We at PopUpBackpacker have been closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19, especially paying attention to social media and its influencers, who provide more valuable advice than the CDC, state and local health departments.
Continue reading COVID-19 and PopUpBackpacker.comThe Daylight Savings Time Conundrum
What’s Up With That?
A few days ago I had to drive to the hardware store. On the way, my phone rang. When I am driving I ignore the phone. IF the call is important, I can deal with it later. If it isn’t important, then I didn’t waste my time.
I went into the store, pick up the item I needed, and then walked around looking at a couple of things which might work for my next project. When I got back to my car, seeing my phone laying on the console, I remembered someone had called. Looking at the “Recents” list, I noticed the time on my phone was exactly one hour ahead of the car’s clock. Aha, we must have recently sprung forward; that is, we must have switched to Daylight Savings Time. What a pain… as I racked my brain trying to figure out how to change the vehicle’s clock. Ah, hell, just leave it. I don’t need to know what time it is anyway; a benefit of being retired.
It then occurred to me that almost everyone I know prefers to stay on Daylight Savings Time all year, and I bet most people in the US concur. So why don’t we?
Continue reading The Daylight Savings Time ConundrumThe “Top Ten Lists” – Can You Trust Them?
It sounds counter intuitive, but I spend much less time on the Internet since I retired, even though all my time is free time, that is, I can do whatever I like, as long as Joyce is happy. I keep myself busy around the house with many tasks, plus we camp more often, not to mention my time spent backpacking.
One thing I am seeing more and more on the Internet are Top Ten Lists for all kinds of consumer goods. Given a good portion of my readers are backpackers, this begs the question, “Can you trust these reviews?” The short, quick answer is, “No.” If it is, “No,” then where can one find good quality trusted reviews?
Continue reading The “Top Ten Lists” – Can You Trust Them?Andersen Camper Levelers — 2 Year Review
Normally I don’t like to do short-term reviews because there are just three important criteria:
- Does the product work as it should or is advertised
- Is the price consummate with the perceived value
- Is the product durable
Seems to me that 10 years of use is a good point to do a real review. In this case, Andersen offers a lifetime guarantee, so as long they don’t go out of business or discontinue the product, durability isn’t a concern for me. At this point in time, after two years of use, I don’t see a durability issue.
I really don’t like to use the term “best” when describing products, but the Andersen Camper Levelers are the best trailer leveler I have used, and I’ve used a few over the decades. Additionally, I’ll state it is one of the best camper products I’ve ever purchased based on my criteria list.
Continue reading Andersen Camper Levelers — 2 Year ReviewInflatable Boat Hull ID Plate Solution
I’m in maintenance mode around the house. One thing that has been problematic from the time we bought our boat about 15 years ago is a solution for attaching the Hull ID number to our boat. Even though our boat is only 10 feet 2 inches in length and many folks would consider it almost a toy, we have to register it and identify the hull ID along with the current registration tag. ANY boat in California that is not solely powered by oars or paddles must be registered, and of course, registration means you have to pay a FEE to the government. My old solution, numbers painted on a plastic board hung from the grab robe, was technically illegal.
Continue reading Inflatable Boat Hull ID Plate Solution