I drove my car down to the Cuyahoga National Forest today to acquire a free map at Happy Days Camp. On my way back, I stopped at a local gas station and just before I got out of the car, the emergency sound played on my smartphone Weatherbug Elite app, alerting me that I was in an area declared to be in a tornado warning. The gas station clerks quickly shut down the station and reluctantly, I had to drive another 3 miles in to the nearby City of Hudson. I stopped at a local McDonald's to prepare to take shelter.
The point that I want to make is that I was rather impressed with the way that app worked under the circumstances. My AM/FM head unit wasn't on at the time. Also, I got emergency text alerts from Verizon Wireless as well. Weatherbug played the emergency weather sound again when the app changed over to another county. That's something that the text alerts didn't do, but they probably work on a much wider area, whereas, the app goes from the nearest weather station to the next one based on my GPS position.
They are probably more frequent, but I'm not sure if that makes the text alerts inferior? Right now, I'm going to reserve judgment on that. Weatherbug is inferior to the text in the way that I won't get its updates if I don't have any data signal. But the texts will come in if I have so much as one unstable bar of roaming. As for today, it's good to see this get a test. It wasn't even on my list of things to experiment with and I'm glad it happened.
My back sprain continues to become more minor
Showing posts with label verizon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label verizon. Show all posts
2014/05/12
2014/05/04
Log 2014050401
My data usage with Verizon Wireless reset this morning.
Pictured here is one bolt and nuts that was snapped off one of the stabilizer bar link mounts. With the 17mm damaged nut socket freed of the previous bolt and nut, I just snapped this one off like I did the last.
The passenger's side strut/ shock mount installation was completed yesterday. Everything went back together as it should. The new headlamp harness was hard wired in and it works. But I noticed when working with the new eagle eye, that there was more damage to the outer hull than I previously estimated. It looks like it will need an eye socket replacement. The good news is that it's still a part of the outer hull. And there isn't any damage to the HHR's inner hull, or frame.
2014/05/03
2014/05/02
Log 2014050201
The last week has been eventful. I torqued off a bolt on the passenger's side stabilizer bar link with a 18mm wrench, breaker bar and 17mm damaged nut socket. When I did the first one, I snapped the bolt and nut flesh against the stabilizer bar mount. When that happened, the socket cut into the corroded nut and ceased inside, making its removal seem impossible. Even a long screw driver and hammer wouldn't get it out.
So, I took to drilling it and smoked the bit. That barely took 1mm off the surface of it. For the next one, I resorted to using the sawzall. But either my speed was too high, or the blades I was using just weren't meant to cut through metal that dense?
Well, I bought a tool from Sears in Mentor of Lake County that popped that nut and bolt right out of the damaged nut socket. So if it keeps this up, I'll just twist and snap those other three bolts. That's fine with me.
This is how I see the rest of this suspension upgrade and light harness replacement going... The light harness is going to crimp on after I cut the old one out. The new eagle eye will bolt in, I know where one of them is at and have to find the other. Tomorrow, I'll torque off the second bolt for the passenger's side stabilizer bar link. Once that's out of the way, the new link can go on and the passenger's side strut
The headphones that I got stock with my Samsung Note 3 smartphone started shocking me in the ear canal one day. So, I purchased a new pair of Sony Stereo Headset DR-EX12iP for about $28 from Walmart in Mentor of Lake County today. And I really like the way they sound. I put down more money than usual on earphones because sometimes you can buy some that sound like your state of the art smartphone MP3 is an AM radio. Anyways, I needed mine to have a built in microphone for when I make, or receive calls. But Sony's built in volume control doesn't work with my Android device.
Yesterday, I dropped my Note 3 in a toilet full of feces while I was out shopping. When I pulled it out, the back light came on and it seemed that it still worked. So, I took it apart and washed it down with soap and small amounts of water. Put it back together and purchased some 91% isopropyl alcohol. Where I got back to the place that I'm house sitting, took it back apart and rubbed it down with Q-Tips. Then I put it all back together and realized that it didn't work anymore.
