One thing about living on a ranch is that your equipment- trucks, tractors, four-wheelers, swathers, balers, etc.....- are ALWAYS in dire need of repair. One ranch (at least ours), could easily hire a full time mechanic, or two,or three, if money were not an issue. As a rancher you have to be capable in many areas, and unfortunately, "mechanicing" is not one of them- again, at least not on our ranch!
Now, there are many reasons for this total state of disrepair. Tons of miles, old equipment, wear and tear over less than perfect roads, rocky fields (anyone want to pick rock for little pay- ALL summer, and the next, and the next.....), and sometimes just plain stupid mistakes. A few such instances you can see below........
This is what happens when:
1) you do not get an emergency break fixed
2) park on a downhill slope
3) say "Ahhh it will be fine" while stepping out of the truck.
The story gets fuzzy after this point, but it involves my dad sauntering down the driveway confidently, my mom looking at him drop-jawed- followed by her running. Running, and trying to jump in the getaway truck and trailer that was rapidly approaching a significant drop off. What she was thinking, I don't know. She apparently thinks her life has less value than an old truck and trailer.
So, the truck started out to the right of the dog.
And progressed through the first fence, the brush, and the creek.
The good news is the truck stopped a chin hair short of busting through the second fence.
The bad news- we had to tear the fence out to pull the darn thing out. At least it was a crappy fence.
Another mistake that led to major repair costs. Can we explain this? No. Did we get the tractor out? Eventually.
No one is admitting to what happened here....
I mean......
So, long story short- this is why we need a full time mechanic (or two), and why we can't seem to make any money!