So Big Red is on the road with a for sale sign 🛻 🪧
One of the neighbors stopped by an was looking at it. The other guy who looked at it decided against moving forward. In some ways I hate to see him go but I like the SuperDuty and time marches on. The lifted truck thing was kind of neat but also sucked and the SuperDuty has almost the same ground clearance and same height especially when you consider the straight axle and the shorter valance of the XL Off-Road package and the 33s. And the SuperDuty has so much more power. Still I question selling Big Red but time marches on.
Had a major freak out this morning, called mom when I snapped the bent derailuer hanger on my mountain bike. I thought the derailuer hanger was permanently mounted to the frame and it was wrecked, the bike just scrap but it turned out it’s just unbolts and it’s a standard wear part designed to snap upon a crash. You can in theory straighten them a bit but at least on a basic Marlin V, they’re a wear part, gets bent you unbolt and hand over $29 for another piece of aluminum to replace it. I should be able to ride in tomorrow. I mean I knew at one level that derailuer hangers are wear parts to be replaced but under the grease it didn’t look that way. But maybe I’m troubled knowing soon enough Big Red won’t be mine. So many memories, rot took his frame too soon.
I shouldn’t have called mom but I totally freaked out thinking my summer vacation was ruined and I’d be stuck riding the slow city bus to work for the foreseeable future. I really should think about getting a second bike as a backup and I also should look for some one I can call when things aren’t going well. Sometimes I get so freaked out in my mind. I don’t have trash service, what the hell am I supposed to do with another broke down piece of equipment. Truth is I never trusted Big Red after that crash 12 years ago and the lift kit always made me a bit weary, all alone in the wilderness on those rough roads. I really need a close friend to comfort my mind. But I like spending time in the wilderness.
Sounds silly but I don’t really care that much about the money for Big Red, I mostly want him to go to a good home to live out his remaining days. He’s not the same now that the equipment is moved to the SuperDuty. But I do want closure and see him gone. $4,500 is so little money these days, my net worth often fluctuates more than that on a typical day but so goes investing. Money for my future, the land, the off-grid cabin, the livestock and the burn barrels. There is such peace in my mind watching stuff disappear in the flames. And spending time looking at the grass puppies – the cows – as I walk back to my truck. Dreaming of some day having my own herd. And those days in a week and a half in the Finger Lakes. I like living in the city, riding my mountain bike to work for now.
Hiked Blodgett Hill earlier, spent some time with Mom and Dad, sorta hand washed Big Red and now Bennett Hill. Hiking down the mountain, only a few blueberries this year, then I’ll connect the derailuer hanger and derailuer back up and I should be good to ride in the morning to work. Rain Tuesday and Wednesday, probably drive in and off to camp on Thursday. Friday swim and camp, Saturday Bramley Mountain and the Catskill Scenic Trail. Following week summer vacation.
Summer is fading fast, much was spent building my new rig, rain and fixing my bike. I want to get Big Red to a good new home but I also want to enjoy the remaining days of summer and put the SuperDuty to good use. Not cutting my weekend trip or vacation back just to sell Big Red soon. But it always happens this way. Time is forever until it’s gone.