A couple hours later, I called Verizon asking what my options where and the operator put me through to my insurance provider, Asurion. I can't say for sure, but I've probably had insurance on my smartphones ever since 2009. And Asurion has never been a bad company to deal with. But this time they impressed me. I order a lot of things on line and 5 - 7 days with shipping is fine with me. But for my $99 deductible that I had to pay, they overnighted my replacement Note 3 to my doorstep, which I thought was very fast. It exceeded my expectations. The damaged phone will leave Lake County tomorrow via USPS.
I spend much of today programming the new Note 3 so that the apps and screens looked something like it's predecessor.
The bicycle now has a USB 3.0 cable attached to the generator. I tested it for about a mile today and the warning that usually comes up when I plug a USB 2.0 cable into it stating that it's charging slowly no longer comes up.
In the past few days, I submitted KML data to the Buckeye Trail's Facebook Group Files on parking areas along The Emerald Necklace (Cleveland), Ohio & Erie Canal and Ohio to Erie Trails.
So, I took to drilling it and smoked the bit. That barely took 1mm off the surface of it. For the next one, I resorted to using the sawzall. But either my speed was too high, or the blades I was using just weren't meant to cut through metal that dense?
Well, I bought a tool from Sears in Mentor of Lake County that popped that nut and bolt right out of the damaged nut socket. So if it keeps this up, I'll just twist and snap those other three bolts. That's fine with me.
This is how I see the rest of this suspension upgrade and light harness replacement going... The light harness is going to crimp on after I cut the old one out. The new eagle eye will bolt in, I know where one of them is at and have to find the other. Tomorrow, I'll torque off the second bolt for the passenger's side stabilizer bar link. Once that's out of the way, the new link can go on and the passenger's side strut
The headphones that I got stock with my Samsung Note 3 smartphone started shocking me in the ear canal one day. So, I purchased a new pair of Sony Stereo Headset DR-EX12iP for about $28 from Walmart in Mentor of Lake County today. And I really like the way they sound. I put down more money than usual on earphones because sometimes you can buy some that sound like your state of the art smartphone MP3 is an AM radio. Anyways, I needed mine to have a built in microphone for when I make, or receive calls. But Sony's built in volume control doesn't work with my Android device.
Yesterday, I dropped my Note 3 in a toilet full of feces while I was out shopping. When I pulled it out, the back light came on and it seemed that it still worked. So, I took it apart and washed it down with soap and small amounts of water. Put it back together and purchased some 91% isopropyl alcohol. Where I got back to the place that I'm house sitting, took it back apart and rubbed it down with Q-Tips. Then I put it all back together and realized that it didn't work anymore.
A couple hours later, I called Verizon asking what my options where and the operator put me through to my insurance provider, Asurion. I can't say for sure, but I've probably had insurance on my smartphones ever since 2009. And Asurion has never been a bad company to deal with. But this time they impressed me. I order a lot of things on line and 5 - 7 days with shipping is fine with me. But for my $99 deductible that I had to pay, they overnighted my replacement Note 3 to my doorstep, which I thought was very fast. It exceeded my expectations. The damaged phone will leave Lake County tomorrow via USPS.
I spend much of today programming the new Note 3 so that the apps and screens looked something like it's predecessor.
The bicycle now has a USB 3.0 cable attached to the generator. I tested it for about a mile today and the warning that usually comes up when I plug a USB 2.0 cable into it stating that it's charging slowly no longer comes up.
In the past few days, I submitted KML data to the Buckeye Trail's Facebook Group Files on parking areas along The Emerald Necklace (Cleveland), Ohio & Erie Canal and Ohio to Erie Trails.
2014/04/13
Log 2014041302
It's good to run tests and put things on a shakedown cruise. Just because the smartphone is new... that makes it an unknown. Here's another unknown... I have 6GB of data on it that I can download before I incur overage charges. When I lasted used a PCMCIA cellular expansion card in my previous laptop on Sprint, it took me downloading 29 seasons of television shows to rack up an $800 bill in a single month mostly overage charges.
