One year ago today: November 24, 2017, rather long-winded.
Five years ago today: November 24, 2013, Texas in a wink.
Nine years ago today: November 24, 2009, we rode the bus.
Random years ago today: November 24, 2003, recycling.
Leaving Nashville for the 743 mile trip home. I did not get an early start, but fine. My Sony camcorder has developed a glitch that shows the movies, but will not let them download. I’ll dig them out with Agt. Ransack later, but Jesus. Sony, why don’t you step down and give it up to a new company that builds a product that actually works. It does not help to try reading the cards with other devices. Sony products prevent that, too.
Traffic was light enough down I-75 but the GPS tried to send me to Tampa, which adds sixty miles to the trip. My overall mileage in 13 driving days is 7,735 miles. I spent $2,984.71 including the motel and emergency repair. Since gasoline was $1,278 this means my total other costs came to $706.21. That’s seems high, I’ll check it out, but it’s easily within the range. My decision is to purchase and equip a mini-van or panel truck to ever make this type of trip again. The car was fine, but just not roomy enough for my liking on longer jaunts.
I’m heading downtown to collect my e-mails, which should include advice on which truck to buy. The consistent warning is that good used models are selling at a premium. Other than a few loose ends, I would rate this trip overall as a very qualified success. Only a narrow, long-term financial view would support that. In every other major category, that should be my last such trip if I can help it. This, from a guy that used to love any kind of travel.
Tetrahedral strength.
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I stopped twice for gasoline and was reminded why I don’t care for freeway travel. The services, the people, the places to stop, all boring. I disobeyed my own rule twice and lost a half hour each time. I repeat, no matter what the sign says, do not pull off the freeway unless you can see both what you are looking for (food, gas) AND the on-ramp back on to the road. How annoying to turn off and see the fine print that the gas is 3.1 miles away. Florida, more than half a mile is NOT on the freeway.
Now that GPS, I dunno. I repeatedly missed turns because it did not give enough advance warning. It has a list of glitches that you'd think would be ironed out by now. And the thing goes haywire if you overshoot the turn. A major annoyance is that if you pull over and stop, trying to enlarge the on-screen map, it enters some weird edit mode or keeps reverting to the size that it wants. I say that is proof that millennials really can be that stupid. Nor can you drag the map ahead, it keeps centering itself on where you are.
For long distance travel it is helpful. But check your route. It tried to send me to Tampa, which is sixty miles more than the direct route. And remind me to get a real CD player. I have one of those cassette adapters but the laptop is too inconvenient on the road. The trick is to fill up a playlist and set the computer on the driver's seat. No so fast.
Even with the powersave off, it shuts down every 15 minutes, even when it is on the charger. You have to reach over and tap a button, but hit the wrong button and it will do things you've never used. Like playing every song twice, or playing at half speed. Figure that one out.
ADDENDUM
Back home, I got out the box of e-Readers and yes, they will play audio files (MP3). But they have no easy interface that would work on stage. There was one advanced model in that box which is missing, but I recall it had a better display. Isn’t that something, they build a cheap enough music player without thinking where it might be used. There were a number of issues including the screen timing out, displaying across the screen instead of down, and not dimmable enough.
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