Thursday, December 27, 2007 - Tuscaloosa AL

Interstate, at Jim Bird's "Acta Non Verba", Forkland AL, December 26, 2007

Later: I had continuing problems off and on all day accessing Coxontool.com. Late in the afternoon I got a voice mail from the tech at my web host saying my websites are back up but that it might take a day or two for DNS information to propagate throughout the web, that my problem accessing my sites might be with my service provider's not-yet-updated DNS servers and that I might need to call them to speed up a local fix.

DNS means Domain Name System and serves as the "phone book" used to translate alphanumeric URLs we humans can relate to into the numerical IP addresses the system uses. I'm guessing my host changed the IP addresses for Coxontool.com and jhcoxon.com and I understand it can take as long as 72 hours for changes to propagate to the many many DNS servers around the world.

There is one other piece of equipment between my computer and Verizon BroadbandAccess, my internet service provider - the Kyocera KR1 Mobile EVDO WiFi Router I use for my RV hot spot. Maybe that has something to do with my problem. I need to call the fine tech support at 3Gstore.com where I bought my system on another matter anyway; I'll ask. After a quick call to cousin Ken to have him verify for me that Coxontool.com is indeed up and running I call 3Gstore.com. The tech gave had me add a couple of IP addresses for OpenDNS servers to my Airport System Preferences for the KR1 network. That fixed it; I can now access my sites. OpenDNS servers tend to get updated more quickly than others. Now I wonder how many people will have to wait 72 hours to discover my site is back up. I haven't a clue.

Night camp

Wal-Mart Parking Lot in Tuscaloosa AL

Wal-Mart Supercenter in Tuscaloosa AL

Wal-Mart Supercenter Store #715, 1501 Skyland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 - (205) 750-0823

This Wal-Mart is one of my favorite parking lots for overnight dry camping. There is good, level parking and access to lots of shopping and services useful to the traveler.

• Good level parking, reasonably quiet
• Books-a-Million & Michaels Craft store across the road
• U-Haul propane nearby, Lowe's and Home Depot 1 mile
• Major shopping centers nearby
• Verizon cell phone service is excellent
• Verizon EVDO Broadband service is excellent
• Find other Wal-Marts in the area
• Check the weather here