Verizon doesn't have unlimited data packages, so that's why I pay for a additional 6GB package. And they have several lower ones, too. I chose 6 because I was guessing what the phone and laptop would need down trail. But since I wasn't paying attention last time, I really don't know how much it would take it get to, or exceed that 6? At the moment, I haven't even broken the 1GB mark yet, but judging by where I'm at now, I expect to do so at the end of this month...
But not 6. My cable Internet package here in the office is not measured in "gigabytes," or the total you can download, but in "gigabits," which is a measurement used to describe how wide the channel of information. And the amount of information one could download on those is usually unlimited. With the smartphone, that's not the case.
So a test needs to be done. I have a usage meter widget on my smartphone. And what I need to do is hotspot, or wirelessly connect my three other computers to my smartphone's Internet for about a week or so to see what it would take to get to get close to maxing out. And I'll do this at the end of the month and stop it about 0.3GB shy of the limit so the smartphone still has some of the package left to get by for a few days. Having this experience will allow me to know exactly what I can do it down trail when the hotspot becomes the primary Internet connection. And if I don't run an expirament like this, I could wind up in "hot water" simply by being ignorant.
2014/03/06
Log 2014030604
When the cell phone number porting from Sprint to Verizon took place today, my old Sprint service was canceled. I didn't know that until just now called Sprint with the intention of canceling it myself. I was able to log into my account online with them, but as their representative told me that Sprint is now prorating 25 days off of my April bill. Right now, it's at $87.14 in the positive, so, I'll probably get some of that back.
In the meantime, I ordered a Polar H7 Bluetooth heart rate monitor today from hrmusa on eBay for $58.77. When working out, there are three heart rates that depend on your age and height. They are your "target," "cardio" and "maximum." Target is good for optimal for burning fat, while "cardio" is good for building muscle. And lastly, maximum is something you shouldn't train at, or you risk damaging yourself.
The best hiker is almost always a lighter one. And I can stand to use some weight and body fat. Since I've been on the bike, it's apparent that I could use some muscle. Now, that I'm cleared to go to the gym and because of my height, I don't reach the heart rate telemetry straps on the treadmill handle with out bending over. Previously, I had a heart rate monitor which fed my readings to an electronic wrist watch. I've since lost that unit and now, it just makes more sense to interface the chest strap into my smartphone. At least this way, I can check my heart rate on my bike while my smartphone is mounted to the handlebar instead of having to take my left hand and arm away, which disturbs my balance and how I'm mounted to the bike.
Lastly, my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 smartphone's battery has been holding up quite well today. I don't think that it's been plugged in since noon and I was streaming Pandora internet radio to my Bluetooth headset while I was riding my bike to Dick's Sporting Goods and back.
In the meantime, I ordered a Polar H7 Bluetooth heart rate monitor today from hrmusa on eBay for $58.77. When working out, there are three heart rates that depend on your age and height. They are your "target," "cardio" and "maximum." Target is good for optimal for burning fat, while "cardio" is good for building muscle. And lastly, maximum is something you shouldn't train at, or you risk damaging yourself.
The best hiker is almost always a lighter one. And I can stand to use some weight and body fat. Since I've been on the bike, it's apparent that I could use some muscle. Now, that I'm cleared to go to the gym and because of my height, I don't reach the heart rate telemetry straps on the treadmill handle with out bending over. Previously, I had a heart rate monitor which fed my readings to an electronic wrist watch. I've since lost that unit and now, it just makes more sense to interface the chest strap into my smartphone. At least this way, I can check my heart rate on my bike while my smartphone is mounted to the handlebar instead of having to take my left hand and arm away, which disturbs my balance and how I'm mounted to the bike.
Lastly, my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 smartphone's battery has been holding up quite well today. I don't think that it's been plugged in since noon and I was streaming Pandora internet radio to my Bluetooth headset while I was riding my bike to Dick's Sporting Goods and back.
Log 2014030601
-The cell phone number from Sprint was successfully ported to Verizon at about noon today.
-If I don't sleep on my back, it will be sore when I awake. Which is like today and I stretched last night.
