Truck fun in the Mud- with a Point!

Ok, it's about time I posted something else so here goes. I finally figured out a semi-decent process for editing and uploading video and keeping the audio synchronized. So here's another clip of one of my old trucks- and this one has a bit of a point to it. This is mostly random footage of me driving around in an old truck in the mud (with me narrating a bit at the end). That might sound sort of silly or like a waste to some people, like that money could have been spent elsewhere- or on a vehicle that got much better gas mileage. However, here's the point. I always thought a 4x4 truck would be pretty cool and followed that "dream" and eventually ended up with two different trucks. My bigger green truck in particular (see older posts) was a pretty unique vehicle and quite an attention getter. If I ever wanted attention from hundreds of people, all I had to do was drive in front of an elementary school during recess or around home time, and all the boys would turn and watch the truck drive by. The girls really didn't get it but most of the guys would say something like Cool! Monster Truck!



I was never all that interested in the attention, but the other type of attention this truck got was from older guys in parking lots. Probably every other week, I'd be going into a mall or something and some older gentleman would make a friendly comment on the truck as I was getting out and heading to the store. Some guys would say "Nice truck, reminds me of one I used to have". Other guys would say with a little bit of regret in their voice "Nice truck, I always wanted to build/own a truck like that".

AHA!, that's the thing I'm avoiding! I never want to be the 65 year old man that says "I always wanted to....but now I can't..." Obviously you can't pursue every little dream, but I definitely want to have some fun with the ones I can. I want to be the 65 year old man who says "I wanted to have a big ugly monster truck, and I did! and it was fun!" :) Luckily I don't have particularly huge or expensive dreams, like to own a Ferrari or a helicopter or a space station :).

So, that's the moral of the story, and here's one more quick little funny anecdote: You may have heard the phrase "If you have to ask- you won't understand" in various circumstances. It always sounded a little elitist or snobbish to me, as in- "you're beneath understanding this, or this is out of your league". However, a situation came up one time where this phrase applied perfectly, (although I never actually said it) and it wasn't elitist- just someone on a whole different wavelength. So here's the story.

I don't recall the exact location but I was just getting into or out of this truck, which was covered in mud and five or six guys came up and we had a little chat about it. After some preliminary chat, one of the guys asked what I did with the truck. I said "Well, it's my daily driver but I also mess around with it in the the bush and mud sometimes". Another guy added his agreement and said "Yea, it's a perfect truck for that". Then the first guy said, looking completely baffled, "Why would you drive through the mud"?

....Umm, why would I drive through mud.... how do you explain to someone why you drive through mud. The second guy and I looked at each other and back at the first guy with that look that says "I know there's a good answer to this, but I have no idea how to explain it to you". We both completely understood why, but it's just hard to explain to someone why you would drive through mud. I suppose there are a few correct answers to this question but none really help the listener understand the motivation. Two correct answers might be "because it's fun" and "because it's there".

I think I just answered "Just for fun, like some people collect stamps". Since I had the second guy on my side the first guy acknowledged "Oh, ok, I see." but he still had that look like he'd just met someone with an extremely eccentric hobby... Anyway, I think that's the first time I've really thought "If you have to ask, you won't understand" :).