If you are using GNOME or some high-level desktop environment, the SD
card should be automatically mounted when you insert it.

For less sophisticated desktop environments, you can starts tools like
udisksie on login, then pendrives, SD cards and the like will be
automatically mounted to /media/$USER/$VOLUMENAME.

> [1] ~/repo becomes 'root protected' and stays like that.

What do you mean?  Does `sudo chown ...` work for you?

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt
https://ambrevar.xyz/