2014/03/05
Log 2014030503
Number portability has begun. My current Sprint cell phone number should carry over to my new Verizon Wireless service in the next 72 hours. The porting process was initiated at 2238hrs.
The second water bottle and cage was installed on my mountain bike today. It brings the grand total up to a water capacity of 2L on the bike and 1.5 in my water bladder on my back.
The new kickstand that I ordered wasn't long enough and wasn't worth mounting. I intend to exchange it soon for a larger unit.
2014/03/04
Log 2014030401
Orange reflector tape was installed on the two largest bars of my Nishki Colorado mountain bike. It will increase night time visability from the sides and 3, or more way intersections and diminish my chances of being t-boned at night.
A new smartphone mount with a goose neck and suction cup was purchased at Best Buy in Mentor of Lake County today and installed. It replaced a smaller smartphone holder, that didn't have grips to secure the smartphone in place. It's design was gravity based. And it's back plate didn't go high enough for the new Samsung Note 3's height. The new mount is now sufficient for my in office use.
-A new 1 liter water bottle and cage was installed on said mountain bike. A second cage is still on order and should arrive soon.
- A new rear basket was purchased from Wal-Mart in Mentor of Lake County and was installed on the back rack of said mountain bike. This will allow me to haul cargo on the bike such as groceries and supplies.
- Two new USB cables were purchased for the new said smartphone. They were intended for use in the garage where I'm currently housesitting and in my car. Well, I opened the box and found out that they were the same as the data cables for my previous cell phone. One of the boxes is now in the trash, so, I'm hoping that I that I can get my money back for the second one if I can find those other cables.
- A universal notebook charger was purchased today from Best Buy in Mentor of Lake County, but it was the wrong kind and it didn't fit my HP's power port. I hope to take it back for an exchange.
- My new 10" combat boots made by Bates came today from Dick's Sporting Goods. They'll be replacing my current boots of the same make and model. That's because part of the outer sole at the tips of my feet are starting to separate and their tread is very worn down.
- A new Otter box smartphone case was purchased from Best Buy in Mentor of Lake County. It's a rugged enclosure that protects my new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 smartphone. If the cost to get the phone at Verizon only cost me about $300 out the door and a newly activated 2 year plan, should I damage the unit in such a way that it's beyond my extended warranty, a replacement of said smartphone will cost about $750 out of pocket at its current retail price.
-The new smartphone was mounted to said mountain bike and it seems to work.
-Even a service with a superior coverage area like Verizon Wireless will loose data signal in the kind of places that I go. In the second installment of the next recreation trip, I'm counting on it. This is a 31 mile bike ride from Belpre of Washington County to Chesterhill of Morgan County on the American Discovery Trail in Ohio, while it's independent of the Buckeye Trail. My purpose will be to ride ADT's independent east arm before hiking the Buckeye Trail. This will take place on township and county roads in remote areas.
I anticipate that the smartphone's GPS won't be up to the job. Anyways, the field GPS is much more battery efficient than the smartphone. If I can run them both, using the field GPS for my odometer, navigation and the smartphone for my on-board music, it should extend the smartphone's battery life.
So, I installed a custom field GPS mount to the top bar of said mountain bike's frame with a buckle, mesh strap and four zip ties. The units belt clip mounts to one of the zip ties and the adjustable mesh strap. The other three zip ties are secured to the frame for stabilization.
A new smartphone mount with a goose neck and suction cup was purchased at Best Buy in Mentor of Lake County today and installed. It replaced a smaller smartphone holder, that didn't have grips to secure the smartphone in place. It's design was gravity based. And it's back plate didn't go high enough for the new Samsung Note 3's height. The new mount is now sufficient for my in office use.
-A new 1 liter water bottle and cage was installed on said mountain bike. A second cage is still on order and should arrive soon.
- A new rear basket was purchased from Wal-Mart in Mentor of Lake County and was installed on the back rack of said mountain bike. This will allow me to haul cargo on the bike such as groceries and supplies.
