Thursday, August 16, 2012

Maps!

So Sarah and I like maps.
Back in June, The US Geological Survey had a sale on maps for 1 dollar each. Pretty exciting, I know. I bought 6 maps, plus 5 dollars handling and pretty promptly forgot about it. However, in July, they finally arrived. Some of the maps were actually Survey Bulletins with multiple maps inside as well as charts and research diagrams. 

Here are a few scans:
Aeromagnetic contour map of  southeastern part of the Lewis and Clark Range, western Montana.

Two scans of a map of geologic sections of the southeastern part of the Lewis and Clark Range, western Montana.

Youghiogheny Lake on a map of Allegheny Group Rock in southwestern Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh and surrounding environs. 1 : 250,000 topographic map. Revised 1969
And some pictures from my snazzy new phone:
What the Geological Survey Bulletins look like

The whole map of geologic sections of the southeastern part of the Lewis and Clark Range, western Montana.
Bozeman, Montana 1 : 250,000 topographic map, 1972

The whole Pittsburgh Topo map

Small shot of Monroeton, Pennsylvania 1 : 24,000 topographic map, 1999
Huxley lying on Ebensburg, Johnstown, and Altoona.




Monday, August 6, 2012

Overdue Bonnie Update

Remember when I got a motorcycle?  And then I started modifying it?  Somehow, that was months ago...


This is what Bonnie looks like now. The camouflage ditty bag is a BDU-era butt-pack I traded for years ago. It's mostly waterproof and handy for little things that don't need to be secured. Those luggage monsters are 1440 Pelican cases outfitted by Roger at Caribou Motorcycle Luggage. He tried valiantly to talk me out of getting the olive drab green ones (black is standard), but I couldn't be stopped.  They are waterproof, lockable, and detachable. A bit wide, but I use all the space and I'm very happy with them. My assault pack fits in one with room to spare.


They're starting to fade on top from the Texas sun exposure, but what can you do?  I think folks call that 'patina.'

The other big change is my brand-new, shipped-from-England front wheel. Somewhere along the line the frame of Bonnie's front wheel got just a little bit bent resulting in harmonic vibrations at certain speeds and drifty handling at higher speeds. I didn't know this at the time because hey; it's my first bike.  How am I supposed to know what vibrations are normal or how it's supposed to handle over 70 mph? Special thanks to my old platoon sergeant who notice the wobble during the Phantom Thunder ride back in May.

shiny
She rolls smoothly now and feels really solid at all speeds. I kept the old rim even though I really didn't have much of a plan for it. Maybe an art project later on? I was a bit dismayed to see rust spot forming on the inside track.  This is the original wheel to my knowledge, so my rear wheel probably has similar spots forming around the spokes beneath the tube.


Oddometer: 5443