Well looks like the hardrock going to be a bust. 17 inch frame is no good for longer arms. Back to searching.
I just wish I was in a better market area. There is nothing within 30 miles of me, and the other CL areas around me cover huge distances. Lansing for example is 90 miles away from me, and the Lansing CL has bikes that are 30 to 40 miles south of Lansing. Unless I am getting an amazing deal, I don't want to drive 120 miles one way just to look at a bike I might not even buy. Or worse yet and far more likely, buying a bike I don't really want because I drove so far to look at it. Just have to be patient, that's never been my strong suit.
As far as wrenching on a bike. I do most of the routine maintenance on my vehicles(oil, brakes, plugs, ect.) So while certainly not a mechanic by any stretch, I do plan on learning to do as much as I can myself. My primary concern is buying a money pit, because while I am trying to learn as much as possible, I am still a novice. Learning what's worth the cost/hassle replacing is going to take time.