FARM -- FIRST TRIP OF THE SEASON

Mike bought a used Bowflex machine a couple of months ago, and he has been anxious to get it out of our garage and into its new location in his “barn gym” at the farm. Since Hallie is visiting for a few days, we decided to make a trip to the farm and take the Bowflex along. We had other things to take as well and a list of things to get and “first of the season” activities to perform.

Crown Imperials, daffodils, iris

Mike managed to load the Bowflex into the back of the old pick-up, and the three of us and two dogs loaded into the expanded cab. Nellie climbed onto Hallie’s lap and Bess crowded in. Hallie was ready to be at the farm by the time we got there.

Well, we never know what the first trip will bring. We found a mouse in every trap and plenty of fresh horse manure in the yard. We turned the water on without incident.

Then it was time to move the Bowflex to the barn. Mike anticipated no problems since the pick-up has 4-wheel drive, but it quickly became stuck in mud as he backed across the lower end of the yard – and it wouldn’t shift into 4-wheel drive. He was just beginning to deal with this unexpected turn of events when the horses – all five of them – showed up.

Bess was the first to spy them. “Arrrooooo! Bark-bark-bark-bark-bark!” As if caught red handed, the horses lined up and stared at us. I was a little alarmed when they began to prance toward me, but that was just a ruse so that they could turn and move to the other side of the pond. They were definitely agitated, though, as if we were invading THEIR territory. Finally, they galloped off toward the canyon with Hallie and the dogs running after them. 

Meanwhile, Mike’s concern was for freeing the pick-up. Long story short, he carried shovelfuls of gravel from the drive and put it under the back wheels. Then, he carried his weights from the barn gym and put those over the axle. Eventually we were able to free the pick-up from the mud, but I reckon it took an hour and a half. We later learned through online research that apparently this vehicle needs to be moving in order for it to slip into 4-wheel drive.

Relieved to see that we were going to go home after all, we certainly didn’t want to tempt fate by trying to drive to the barn again, so we balanced the Bowflex frame in the wheelbarrow and managed to get it to the “gym.” 

Never a dull moment. KW