MnkyBiz
Bronco Guru
All, I am posting an email I just received from a friend here in Northern VA. Chris is OK, but I believe that it is quits for his rig.
Well my friends, today is a very different day
Lately, I have wished that I had my Bronco 5 years into the future - not now. I love the hobby - it fits my personality so well, but it truly does not fit in my life at this time. I have two young boys (and one on the way) and they love to play with Daddy. I love to play with them. Unfortunately, the EB is just not ready to play. It keeps needing parts - it is a very "needy" hobby and it's timing is never in sync with my families financial needs. Though mornings like yesterday (when everything seams to be working perfect) tease me into thinking that I am almost there; I just know better. Don't we all? These are never ending projects. Don't get me wrong, it is ok for a hobby to be needy or time consuming, but only if it fits the rest of the life style.
Working on the truck is usually a joy for me, but then again, I am always pressed for time right now and that is not joyful. When time is available at home, I feel the need to spend it with my family vice working on the truck and so a conflict has emerged. I only have a car port, so my family can not conveniently join me outside to work on the truck (plus parking is an everyday haste). When I am working on my truck, my youngest usually ends up getting locked inside the house so I can concentrate on working fast (in order to be on time with our next family event). With him in the window, working on the truck is not where my heart is. Sure, I long to work on the truck, but I long to be with him more.
Sometimes I wish he was older so he can help me: would I really give up enjoying him now for my own desire to have a truck? Would it be right for me to think this for my unborn son as well? This thought and others like it perplex me - how dare I think them.
The thought keeps coming to my mind: can I not find a satisfying mechanical hobby that my boys could be a part of? I then think: can I store the Bronco for later years because it clearly is not the proper hobby for right now - and it definitely takes away from whatever that proper hobby may be? I have never come up with a plan that works, and days like yesterday, when everything seems to be working right; my mind shifts focus back to me and my own selfish desires vice my family and their best interest. The problem with fantasy is that reality usually enters back into consciousness with a bang.
My bang came at 6:30 last night as I was heading to church in the rain. "Bang" and low and behold I had no right front tire. I am not sure if I hit a pot-hole or what, but my front right tire (and rim) left the Bronco at 55mph on Prince William Parkway - no warning. The road was packed solid with traffic in both directions. We never did see the tire again! Gone - just like that! The truck dove into an endow. As a helicopter mechanic, I understand the forces of nature pretty well - I should have started to cartwheel end-over-end. Instead, I slid on my bumper for a bit before the Lord pushed the rear of the truck back down. Seriously, the fire chief that was right behind me got his first glimpse of my shiny new driveshaft while I was still on the road.
The road turned right and the hub hooked soft ground to the left: I then went into a long sideways slide into the median where I encountered two more miracles: One, I somehow made it past the low point in the median and back up the other side without flipping and two, the truck spun around and headed back down the embankment instead of continuing straight into the oncoming 55mph traffic. The truck was now facing the proper side of the parkway, but I was up the embankment on the opposite side of the median. The truck was still in a slide, but now the driver's side was taking the lead. Since that side was dragging a hub in the dirt and listing by over a foot - the truck finally flipped over.
Before I could get up out of the glass, there were red lights flashing everywhere. For a second, I wondered if I had been knocked out (I was trying to figure out how the rescue squads had already arrived) - then the trailer hitch found it's way out from under the passenger seat (where I store it) and woke me up (bounced off my legs). I stood up with my feet on grass where the drivers side window should have been and turned off the ignition, lights and accessories. A panicked crowed was all around my truck by this time to include the fire chief (and his trucks flashing lights) - my aux tank was dumping fuel and the smell was making them very nervous over my safety. I assured them that I was injury free and out of danger and went about gathering my things - I just needed to take that minute to say goodbye to and old friend.
So, here we are... I wanted to share this with all of you before I made the call to my insurance company. I needed to come to peace with this before I made that call - I needed to be ready to hand the truck over to them instead of being ready to fight for it. The truck still has great potential, but not for me. It will need a new rotor, hub and all those front axel parts, a front left fender, front grill, maybe a hood, hard top (dented but fixable), and drivers side door.