- Two new USB cables were purchased for the new said smartphone. They were intended for use in the garage where I'm currently housesitting and in my car. Well, I opened the box and found out that they were the same as the data cables for my previous cell phone. One of the boxes is now in the trash, so, I'm hoping that I that I can get my money back for the second one if I can find those other cables.
- A universal notebook charger was purchased today from Best Buy in Mentor of Lake County, but it was the wrong kind and it didn't fit my HP's power port. I hope to take it back for an exchange.
- My new 10" combat boots made by Bates came today from Dick's Sporting Goods. They'll be replacing my current boots of the same make and model. That's because part of the outer sole at the tips of my feet are starting to separate and their tread is very worn down.
- A new Otter box smartphone case was purchased from Best Buy in Mentor of Lake County. It's a rugged enclosure that protects my new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 smartphone. If the cost to get the phone at Verizon only cost me about $300 out the door and a newly activated 2 year plan, should I damage the unit in such a way that it's beyond my extended warranty, a replacement of said smartphone will cost about $750 out of pocket at its current retail price.
-The new smartphone was mounted to said mountain bike and it seems to work.
-Even a service with a superior coverage area like Verizon Wireless will loose data signal in the kind of places that I go. In the second installment of the next recreation trip, I'm counting on it. This is a 31 mile bike ride from Belpre of Washington County to Chesterhill of Morgan County on the American Discovery Trail in Ohio, while it's independent of the Buckeye Trail. My purpose will be to ride ADT's independent east arm before hiking the Buckeye Trail. This will take place on township and county roads in remote areas.
I anticipate that the smartphone's GPS won't be up to the job. Anyways, the field GPS is much more battery efficient than the smartphone. If I can run them both, using the field GPS for my odometer, navigation and the smartphone for my on-board music, it should extend the smartphone's battery life.
So, I installed a custom field GPS mount to the top bar of said mountain bike's frame with a buckle, mesh strap and four zip ties. The units belt clip mounts to one of the zip ties and the adjustable mesh strap. The other three zip ties are secured to the frame for stabilization.
2014/03/03
Log 2014030101
My slightly used truing stand came in today in like new condition from Yonkers, New York, USA Today via eBay and USPS. It arrived 2 days ahead of schedule.
Last night, I determined that due to the modern advancement of smartphone apps that I use, and that their updates are mandatory and consume an increasing amount of storage... couple that with the fact that I could not save some of those apps to external storage (which I have in abundance), I concluded that I can no longer trust my Samsung Galaxy S D-700 smartphone down trail this year.
So, today I purchased a new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with a lot more internal storage and a larger 7+ inch screen. I got it for about $300 out the door with a new 2 year contract with Verizon. My Sprint service is still connected while Verizon migrates my cell phone number from Sprint.
As far as coverage areas go, according to the map, I believe I won't go so much as one hiking day without at least having roaming signal. Couple that with the planned CDMA car cellular signal repeater that on my construction plans, I don't think that my base camps will ever be out of signal in Ohio.
2014/03/02
Log 2014030201
My Samsung D-700 which debuted on the retail market about 4 years ago just isn't going to work now considering what I need to do with it. The CPU and RAM memory is fine... it's the 512MB of internal storage that the stock and some aftermarket apps must install on that's bring it to 64MB shy of it's capacity. And that 64 is easily taken up by cached files and temporary data. It's a hardware limitation that I can do nothing about except get a new smartphone, which they have have superior memory capacities.
I'm looking at Verizon now. They want $128.00 a month for unlimited talk, text and 6GB of data, which includes hotspotting, and I'm really excited about that. With their coverage area and a CDMA repeater in the car, it will probably defeat every coverage gap in the state.
I'm looking at Verizon now. They want $128.00 a month for unlimited talk, text and 6GB of data, which includes hotspotting, and I'm really excited about that. With their coverage area and a CDMA repeater in the car, it will probably defeat every coverage gap in the state.
