Four-Wheeler First

From MemoryArchive

Who: A.V.
What: First Four-Wheeler Drive
When: May 2007
Where: Indiana

Four-Wheeler First

The first time I drove my four-wheeler was a great feeling. The adrenaline rushing through my veins, droplets of sweat running down my face, wind rushing through my hair causing it to whip into my face. It was so much fun.

I went outside to walk in the woods one Saturday afternoon because I couldn’t drive the four-wheeler. I had asked my dad to get it out and let me drive it but he told me he would give me a ride instead. That’s why when he pulled up without my little brother, Zach, on the back like he had been for the past half and hour, it surprised me. I could smell the gasoline that he had just put in it mixed with the smell of his usual strong aftershave. I hated the smell but somehow the gasoline managed to cover it up. He was covered in mud; too, he had obviously been driving through the woods. When I asked him where Zach was, he told me that he had made him get off. I rolled my eyes and started to walk off into the woods. I told him that I didn’t want a ride but then I heard him say something that stopped me in my tracks and made me turn around. His gruff voice was telling me that he was going to let me drive all on my own. That he wouldn’t be behind me ordering me around. That I could drive wherever I wanted. I ran back to the side of the four-wheeler and looked up at my dad with wide eyes. I couldn’t believe what he had just said. This would have been the first time with no one helping me. My dad jumped off and the four-wheeler raised a couple of inches and stepped to the side. I jumped on and immediately expected to feel my dad jump back on behind me but to my surprise he handed me the keys and started to walk back towards the house. I looked at the keys and then jammed them into the dash and turned them. I heard the engine try to start but it turned over. I took them out and tried again with the same end. I looked up and saw my dad walking back towards me. When he got back, he started the engine and then started walking back to the house again. When he was half way back, I turned and started speeding towards him. I didn’t expect it to go as fast as it did and after a short lurch I pulled my thumb off the gas so fast that I about flew over the handles. My dad looked back and I gave him a thumbs up and he turned back around. After he had walked a few steps I pushed on the throttle again, a little softer this time, and started riding toward him again. When I got past him I pushed on the throttle harder and started riding off.

I didn’t close my eyes for a minute. I didn’t think I could even if I had wanted to. The excitement I felt was exhilarating. I could feel wind hitting my face and whipping my hair every which way. I think I zoned out then because after a few minutes of riding, I almost flew over the handle bars for a second time but this time I couldn’t start going forward again. I looked around and couldn’t see why I had stopped. My engine was purring and the wheels were turning but I still wasn’t going anywhere. I got off and looked under the body and saw why I was stuck. There was a small tree hooked on a part of the undercarriage. I reached under and manipulated the tree away from my four-wheeler and got back on. I started to drive off and this time it worked. I rode back to the barn when we kept the four-wheeler in and turned it off. I jumped off and grabbed the keys and ran back to the house to tell my dad how much fun I had but I didn’t tell him about the tree.