Fun times 4-wheelin'

Got to go 4-wheeling with Fred and Christie yesterday and it was great!  I've thought it would be fun before (especially since I went jeeping in the Spring)  but this was my first opportunity to go.  We went on a trail near Strawberry Reservoir and it was the perfect day.  Sunny day, later afternoon, probably in the 70's.. just awesome.

Driving was a little awkward at first, just getting used to shifting and steering and all.  The road wasn't hardly rutted at all, so it was a good ride for a beginner, but there were enough hilly and rocky patches to make it a little challenging and fun.  Going up the rocky sections wasn't too bad at all-- but going down was a bit more scary, at least at first.

The scariest part though was a few minutes after we got started when I saw a truck with a horse trailer coming at me.  I drove as close to the edge as I felt comfortable, considering I didn't really know how to control the ATV yet and there was a small drop off on my side of the road.  I stopped, and the truck tried to inch past me but the rear wheel of the trailer looked like it would scrape my leg off.  I actually thought it would just barely clear, but the drivers (and Christie) thought it probably wouldn't.  I couldn't really drive forward because of the angle of the trailer and the drop off and I had no idea how to put the thing into reverse.  Not that I wanted to because I likely would have backed right off the drop off.  Finally, a guy in the truck came around and kind of lifted/shoved the 4-wheeler off to the side a few inches.  Not an easy job-- let me tell you-- and I hope he didn't get hurt.  A little embarrassing really, but the truck managed to get by and I managed to keep my leg intact and not go over the side and crash on my first trip out.  After that, I drove away from the edge and Christie showed me how to put it into reverse. Didn't need reverse for the rest of the trip... but at least I knew how to do it. 

We drove for a little more than an hour up the trail and then turned around because we hit a gravel road that had more traffic on it then you would expect... might still be bow hunt season because there were a lot of campers or maybe just because of Labor Day weekend.  I felt a lot more confident coming back down and so tried to keep up with Fred to see how fast I could go.  Now that was awesome!!!  Didn't quite keep up with him but what a wonderful feeling going so fast up and down hills and around corners and stuff.  Didn't take us any time at all to get back down the trail, so we drove further up the road where we had parked and up into a campground.  Still going fast and what a rush!  I would love to go again-- and hopefully soon!

So, I accomplished part of my goals for the summer  "Go fast and be irresponsible...".  I got to go fast, and still plan on doing the zip rider and some other things, just for the rush.  As far as the "be irresponsible" part.. I don't mean to be completely irresponsible and lose my job, stop paying bills, take off for Africa, or anything major... Maybe just doing some things that are unexpected and a little unpredictable.  I  tend to think things out before doing them, sometimes a little too much.  And most parts of my life are just the way I would like them to be.  I love my job and my life and have accomplished many of my goals...Things are pretty good, and a little predictable.  So I want to do a few unexpected things-  just for fun!