Oaken Gearbox

About a week ago the steering started acting up on my '02 Subura Impreza WRX. The only way I could describe it is, "notchy." It would be very stiff for half a rotation of the wheel, then very loose for the next rotation. My first thought was that power steering fluid was probably low, but a quick look at the reservoir showed  it right where it should be. I then began to worry about the differential, or some other component of the AWD, but I was able to rule that out since it did the same thing while cranking the wheel without moving the car. It this point I put the front of the car on jackstands, started the car, and had my wife turn the steering wheel while I looked under the hood for bubbles in the power steering fluid, a slipping belt, or any other issues. Nothing. Finally, I shut the car off and turned the steering wheel myself with the front wheels in the air and the engine off. Still notchy. At that point there was nothing left to cause it but the steerin...

Day 0: The drive to Sawbill The trip up I-35 was largely uneventful, the highlight being a stop for lunch at Culver's. We arrived at Sawbill Lake in the late afternoon and set up at Site 18, a nice private site. Although it backed up to the lake, there wasn't a clear path down the steep bank. Site 18, Sawbill Lake After stopping by the well-stocked (and reasonably priced) camp store for some last minute supplies, we roasted hot-dogs over a small and smoky fire built with the green firewood sold for $5 a bundle at the same store. Green Firewood :( Before we'd even had time to break out the marshmallows a huge thunderstorm rolled in that lasted until just before dawn. Mom and Dad's  REI tent stayed bone dry, but the larger Eureka! that I shared with my brother and sister left us a little soggy by morning. Day 1: Sawbill to Hub Lake I was already awake when the sky started turning grey early on the morning of our first day, so I got up and began pa...

Aldi is fast becoming my favorite store. After moving to a city devoid of normal grocery stores like Kroger, my wife and I gave  Aldi a try and were instantly hooked by the low prices and convenient layout. Even so, there's a big difference between buying off-brand tomato sauce and trusting your dry sleeping bag to an " Adventuridge " tent. With name brand tents at REI running somewhere north of $300, though, we decided it was worth the risk. After spending three nights (one of steady rain) in the tent, I can say it is more than worth the $60 price tag. The rain flooded the older 3 room tent our friends were using, but our Aldi tent had only small puddles under the windows. It's heavier than anything I would drag backpacking, but its perfect for car camping, and could probably even work for canoeing. The Good: Bathtub floor keeps the water OUT. High ceiling lets adults stand up inside. Room to comfortable fit three adults, a Pack-N-Play, and al...