get a very small key chain ring on it. I plan on boaring another eyelet to the back of the tailgate release plate. Route some paracord from on eyelet, then through and around the new one so the tailgate releases on a pull string.

My tailgate release seems weak. In warmer weather, it takes about 3 consecutive pushes if the button to pop. In the winter, sometimes it won't come up at all.  It also has problems when I'm carring a heavy load in the back.

Log 2013092801

I find myself wanting to post to Facebook lately.  And I'll turn the app on, start writing and then cancel the post and do this all day long.
I finished my tune up on the 2008 Chevy HHR, but I wasn't able to get the driver's side front wheel barring off.  I'll either need to get some air tools on those bolts, or get the chevy's front end high enough to get my breaker bar on it.  Either way, I don't have the tools here to do that.  The passenger's side rear brake still need bled and the rear drums possibly need to be aligned.
I have doctors appointments on the 5th and one scheduled for the 30th, but I'm going to try to reschedule it.  It's a conult and the VA makes those for me and sends a letter to my legal residence. And I'm there infrequently.