Month: August 2009

17th Level

Sorry CharlieGarmin Tech Support replied to my email cry for help. Step one was to download the latest version of the software for the unit and reinstall it. How was I going to reinstall the software you ask, seeing how the unit won’t fully boot up?

The way they told me to start the GPSr was a lot easier then those four fingered web variations from the other day. They gave me the secret handshake. Press and hold the toggle stick (think mini joystick or more like IBM laptop TrackPoint button) in the up position and power on the unit. You have to keep holding the stick up, double click the updater program on the PC and hold on while the software loads. I tried to load the software three times (just in case I wasn’t holding my tongue right) and all 3 times the process went something like this: erasing, loading, erasing and loading a second time, error message.

I replied to the email with my failure status and now await further instructions. Probably have to box it up and mail it back, I just hope they don’t require the original box, I can’t find it. And I usually keep everything, I mean I have the box this Dell PC came in six years ago…

Today’s title came from a piece of email we received from a friend today, it had been forwarded 16 other times before being forwarded to us.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 376

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Started down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 375

Broke

Red TrailLast night the GPSr wouldn’t come on and I figured it was just the rechargeable batteries were weak, so this morning, first thing, we stopped at a store and bought a 4 pack of AA’s for $5. Our plan was to go west of Hendersonville to Jump Off Rock, see the view and then geocache our way back into H-ville.

The drive to Jump Off Rock was a nice windy road through neighborhoods and when we got up there the fog was so thick the view was nothing but gray. I loaded up a pair of new batteries into the GPSr because there is supposed to be a cache right there. It would get part way through the boot up process and shut off. Tried the second set and got the same results. Mmmm, maybe there was nothing wrong with those rechargeables after all.

We then took a walk on a couple of the short trails around the park and the sun was just starting to burn off the fog when we finished. Oh well. we’ll catch the view next time we visit in September.

When we got back to the SMH I plugged in the USB power cable into the GPSr and it exhibited the same symptoms, start to boot, then shut off. Google is my friend and it led me to a few places that gave the super-double-secret buttons to push on start-up to reset the unit to factory defaults. Same results. Guess I’ll be calling Garmin on Monday because there is a one-year warranty and we’ve only had the unit 8 months.

Started down, went up, back down, back up, down once more, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 374

I Have Camille’s Dollar

The day started rainy, but by mid-morning it was just mostly cloudy. We left SMH and went into Hendersonville and did a couple geocaches. We had lunch at, you guessed it, West One. Ordered a large cheese pie with Italian sausage so we’d have leftovers for dinner and we almost didn’t stop in time, only ended up with two pieces left. After lunch we bought a cookie tray and a small pot at the Habitat Resale store in downtown, the tray was so we could heat up the pizza and the pot was for boiling up some pasta for tomorrow.

In the afternoon we dragged the lawnmower up the hill and cut the grass on Diane and Allen’s lot in the same development. I hope he sells it soon, though probably not as much as he does, but with today’s economy it will probably be a while.

This evening we made a run to the shopping center over near the Asheville airport. We bought a light switch for the living room fan at Lowes and some cream cheese at Target for our breakfast bagels. We also went into Office Max and bought a wireless router so that I can surf the web from the living room or the porch or wherever in the SMH.

As change at Target I got Camille’s dollar, while she did write her name on it she forgot to put her phone number on there too so I could call and arrange to give it back.

Started down, went up, down again, up once more, down yet again, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 370

95,000 Reflectors in the Middle of the Road

Just like the last semi-major mileage milestone, this one was past on the way to the Stricker Mountain Home (I’m thinking that may need an acronym.) Only this one was about 50 miles further away in Spartanburg, not right here in Hendersonville.

With what is arguably one of the best bullpens in the American League, why oh why is the back-up shortstop pitching an inning of relief? (I know it is a 9-2 blowout the wrong way, but still…)

Even though there was a lot of rain around the state we made a good proportion of the drive up with the top down. We probably could have made the whole trip with it down, but I chickened out as we came into NC.

Started down, went up, back down, back up, down again, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 366

Business Trip

A business man checked into his hotel and was a bit lonely. He thought, maybe he’d call one of those girls you see advertised in phone books under escorts and such. So he picked up the phone book and found an ad for a girl calling herself “Erogonique”, a lovely girl. Bending over in the photo, she had all the right curves in all the right places, beautiful wavy hair, long graceful legs… well, you get the picture! He figured, what the heck, give her a call.

“Hello”, the woman says… God, she sounded sexy already.

Afraid he would lose my nerve if he hesitated, he rushed right in. “Hi, I hear you give a great massage and I’d like you to come to my room and give me one. No, wait, I should be straight with you. I’m in town all alone and what I really want is sex. I want it hard, I want it hot, and I want it now. Bring implements, toys, rubber, leather, whips — everything you’ve got in your bag of tricks. We’ll go hot and heavy all night… you can tie me up, cover me in chocolate syrup and whipped cream, anything and everything goes! Now, how does that sound to you?”

She replied, “That sounds fantastic sir but, if you want an outside line, you need to press 9.”

Got My Answer

Brett M. Moule, Region 3 Heritage Preserve Manager sent me a copy of a bill that was introduced this spring (03/26/09) by Representative C. David Umphlett, Jr. TO AMEND SECTION 50-11-2200, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS, SO AS TO SPECIFY ADDITIONAL PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES;… and signed into law on (6/2/2009) by our Governor in between trips to Argentina.

The part of interest is paragraph (C) “The following acts or conduct are prohibited and shall be unlawful on all wildlife management areas, heritage preserves, and all other lands owned by the department; provided, however, the department may promulgate regulations allowing any of the acts or conduct by prescribing acceptable times, locations, means, and other appropriate restrictions not inconsistent with the protection, preservation, operation, maintenance, and use of such lands:” section (30) which reads simply “geocaching;”

So while the bill prohibits geocaching and 37 other things, it does leave the door open in the second half of paragraph (30) …the department may promulgate regulations allowing any of the acts or conduct by prescribing acceptable times, locations, means, and other appropriate restrictions…

Started up, went down, back up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 362