Backhoe mastered = check. I guess my decent unofficial backhoe license and driving ability has inspired enough confidence with Roger to teach me how to drive the King Quad. I have had no previous experience with these quad shenanigans and so I was a bit nervous at first! Peter has worked so hard on this thing, I just don't want to destroy it! Anyways, it was a bit warmer this day and we took on the challenge. It's a bit tricky, but boy, is this fun! Jeanie happened to drive by at the start of my lesson and sweetly snapped this photo to capture the moment! Thanks Jeanie! This will be helpful as I continue to do yard clearing and clean up.
Now of course there is a story to go with this one... the downside of owning 10 acres of property and a King Quad is when you get stuck (erg...or so you think...) on the outset of the property. Here I was spending the nice afternoon (post-lesson) working on clearing the brush by the pond when I realized it was getting late and I should park the quad while using my newly attained quad skills. The thing started so easily! Neutral, run button, reverse, neutral, everything started perfectly. So as Roger was finishing up his current project, my soaring confidence led me to take this machine for a spin on the wood's trails. It was going great! Wind in your hair! The first signs of spring! As I rounded the corner, I cut the K.Q. in a hard right to make a turn and boom! It shuts off! Right by the steep cliff. Hmmm...I'm thinking that these things can totally be finicky, so of course I calmly go through my specific instructions on starting the thing again. No luck. 5 minutes later, the sun is going down, and I am frustrated. So I humbly call Roger...6 times! No answer. What is the point of cell phones anyways? Thinking that he may have left his phone in the house, I do the next logical thing and start yelling Rooooogggeeeerrrr! at the top of my lungs. Still no answer. At this point I realize the inevitable "even colder" long walk will ensue. As I'm finally rounding the corner to the main house, I see my hero and neighbor Don with the pack of dogs in tow. HE heard me! (this is a very comforting thought on such a big property) He was awesome and offered to tow the Quad. At this point, Roger checked his phone and walked back up to see what mess I had gotten myself into. The end of this story isn't nearly as exciting because he just simply stomped the thing into neutral and turned it on. Poor Don and the puppy girls! I guess I'm at a level "2-approaching mastery" (my teacher friends will understand this self-reflection!). Hey, there's always room to improve and I learned that nothing replaces the good 'ole fashioned communication device: the whistle, when stuck in the woods! Needless to say, it was a very memorable first King Quad experience!
P.s. Since, I have limited my KQ experimentations to directly around the main house and barn :) We are improving.
