We’re never getting home!

That was the cry Saturday night. I was taking pictures for Forest Glen Christian Camp in Huntsville, and we needed to go to “The Springs”, the other location two hours away, just outside of Rosebud. We had spent a few hours hiking around, avoiding a group of Catholic women on retreat (who weren’t really happy we where there), and decided to bring the mobile climbing wall back to Huntsville with us. This is when it got interesting. Prior to this outing, the suburban we where in had the trailer plug ripped off the bumper, leaving half a plug receptacle dangling there (not to be confused with a dangling participle). So we, in boy scout preparation, stopped at Tractor Supply to get a repair kit for the damaged plug. Back to the present, we squeeze the trailer through the trees, eventually getting this climbing plastic rock structure on the trailer, the first of many problems arise. The trailer has a battery operated hydraulic lift (like a dump truck), which lost power with 6″ to go. So the rock is not resting on the trailer securely. It’s up 6″. After dragging the trailer out of the trees, Kevin (did I mention Kevin yet? He’s the reason for the adventure) tries the lift again, and it works. I guess it needed to rest a bit. Next, let’s rewire the trailer plug. Kevin goes off to do the task, while I photograph the entrance and almost get bit by a copperhead. Kevin comes over to poke the snake with a stick, I finish, and go to help with the light wiring. Somehow, when it’s all said and done, we only have one tail light working. I wasn’t too involved on the wiring, so I cannot say why, but Kevin says lets go and we’ll deal with it later. It’s now 6 pm. 10 minutes outside of camp, we have a blowout. No spare, we turn around to drop off the trailer for someone else to deal with later. When we got to camp, the maintenance guy says he has a spare we can use, and goes to get the tractor, in lieu of a jack. Now in the country, if I say tractor, you think old McDonald’s big red farm implement. What he brought was a small to medium Kabota tractorette. With me standing on the back of the tractorette, it finally had enough mass to lift the trailer. For what ever reason, the trailer had to be lowered with the spare in the hole, but unattached, and we had our own scene for A Christmas Story as lug nuts flew from the fender into the night sky, glimmering in the headlights of the tractorette. Did I mention it was dark? Kevin found three lug nuts, attached the spare, and the maintenance guy went to get his truck for a flashlight. He shows up with a q-beam that no one can look at. Eventually, we found all five lug nuts, but said maintenance person was unhappy with the poor wiring job we had tried to pass off, and took it upon himself to fix it. He sent us down to the lake the take some pictures of the lit cross by the water. When we returned, he had wired the trailer directly to the suburban, which worked, and locked the keys inside. 30-45 minuted later, he slim-jimed with a coat hanger (which I didn’t know you could do), and finally got on the road. Only to hit a hog 30 minutes later. No big damage, heated discussions on whether we should take it home or not (I won, it stayed), we got back to the Glen at 12:15am.

Small geeky stat

I passed 200 miles in bike commuting today on the way home. Yea me!

Greenbelt etiquette

(To those not familiar with greenbelts, I’m referring to those paved sidewalk paths through the forest.)

So, are there unspoken etiquette rules to riding bicycles on the greenbelt? The bicycle is the top of the food chain (in terms of speed) there, so do we have a responsibility to a code of etiquette? My morning bike commute is just over 5 miles, via greenbelts and some road. It’s very tranquil, albeit a rough paved surface, through the forest, seeing birds, squirrels, and fluffy bunnies. Greeting others out for their morning (or evening) stroll, I keep courtesy and responsibility in mind as I ride, calling out “rider on your left” to those I approach from behind. I greet all, with a “morning” or “afternoon” as I approach. And I do keep my speed around 15 mph. So, is that too fast? I think I could push it faster, but should I? Some ladies commented on it yesterday as I passed them. Nothing negative, but they were surprised by my approach, even after I called out to them. Die hard commuters and roadies alike would shun me for not using the road. For not exercising my legal right to ride in traffic. But commuters elsewhere don’t have this option available. My only complaint is that drivers here, expect you to ride on the greenbelt. They look surprised when I “take the lane”. So the danger is coming on and off the path. There are several level crossings to negotiate, so drivers expect you to stop for them.

So are there etiquette rules?