California Bans 1-lb Disposable Propane Canisters

Camping

What’s Up With That? 

Guess what? California just made history! They’re the first state to ban the sale of those disposable propane cylinders. Starting January 1, 2028, you’ll only be able to buy refillable propane canisters and cylinders in California. So, here are a few questions to ask:

Is this just another crazy move from the Golden State, or is it something we should actually cheer about?

Why did they make this decision?

And what are the alternatives?

I’ll break it all down for you!

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My Friend Craig Wisner Lost His House in the Eaton Fire

General Talk, ,

I’m reaching out to you today to ask for your help with a friend of mine, Craig. The wildfires in Southern California have been devastating, and Craig and his family have been hit particularly hard.

Craig is a high school teacher, but he’s more than just a teacher – he’s a mentor to many young people. And now, he and his wife, Lusi, are facing a huge challenge. Lusi’s mother lived nearby and lost her home of 36 years to the fire. Craig and Lusi are her main caregivers, as she’s elderly and has memory issues. And to top it all off, their two children are in college, so they’re juggling a lot.

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Backup Your Computer Data! 3-2-1

The Digital Life, , , , ,
Image courtesy of Backblaze

Hey, this is a backpacking and camping website, right? So, what’s the connection between So, what’s the link between backing up your computer and these cool hobbies?

Most of us snap pictures during our backpacking and camping trips. Some folks even record videos. Others bring along music and other stuff to keep them entertained.

You know, we create a whole lot of digital stuff these days – photos, videos, computer files, music, and movies. Any data stored on tablets, smartphones, or computers is fair game.

Now, here are some questions to ponder:

Do you back up your data?

If you do, does your backup plan sound solid?

This post is all about backing up data, which raises even more questions.

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Patagonia and Black Friday

General Talk, ,

And so here we are — another Black Friday approaching — and after all these years I still don’t know what to make of it.

I know why it exists. It exists so businesses can make money. Lots of money. In a short period of time.

Is it a good thing? No, not for me. For others; I guess they have to decide for themselves.

This isn’t the first time I have written about the Black Friday phenomenon. I have shared my rants many times over the years. However, this year, I’d like to point out something different. A different company. Patagonia.

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ProPride Weight Distribution Jack Upgrade

Camper Mods, Camper Upgrades,

Recently I posted a 25,000 mile update on our ProPride trailer hitch along with some maintenance tips. This got me to thinking about something I have wanted to do for about 3 years — replace the Weight Distribution Jacks that came with the hitch. This new version, which ProPride calls the v2 WD Jack (version 2) was released about 8 years after we purchased our hitch.

ProPride now includes the v2 jacks with a new hitch. The original version 1 jacks are no longer sold by the company, although they still have repair parts for them.

Why did I wait 3 years? Because there was nothing really wrong with the originals, other than it was somewhat difficult to remove the plastic propane tank cover. The old jacks did have a couple other idiosyncrasies, but they we’re deal breakers for me.

In this post I’ll discuss the installation of these new WD Jacks, which has already been a great upgrade. It will probably only interest those owners of ProPride hitches with the original version 1 WD Jacks, but some folks may appreciate my approach to solving problems. 

But first a few preliminary comments for the uninitiated —

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