In early October around a Sunday mid-afternoon, the F150 pulled into a Rock Creek campground. Gear quickly shifted from the truck to the site, I used a flex hose to connect the propane tank to my camp stove, and headed down to the stream for some solo fishing. Not another fisherman in sight, and the trout bit eagerly. A great beginning, and I cleaned the two keepers.

Time now for dinner, so I got the tamales and chili ready to heat, but the stove showed no flames. At all. But the lantern at the top of the post worked, so I knew the tank was giving out gas. I…