OK, that is it. I am off to make my calls. I will let you know what happens.
Christopher Soliday
Well my friends, today is a very different day
Lately, I have wished that I had my Bronco 5 years into the future - not now. I love the hobby - it fits my personality so well, but it truly does not fit in my life at this time. I have two young boys (and one on the way) and they love to play with Daddy. I love to play with them. Unfortunately, the EB is just not ready to play. It keeps needing parts - it is a very "needy" hobby and it's timing is never in sync with my families financial needs. Though mornings like yesterday (when everything seams to be working perfect) tease me into thinking that I am almost there; I just know better. Don't we all? These are never ending projects. Don't get me wrong, it is ok for a hobby to be needy or time consuming, but only if it fits the rest of the life style.
Working on the truck is usually a joy for me, but then again, I am always pressed for time right now and that is not joyful. When time is available at home, I feel the need to spend it with my family vice working on the truck and so a conflict has emerged. I only have a car port, so my family can not conveniently join me outside to work on the truck (plus parking is an everyday haste). When I am working on my truck, my youngest usually ends up getting locked inside the house so I can concentrate on working fast (in order to be on time with our next family event). With him in the window, working on the truck is not where my heart is. Sure, I long to work on the truck, but I long to be with him more.
Sometimes I wish he was older so he can help me: would I really give up enjoying him now for my own desire to have a truck? Would it be right for me to think this for my unborn son as well? This thought and others like it perplex me - how dare I think them.
The thought keeps coming to my mind: can I not find a satisfying mechanical hobby that my boys could be a part of? I then think: can I store the Bronco for later years because it clearly is not the proper hobby for right now - and it definitely takes away from whatever that proper hobby may be? I have never come up with a plan that works, and days like yesterday, when everything seems to be working right; my mind shifts focus back to me and my own selfish desires vice my family and their best interest. The problem with fantasy is that reality usually enters back into consciousness with a bang.
My bang came at 6:30 last night as I was heading to church in the rain. "Bang" and low and behold I had no right front tire. I am not sure if I hit a pot-hole or what, but my front right tire (and rim) left the Bronco at 55mph on Prince William Parkway - no warning. The road was packed solid with traffic in both directions. We never did see the tire again! Gone - just like that! The truck dove into an endow. As a helicopter mechanic, I understand the forces of nature pretty well - I should have started to cartwheel end-over-end. Instead, I slid on my bumper for a bit before the Lord pushed the rear of the truck back down. Seriously, the fire chief that was right behind me got his first glimpse of my shiny new driveshaft while I was still on the road.
The road turned right and the hub hooked soft ground to the left: I then went into a long sideways slide into the median where I encountered two more miracles: One, I somehow made it past the low point in the median and back up the other side without flipping and two, the truck spun around and headed back down the embankment instead of continuing straight into the oncoming 55mph traffic. The truck was now facing the proper side of the parkway, but I was up the embankment on the opposite side of the median. The truck was still in a slide, but now the driver's side was taking the lead. Since that side was dragging a hub in the dirt and listing by over a foot - the truck finally flipped over.
Before I could get up out of the glass, there were red lights flashing everywhere. For a second, I wondered if I had been knocked out (I was trying to figure out how the rescue squads had already arrived) - then the trailer hitch found it's way out from under the passenger seat (where I store it) and woke me up (bounced off my legs). I stood up with my feet on grass where the drivers side window should have been and turned off the ignition, lights and accessories. A panicked crowed was all around my truck by this time to include the fire chief (and his trucks flashing lights) - my aux tank was dumping fuel and the smell was making them very nervous over my safety. I assured them that I was injury free and out of danger and went about gathering my things - I just needed to take that minute to say goodbye to and old friend.
So, here we are... I wanted to share this with all of you before I made the call to my insurance company. I needed to come to peace with this before I made that call - I needed to be ready to hand the truck over to them instead of being ready to fight for it. The truck still has great potential, but not for me. It will need a new rotor, hub and all those front axel parts, a front left fender, front grill, maybe a hood, hard top (dented but fixable), and drivers side door.
OK, that is it. I am off to make my calls. I will let you know what happens.
Christopher Soliday
