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18 1/2 Horses on Saratoga Court
For years I've watched my neighbors cruising around their yards on their riding lawnmowers. I'm not sure who was the first, but on some Saturday mornings last July, with all the neighborhood intent on clipping their front lawns, it sounded like NASCAR practice runs. That can interrupt a guy's sleep, you know.
From the front end of Saratoga Court, all the way up the street and into the cul-de-sac, guys would be riding their lawn mowers, baseball caps bouncing atop their heads, smiling and waving to passersby. I'd always wanted to be among them. I wanted to join Jeff and Si and Casey and Floyd and the rest. But there I'd be, grass up to my knees, pulling the cord on an old gas-powered push-along lawnmower.
Times have changed, my friends! Last week I accepted delivery on a Craftsman 18 1/2 horsepower, six-speed riding Foxmobile lawnmower. Candy apple red and with black trim. All I had to do was gas 'er up and rev my 18 1/2 horses alongside my neighbors. Easier said than done!
The first problem I encountered was where to put the gas. I know it goes into the gas tank, but, where, oh, where, is that gas tank? I thumbed through the manual. If you know me, you know I'm about the least mechanical guy on the street. Okay, least mechanical guy in Plattsburgh ... or the county. But I had good intentions: cut that knee-high grass down to neighborhood-acceptable length. The technical writing failed to inform me of the whereabouts of the gas tank. I checked under the hood. I looked my Craftsman over from side-to-side. No gas tank. I looked at all the pictures in the manual. No picture of a gas tank.
Twenty minutes later I found it. It's always the last place you look! Why in the world would they put the gas tank under the seat? Under the very spot where I sit! If anything goes wrong I could be blasted over to Crescent Drive. Craftsman should know better!
Gas tank filled I was ready to pull out of my garage and head onto my shaggy front lawn. I followed the step-by-step procedures in the manual. Ten minutes later I was ready to move forward, and did so, bolting out of my garage, heading directly towards a head-on collision with my car parked in the driveway. Only a last-second stomp on the brakes saved me from an embarrassing front-page story in the Press Republican. I'm sure no one ever before has been killed by crashing a lawnmower head-on into their own car!
Slowly I moved all the levers to the proper positions and was on my way to my front lawn. Motor purring, blades engaged and cutting, gear shifted to #1, then #2. Oh, my, that's fast enough! I can't imagine how fast it will go when I work my way up to #6. I was driving my first lawnmower. Moving at a safe pace, waiting for someone to drive by and see me. My baseball cap was bouncing, I was smiling and the lawn was finally going to be like my neighbors' lawns. All 18 1/2 horses were happy!
It's quite a machine, a long leap from the days of 48 Johnson Avenue and the old wooden-handled push mower that Dad had. You never ran out of gas with that one. Maybe run out of manpower, but not gas. You would watch the blades of grass go flying through the metal blades. I never liked mowing the lawn and would always try to pawn it off on my brother.
I think the neighbors are happy I've got a riding lawnmower. I think they are hoping that Foxy will finally keep his lawn neat. I'm not promising that, but I am intriqued by this 18 1/2 horsepower machine I sit on. I wonder how fast this baby can go! Is it legal to drive it on city streets? I don't know how many horses my neighbors have, but I think my 18 1/2 might be the best stable on the block. I'm thinking that by the end of summer we might be ready for the First Annual Saratoga Court Lawnmower Races. I've got 18 1/2 horses ready to go!
Comments
good thing you made Gus the flagman, because he sure does not mow. just ask his dad...but now that don has gotten a rider for father's day, he may ride down to saratoga for the day for qualifying.
(Foxy's note: It's too late for the Mayor's Cup 200, but maybe we can get this organized in time for the Labor Day 300.)
Posted by: Cricket | June 20, 2006 10:07 PM
Hey Foxy,
Great to hear you're having fun with your new tractor. Too bad you got the '05 model, the new '06 model has 20 HP. I'm not sure you would be able to handle all that power though! Thanks for coming in and buying it!
(Foxy's note: Mark Tiffer was the salesman who made me an offer I couldn't refuse when I bought the Craftsman Foxmobile. I think in a few years I'll be ready for 20 horses!)
Posted by: Mark Tiffer | June 1, 2006 10:52 PM
Foxy, I just coudn't pass this one up. It was 1995 and I had just purchased my new Simplicity "Rider" to replace my aging MTD. A couple guys in the band came over one night after a gig for a bonfire and before you know it, the race was on. Two in the morning, a bonfire, and a couple of cold ones. One can only imagine what the neighbors thought!! Some time I'll tell you about a full contact volleyball game under the same circumstances. LOL...
(Foxy's note: I'm happy to hear the Randy still has his moments of insanity!! Just like the ol' days! Some things never change!)
Posted by: Randy Vaughn | June 1, 2006 9:31 AM
I think you should get the racing career started out at Airborne in a couple weeks in the media race. Messner has been kicking everybodys rear end for the past few years and needs a new challenger. Bring the Goose along and he can block for you, it will be just like Nascar.
(Foxy's note: Let me get a year under my belt with the Craftsman. Then, who knows?)
Posted by: Rick K | May 31, 2006 10:22 AM
Foxy,
Glad to see you up and around at the go cart races Monday evening. Believe it or not they actually have lawnmower races, mostly at county fairs and such though. Was there any connection between you being at the races Monday and the delivery of the mower?
Celebrity lawn mower races at the fair... Foxy, Tom Messner, Mark Sudol maybe even Gordie Little. That would be a great charity event.
Keep up the good work - love reading the blogs.
(Foxy's note: OK, Chris, since you have heard of lawnmower races, you will be our Official Starter!)
Posted by: Chris Heckard | May 31, 2006 12:12 AM
Hey Fox, I think your idea of a riding lawnmower race is great. I think it should be held in the Penfield Park parking lot next to the football field. There could multiple Saratoga Court qualifying heats that lead up to the grand finale, Craftsman Cup. Gus Terry
(Foxy's note: Gus, I have just appointed you the Chief Flagman for the event!)
Posted by: Gus Terry | May 30, 2006 8:03 PM