2014/01/07
Log 2014010601
I received a letter in the snail mail today from my cellular provider. And in it, they stated that they performed an account review and had noticed that I was exceeding my data roaming limit. Considering that I've been at home port in Painesville of Lake County for the last 67 days with regular voice service and 4G data and in that time, I only put about 1,000 miles on my 2008 Chevy HHR, I would have to conclude that they were in reference to my extended time while on hiking/ maintenance for the Buckeye Trail. And I could only imagine that this excessive data roaming was accrued while using Google Maps and my turn-by-turn navigation moving from one place to another and finding amenities. I tried to get in contact with their Roaming Compliance Department in their last operating hour today, but there was no response.
On my smartphone, there's five bars that indicate regular voice service. When the unit goes in to voice roaming, there's a little icon and the bars start over for that. As for 4G, I only get that signal in major markets, like the Cleveland area. The rest is 3G service. But when the unit goes into data roaming, there isn't an icon. You would have to roughly assume that the data roaming service area is similar to the voice roaming area. But I know for a fact that they are not exact. Sprint has online maps that detail these areas, but I would have to download an offline copy for what I do, but I don't believe that is available. If I had an offline copy, I could upload it to Google Earth on the laptop that I carry on these trips to reference and know when I need to get paper directions.
So, I'm starting to formulate alternatives. One is getting paper directions like I mentioned.
- Purchase a automotive GPS, which would work with satellites instead of cell phone towers and be more reliable in more places.
- Purchase and install a smaller a CDMA repeater in the car so my smartphone can get regular data services in more places.
- Change my cellphone carrier to Verizon if their services suit my needs in regards to data roaming.
But what I'm really hoping for is a special package that I can add on. What does a cross country trucker do?
So far today, the air temperature was -13°F at home port. At -7°F, my 2008 Chevy HHR had a difficult time starting. It rained yesterday and froze on what was already hard packed snow... So, the Chevy did not move at all today. And the already weak tailgate release would not power up when actuated.
This morning was the first in last 64 days that I didn't notice my back ache. And considering that I tried pushing the HHR into a place where it might get some traction today, I still don't notice it. Depending on how I sit, I can still feel, but barely.
My personal task list is dwindling down as I've completed a bunch of items. The biggest hurdle now is I need to get about 45 days worth of pressure canning done before I can sit down and work on the 2014 Edition of the Ohio Transit Hiker's Resource. That's January's main task. In February, I need to start getting The Cramper's materials ready for when the weather breaks in Southern Ohio.
The next recreational series will tentatively start in the City of Parkersburg, West Virginia. The plan is to bicycle to the Village of Chesterhill in Morgan County on the American Discovery Trail (ADT) in Southeast Ohio. It's about a 31 mile ride. At Chesterhill, the ADT will run concurrent with the Buckeye/ North Country Trail across the south. I have the BT/ NCT/ ADT already completed from the Village of Mount Orab in Brown County to Eden Park in the City of Cincinnati.
After the ride from Parkersburg to Chesterhill, I'll need to drive across the state to Cincinnati. The 6,800 mile ADT is kind of peculiar in that it's mostly a straight line... until it reaches Greater Cincinnati. That's when the trail splits into a loop. The south side goes to Saint Louis, Missouri and the north goes to Chicago, Ill. They rejoin near Denver, Colorado.
I'll have to find a parking spot for the car and use public transit. Before hand, I'll have to get a bike box from Amtrak (because there's are better) and use it to board the Greyhound to Richmond, Indiana. Richmond is on the Indiana/ Ohio State Line and I'd cycle south on ADT's north side, while managing to divert and pick up about 2.5 miles of the south side. And then, I'll turn around and clip through Northern Kentucky before reentering Ohio in Downtown Cincinnati, end at Eden Park and then pick up my car. That ride is about 45 miles long.
Within Ohio, cleaning up the ADT independant of the Buckeye Trail, I'll line myself up to hike about 350 miles from Chesterhill of Morgan County to Mount Orab of Brown County. When I finish at Mount Orab (which this location is tentative), I will have completed the Buckeye Trail and be eligible for the Circuit Hike Patch. Also, I'll be eligible for the North Country Trail's "Ohio" state patch. The ADT doesn't have a state patch, all I really want to say that I've completed every major trail in Ohio. And should I wish to hike, or bike across it, I'll be well on my way with having Ohio completed.
