Almost as entertaining as a boat ramp.
So we have lots of members here backing trailers at age 10? and with mirrors?
Come on man.
Fact is if you never had too or never have, Backing a trailer is a *****.
30 years at it myself so don't blow smoke up my ***.
Oh, so you are kind of new at it then.:D
Backing up farm wagons is even more fun. The front wheels steer on those. Good thing the tractor turns shorter and the tongue is long enough.
I started driving heavy equipment real early as we had 4x4’s, wheeled tractors, caterpillars and a road grader.
We had property in the Sierras north of Tahoe, and I was the oldest, so my Dad involved me in everything.
I know some of my life happenings are somewhat unbelievable to some.
My Mother and I cleared the area where our new house was to be built with and old McCormick Deering tractor while my Dad worked day shifts at the Susanville correctional facility.(aka prison)
My Mom drove the tractor while I wrapped the chain around the base of sage brush to pull them out.
We also dug the foundation trenches for the house in decomposed granite.
My Mom dug the septic tank herself.
This is going to sound kinda nuts, but in the winters I used to get up around 11pm and go out to build a small fire under the crank case of the TD cat so I could crank start it.
I had to be down at the paved road (a mile or so) to drag my Dad in his VW bug through the snow back up to the house when he got off work.
One night my foot slipped off the frozen pedals and I back that cat almost to the windshield on his VW before I could get it stopped.
He jumped out and yelled WTF?!!!
I jumped off the cat and took off running for the house, ran in my room and locked the door. (Crying of course)
Awhile later he knocked on my door and told me to open it.
I thought I was in for it, but he just laughed and handed me a piece of the VW’s chrome bumper and said “I thought you might like a souvenir”
Then I really lost it, but he hugged me and said there wasn’t a 10 year old in the world he would trust more.
My Father was an exceptional man.
6 foot 4 and 250 pounds of pure muscle.
Yet kind but firm.
I watched him slowly deteriorate into a frail old man with dementia that couldn’t go to the bathroom by himself.
He’s gone now.
