Continuded from page 5. 

One bad battery can ruin your whole day.

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated Gidget's Adventures - she's had a few more good ones. It takes me a while to put it all together but time's been a little precious lately. There's more to come for sure though! I would have had some great pics but one of the four batteries in my camera didn't recharge and poo .. no pix. I did grab some on the cell, I just have to get them from my cell to the e-mail now.

Lykke - Gidget would love to be part of your car-show ... She drives by most mornings on her way to Black's so she's familiar with the campus. I've also got a full sized truck that runs on Biodiesel if you want that around. PM me with your contact info and I'll get you mine. I'm also a UCSD alumni so anything to help the campus.

Ok .. maybe not the whole world ... but she did her part in saving Trestles and San Mateo Campground.

I got an e-mail form some of the environmental groups I'm in (Defenders of Wildlife, and Surfrider Foundation) about an on-going battle to save the San Mateo Campground and Trestles (a world-class surfing spot) in San Clemente.

There was a public hearing on Feb. 6th put on by the Coastal Commission to determine whether they were going to approve a toll-road connecting to I-5 right through the campground. Not to get into details, but it was a really bad idea. So long story short, the Gidge & I went up in the morning to voice our disapproval of the plan.

Gidget did her thing in the parking lot (with a near rock-star space mind you ...) Sorry about the quality but this is when the battery in my camera wasn't charged.

I went inside and was amazed ... evidently the larges turnout prior to this at a Coastal Commission hearing was about 500 people. They estimated somewhere between 3000 and 4000 people showed up for this.

The opposition (TCA) had hired labor to support their position but the opponents out numbered them by at least 10 to 1. It got a little raucus but in the end everybody was respectful of the process and by 11:00(ish) that night (yes .. 11 at night! It was a loooooong hearing!) the Commission decided to deny the project (yay!). I think it was because they saw Gidget in the parking lot and couldn't help themselves but do what was right.

Now if I was good - I'd have gotten Gidget on FUEL TV ... they were there filming and as I left I could have brought her to their camera ... but I was tired and Gidge needed a bath so I opted for home.

You folks are going to think I'm a bad dad ...

One lovely day Gidget and I pull into Gidget's room (aka the garage) ... ok, so I have a lot of crap in my garage ... well, you see, there's this beach/camping chair hanging on some of the shelving. I'm not sure how still, but your's truely managed to bump said chair and off it's perch it came. CRASH! right into poor Gidget's side. I thought I heard her wince ... the poor thing.

I was fearing the worst ... and it really didn't look great. If it were a metal door, there would be a couple good dents in her side ... scar'd for life ... but no! She's one tough cookie !! There's a little road-rash so-to-speak but not a dent or dimple to be found. Just some scuffing ...

Ok ... so I feel really bad about scuffing my little girl. She's looking a bit tossed actually ... hadn't had a bath since I got her (it was raining a lot) so there's road grime ... a fair amount of brake dust is accumulating on the front wheels ... and now the scuffs.

And me ?? I have to work a bunch 'cause of the up-coming road trip and there's other things I need to do. First and foremost, oil change !!

Gidget hit 1000 miles and she gets her first oil change. It went well ... really easy actually but there's one important piece of information I had to dig up: the torque spec for the drain plug ... there's another thread on the subject here: I video'd it but it'll be a week or two before I get time to edit and post it.

We filled up again and the last tank was a nice 41 mpg and that was not babying it at all. We're driving like normal and even used the a/c for a bit. Not bad at all ... the lowest we've averaged was 39. I think I got a keeper.