In other words, cleaning up a few minor ends will allow me to clean up and finish everything on one course while the three trails are running concurrent with each other on the same route. That's my "plan of attack."
On my smartphone, there's five bars that indicate regular voice service. When the unit goes in to voice roaming, there's a little icon and the bars start over for that. As for 4G, I only get that signal in major markets, like the Cleveland area. The rest is 3G service. But when the unit goes into data roaming, there isn't an icon. You would have to roughly assume that the data roaming service area is similar to the voice roaming area. But I know for a fact that they are not exact. Sprint has online maps that detail these areas, but I would have to download an offline copy for what I do, but I don't believe that is available. If I had an offline copy, I could upload it to Google Earth on the laptop that I carry on these trips to reference and know when I need to get paper directions.
So, I'm starting to formulate alternatives. One is getting paper directions like I mentioned.
- Purchase a automotive GPS, which would work with satellites instead of cell phone towers and be more reliable in more places.
- Purchase and install a smaller a CDMA repeater in the car so my smartphone can get regular data services in more places.
- Change my cellphone carrier to Verizon if their services suit my needs in regards to data roaming.
But what I'm really hoping for is a special package that I can add on. What does a cross country trucker do?
So far today, the air temperature was -13°F at home port. At -7°F, my 2008 Chevy HHR had a difficult time starting. It rained yesterday and froze on what was already hard packed snow... So, the Chevy did not move at all today. And the already weak tailgate release would not power up when actuated.
This morning was the first in last 64 days that I didn't notice my back ache. And considering that I tried pushing the HHR into a place where it might get some traction today, I still don't notice it. Depending on how I sit, I can still feel, but barely.
My personal task list is dwindling down as I've completed a bunch of items. The biggest hurdle now is I need to get about 45 days worth of pressure canning done before I can sit down and work on the 2014 Edition of the Ohio Transit Hiker's Resource. That's January's main task. In February, I need to start getting The Cramper's materials ready for when the weather breaks in Southern Ohio.
The next recreational series will tentatively start in the City of Parkersburg, West Virginia. The plan is to bicycle to the Village of Chesterhill in Morgan County on the American Discovery Trail (ADT) in Southeast Ohio. It's about a 31 mile ride. At Chesterhill, the ADT will run concurrent with the Buckeye/ North Country Trail across the south. I have the BT/ NCT/ ADT already completed from the Village of Mount Orab in Brown County to Eden Park in the City of Cincinnati.
After the ride from Parkersburg to Chesterhill, I'll need to drive across the state to Cincinnati. The 6,800 mile ADT is kind of peculiar in that it's mostly a straight line... until it reaches Greater Cincinnati. That's when the trail splits into a loop. The south side goes to Saint Louis, Missouri and the north goes to Chicago, Ill. They rejoin near Denver, Colorado.
I'll have to find a parking spot for the car and use public transit. Before hand, I'll have to get a bike box from Amtrak (because there's are better) and use it to board the Greyhound to Richmond, Indiana. Richmond is on the Indiana/ Ohio State Line and I'd cycle south on ADT's north side, while managing to divert and pick up about 2.5 miles of the south side. And then, I'll turn around and clip through Northern Kentucky before reentering Ohio in Downtown Cincinnati, end at Eden Park and then pick up my car. That ride is about 45 miles long.
Within Ohio, cleaning up the ADT independant of the Buckeye Trail, I'll line myself up to hike about 350 miles from Chesterhill of Morgan County to Mount Orab of Brown County. When I finish at Mount Orab (which this location is tentative), I will have completed the Buckeye Trail and be eligible for the Circuit Hike Patch. Also, I'll be eligible for the North Country Trail's "Ohio" state patch. The ADT doesn't have a state patch, all I really want to say that I've completed every major trail in Ohio. And should I wish to hike, or bike across it, I'll be well on my way with having Ohio completed.
In other words, cleaning up a few minor ends will allow me to clean up and finish everything on one course while the three trails are running concurrent with each other on the same route. That's my "plan of attack."
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