The Adventure of "psh it happens" (Tolle's Insane Summer)

Apr 30, 2007
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Well, my summer started out at the sortof end of spring.

Here's a rundown of what has been going on thus far:

- Having been entirely frustrated with the politics of trying to finish my degree, I said "to heck with it all" and went on a spring break trip. I ended up staying with two bachelor dudes who I'd never met before, but it was the best week of my life thus far! My first real ride on a snowmobile had me learning the basics in some pretty radical terrain. The mountains kicked me around quite a bit, and I was sore for quite some time after that adventure. Again, it was by far one of the best weeks of my life! :)

- I was homeless for a while thanks to a flooded apartment, which ironically happened while I was out helping other people sandbag.

- I rebuilt and threw away a lot of stuff that was damaged, and got a job at a welding shop to make ends meet, just in time to prep for racing.

- Cabanaboy had moved to SD for school, and things had going downhill there very fast.

- One of my ex neighbors got out of jail and harassed the crap out of my door, then finally wandered in drunk one night while I was trying to clean up more mold that I was finding. This was sortof to be expected, and though I wasn't ready, I was prepared.

I spent the next couple days dealing with the police because he didn't happen to like the fact that I pointed a gun at him. I was within my rights, and acting within the law, so nothing bad came of it for me. By the sounds of it, he got to eat a few more free meals on

I woke up the next morning, and my place was flooded again. That was the final straw, and I moved out...sorta into my car. I had to make a lot of phone calls, but got out of my lease for free, and was reimbursed the last half month's rent.

- My first actual ride day of the year was spent with MX86 and company. We hit up the Mesabi trails, and Oxide hill. It was a great weekend despite tumbling down the first real hill that the Mini and I had ever encountered. MX claims that I can kiss my own butt, and I have to say that feeling as sore as I did the next couple days, I believe him.

- My summer job started up again, and I left the welding shop to hit the fields. Despite the 18 hour days, and some 7 day weeks, I realized that I will never be able to work a desk job. I belong outside.

- Halfway through the summer, my boss decided to change things up a little. Walking out my door to the awaiting pickup, I saw that my crappy ugly fourwheeler had been replaced with a very very shiney red 2003 CRF 230 (aka, "the tank").

It had rained 4 inches two days before, and it would end up that I was the first to take it out on a work run. I guess it was a little muddy still, because the first thing I did was bury the poor thing up to the axles. I was 1/4 mile from the road in every direction, and it took me well over an hour to get the heavy bastidger back to dry ground. By the time we made it there, I think it weighed three times what I did with all the added mud. Pretty sure I said a lot of bad words at it, and from then on, we had a love hate relationship...mostly love, with a few hate moments.

Do have to say that there is nothing like an early morning ride though, all the roads and ditches to yourself. Having grackles fly out of the ditch, and the bewbers taking one or two for the team at 45 or more mph (ouch) is one of the lesser enjoyed parts of the job. Going through a muddy ditch then on to a gravel road only to have tiny rocks flung back into your face...

I still love it though. I'm getting paid to play all day! :nener:

- I subleased a place for the summer, which blazed by quickly, and now I'm homeless again.

- Racing has been crazy to say the least. It's been taking quite a bit of time to get used to going faster again after playing things so calmly last year. I'm back to borrowing pickups and ramps, and having a different rig each race. The Mini has been running strong, and the Mini and I have an all love relationship going on.

Although riding slower as a whole, I am riding smarter. Thus far, I've attained three second place finishes (nearly managed a first place, but it was a fair race and the first moto didn't count). I'm using more gears, choosing lines instead of letting them choose me, and I've managed to grasp the concept of lofting the front wheel though the whoops.

Racedays are my irreplaceable psychotherapy sessions.

- With all the insanities involving Cabanaboy still trying to retain his rather abusive position in my life, I finally hit rock bottom and went through a struggle with alcholism, but finally got rid of him for good. My awesome boss, instead of firing me for calling in late for work, kicked my butt and started adding hours to my schedule (more time on the tank, less time for too many "just one more"s).

- I applied to several different grad schools, and didn't make it into any of them. These were the three most reported reasons for my being lesser qualified: 1 - I wasn't part of any sort of minority. 2 - I didn't participate in enough volunteer work. 3 - I didn't participate in enough leadership activities, or participate in enough clubs.

- I hit up Millville with MX86 and company, and that was pretty awesome too!

- I think that brings me up to current. Homeless, bikelovin', continuously covered in dirt and or mud, always lucky and finding that four leaf clover, farmerchick. Life has been both crazy bad and crazy good, and never boring!
 
Apr 30, 2007
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rmc_olderthandirt said:
Just out of curiosity, what job is it that you are doing riding around on a dirt bike?

Rod

I am a Field Scout for an Agricultural Consulting company

- I check for crop stages, weeds, and pests. We normally use quads, but at a certain stage, the plants just don't flex as well. The dirtbike leaves almost no tracks (except where I half buried it and left that aweful 1/4 mile trench that I filled with bad words) and does less damage to the crops when they are in later stages of development.

We work long nonstop days, and sometimes it is miserable. Funny how it got a lot less miserable and boring when the 230 showed up...but I still don't know what "lunch break" means. Can someone explain that concept to me??
 

MX86

Member
Dec 27, 2006
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Lunch break means feed your face between the shift from 2nd to 3rd gear....
 
Apr 30, 2007
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Exactly.

I can fit a bottle of water between the front numberplate and handlebars too.

That will be replaced by a hydration pack if I end up doing the same thing next season. Can't believe I didn't think of that one before now.
 
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