Carbon Monoxide!?

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Weird. The smoke alarm went off, not incredibly odd when I am using the fireplace, but it wasn't the smoke detector. It was the CO alarm. I was totally surprised. It had never gone off as long as I have had one, over many many years. Yep, after resetting it a few times. It was getting a reading over 200 ppm CO. When I took it downstairs I got a reading near 300 ppm. I started getting light headed at this point. After thinking maybe the furnace heat exchanger failed and puzzling around a bit I figured out what happened. As part of the huge winter storm that recently covered almost half of the US, we lost our electricity. So, being well prepared, I rolled out the generator and started doing what I normally do. The generator (although it was completely outside) was creating CO to get in the house. Using the fireplace draft (and possibly other leaks) the whole house created a vacuum around the seal of the basement garage door. After the CO got into the house the forced air heat...
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North Georgia

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Angie and I went for a hike that turned into more of a drive than a hike. We hiked a bit. We drove much more. The Honda hasn't been out for a romp like this in a year. It was time. After we got back, the fingerprints of black fuel residue on the back of the car reminded me that the car needs to go. And the car goes. It can handle the mountain roads better than the motorcycles it seems. It was fun, but it seems more dangerous than the airplane. I am not complacent on either one. I fret about safety. From the top of the highest mountain in Georgia I took the picture of Blairsville Airport. I have flown in there previously. Instinctual, I knew where it was.


I got the chance to visit the overlook at Tallulah Gorge. The last time I was there was 35 years ago. I stopped there when I rode my motorcycle from Ohio to Florida when I was in School in Columbus Ohio. It took me three days, rain, camping out, experience building and all that. I said I would be back, and guess what? I got back. It is the same place. The gorge is still deep. It was great to regenerate the memory. The hot dog (with cole slaw) tasted just as good as it did 35 years ago, actually better. I didn't care what it cost this time.


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