Once upon a time there was a girl whose mother was against motorized vehicles such as: motorcycles and 4-wheelers {They did have a gas powered go-cart that was a lot of fun.} This poor deprived child grew up and amazingly enough survived without such "toys". One day she got married to a guy who was raised with said motorized recreational vehicles. They would go out riding in the desert with friends on their "bikes". The girl still wasn't sure about owning one, but she was starting to enjoy riding behind, bouncing down the trails. Finally, nearly 15 years after marriage, she gave in and consented to getting a 4-wheeler. She is now addicted to riding and can't wait for the next day out on the trails. The crazy guy who married her is so very happy now that he has a "toy"! He told the girl when instructing her in the finer art of 4-wheeling that there are two types of riders: "Those who have wrecked and those who will!" After a few weeks in her new past time, she has joined the ranks of "those who have"!
She was feeling quite confident in her new skills and her older children were gaining their own skills. She decided to let her 13 1/2 year old son lead and she would follow carrying a passenger, her 12 year old daughter. Now the machine she was riding belonged to friends and her son rode hers. She sent the helmet with her son. The borrowed machine is a step bigger and with bigger comes more power and a little bit wider. {difference in the two is; Width, hers: 40.7 inches and the other: 43.9 inches Wheel bases, hers: 44.5 inches and the other: 49.1 inches Turning radius, hers: 8.5 ft and the other: 10.8 ft...now that doesn't seem like a lot but....} They cruised down the trail and rounded a corner to be met with this:
Now, she was going nice and slow, she figured her son made it around just fine, she could too. The girl thought that she had turned her wheels enough toward the little hill to avoid falling in the hole....Well she didn't quite make it around and ended up IN! From this angle one can see just how to get around it, but the other angle is not quite as clear!
So the girl and her daughter fell in the hole.... the daughter fell off the back corner right onto a hard sagebrush root! the girl fell off and sorta landed on her daughter. Lots of dirt covered them, and the 4 wheeler? Well, it came in the hole too. It landed on its side. The daughter wondered out loud, "How will we get out?" That big tough girl grabbed the back rail and flipped it back on its wheels, down shifted to 1st and gave 'er a little gas! The machine climbed right out... mostly but since the girl was still standing in the hole, she couldn't reach the back brake. They had to let the 4-wheeler come back in the hole and try it again. By this time her son realized that he was no longer being followed and went to find his mom and sister. He found them, in a hole, covered in dirt! With her son outside the hole holding on the front and her daughter in the back, she walked it out again. Success! Since her son could now grab the brake! They were out of the hole with bruises and shaky knees! Mostly, that girl hurt her pride! Her son figured since they were fine they could continue down the trail, but she just wanted to go back and relax! Upon returning, she did the right thing and informed her friend that she had dumped her "bike" in a hole! Of course, the friend wanted to be sure they were alright. It turns out that the friend knew of another who fell in the same hole, but with not quite as good of results. The girl and her daughter were well watched out for that day!
Now this same gal, has added another fall to her list of "those who have". Recently {OK, yesterday} she was out riding with her husband and another friend. The guy took them out on some trails, hill climbing and descending! {One day she will bring the camera and get a picture of the area.} So they were traversing this hill and her husband stops to let her know, "half-way down you're going to make a right turn, so ride the back brakes." OK, no problem the girl thinks she can handle this. She waits to relay the message to the friend, then starts down. A few seconds later she realizes that there is NO way she is going to make that turn and decided to tap the front brakes.... the decision was a bit too late and, well, the machine was now only on 2 wheels! The girl panics and readies to jump off. It happened quick, but it seemed like slow-mo at the same time. She is off and standing there for a split second she thinks she can catch the "bike".... a quick shout brings her back to reality and she lets it roll over a few times then flips it back on the wheels. The guy runs over to make sure the girl is OK. Once again she is fine and only her pride is hurt! He guides her back and then over the bump and back on the trail! Since she is fine he tells her that from his vantage point it was kinda funny! They continue on down the trail, all is well. Thus ends this chapter in "those who have"!
Happy 4-wheeling to you all!
Can you see the excitement in her face? She was having a blast.
Grandpa got in on the action and took the kids for a ride.
We did some good old fashion sledding and tubing as well. That snow was seriously deep! Can you see how Scott's legs are sunk in the snow? That was a rough climb back up the hill.
The lure of the trail called to Troy..... only he didn't realize just how deep it was until he got stuck!
After laughing at him and watching him struggle, we sent Cody down to lend a hand. They made it a little way, but kept sinking back in. I went down to help, we got it half way up the hill, but it just wasn't working we had to get the tow rope and the truck! Good times good times!! :)
Robby was having so much fun!
Even Troy took a turn. It was a blast when you put the sled on the tube and held on to the rope for the ride of your life!
