Holy Cow Tractor Pulling Team

Monday, October 06, 2008

Arcola, IN (session 2)
Well I was wrong about the heat situation. When we got up, it was damn cold inside. When I stepped outside, I saw that everything was covered in frost. This is the first pull I can remember waking up to frost.

Anyway, again, there wasn't much to do on the tractor. We checked it over and got a game plan for that night. Then, we had a end of season cook-out. Lots of family and friends joined with us to celebrate a fun and enjoyable 15-year pulling career.

We had a great hook and finished 4th, which really is the best I thought I could do. We were the first non-Hemi tractor and lost to Feiss and the two Jostock tractors. sure, it would have been nice to end on a win, but I honestly did better than I expected, and some really good iron had shown up.

So, we loaded the tractor up and left to spend the night with Brad and Shannon who live nearby. This was especially welcomed as they have a heater in their house.

And, so just like that, we are done pulling. A lot of people have asked when will I get into next, and I really am done with competition. Pulling became a second job and we gave up so much in other areas of our lives so we could work on the tractor to be ready for the next pull. So, we are looking forward to the days when someone will offer us tickets to a race, or invite us over for a BBQ, or meet up with motorcycle friends on internet, and actually be able to do it.

Sure, I will probably have some hobby or project, but I don't think I am interested in a competition. I toyed with building a hybrid-electric car from scratch. I thought about buying or building a large scale live steam train to play with. I thought about getting my model trains back out and building a train layout again. I know I will spend more time riding my motorcycle. We are already planning a trip to South Dakota for a BMW rally next year. Who knows what else may pop up.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Arcola, IN (session 1)
We arrived and hung out waiting for the pull to start. I was warm and clear when we left the Delphi parking lot, but got dark and cloudy. The Arcola crew as always was eager to please the pullers and I watched some volunteers place a large fire ring and a large pile of firewood in the wooded area in front of our hauler. If you haven't been to Arcola, let me describe the pits. The track runs south-to-north with bleachers on each side. The pits are to the west side. Immediately behind the bleachers, about mid track, is the scale. Further west of that is a large cluster of very tall trees. Now, this is not a forest, but well spaced trees with grass in between. All of the pullers park around this cluster of trees and there is a dirt road the completely encircles the trees. So, anyway, we hang out and generally have a leisurely day. There is really nothing to do to the tractor and we just try to soak in our last pulling experience.

As we get close to pull time, the temperature really starts to drop. We are second class and when it came time to warm it up, it was a challenge. We had to switch to gasoline, as the methanol just wouldn't light. Once we got it started, it was fine. So, Stacey pulls the tractor with Brad driving around the far west side of the trees and I finish getting my fire suit on and would meet them at the scales. By now, the sun had set and the trees were clocked in blackness. I am cutting straight through the cluster heading for the scales and, BOOM, I am on the ground. As soon as I realized I tripped over something, I knew I must have walked into the wood pile. I was thinking I need to be careful getting up because all the little logs would want to roll and shoot out from under me. It was then I realized, it wasn't the logs, but the fire ring. Luckily, there was no fire yet, but then if there had been, I would have seen it in the first place. I hit is square and fell across the top. I skinned up my shin really bad on on side, and skinned my forearm really bad on the other. Then, I landed on the ring so that the 1/4" thick steel fire ring hit just below my rib cage. That nearly knocked the wind out of me and hurt really bad. So I limp on over to the scale.

Since we had trouble getting it started, we were a little late getting to the scale. So, now we kind of had to hurry, and there was really no time to see how bad I was hurt. I knew my arm was bleeding some, but other than that, it would have to wait. I have to say this for Arcola, because of the nice stand of trees, the pit is a little strange and easily congested. This year, they did a fantastic job in staging the tractors and lining everyone up.

Anyway, we pull and I was in the wrong gear. This was really my first 3-motor hook of the year. I pulled at Frankfort, but that was such a horrible track and a horrible hook for me, that I couldn't really learn anything. I made significant chassis changes over the winter and I caused me to change my setup in the 4-motor class, but I didn't have that chance to dial in the 3-motor class. Even the few hooks I had on the GN circuit with 3 motors didn't help because I was pulling a 4-motor sled. So, we didn't finish as well as we hoped, but for the first good 3 motor hook of the year, I was pleased.

We got the tractor back to the hauler and I watched the LSS class, but gave up because it was just too freakin' cold. I think at the end of the pull, is was lower 40's or upper 30's.

When I get back to the camper, I change clothes and see both my arm and leg had been bleeding, but stopped and my abdomen had the start of a good bruise, but overall I looked OK. The hauler was still warm. We don't have a heater, but with 4 adults and a dog and a baby in the small, well insulated, living area, I thought we would be OK.

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