My Inner Dumbass

I went four-wheeling with some friends yesterday on a borrowed machine.  We ended up on what ATV enthusiasts term a “technical” trail.  Back in my hometown of East Helena, Montana, we called this sort of trail a scary pile of loose rocks—usually with a few expletives thrown in.    

Before we started climbing the pile of rocks, my buddy yelled out, “Make sure you are in four-low!”

I shifted into low, but neglected to switch to four-wheel mode.

Halfway up the hill, I kicked free a rock and got stuck in something of a deep hole.  We are talking dangerous and ugly.

Long story made short, someone finally got me to engage four-wheel mode and I slowly crabbed up to safer places.

I have a lifetime filled with these kinds of stupid mistakes and oversites.  For years and years, I beat myself up over this kind of stuff.  I made myself unhappy in doing so.

Fortunately, I have learned to accept my inner dumbass.

Off I rode, as happy as the next guy.

—Mitchell Hegman