What’s made you happy for a change

[Big Sandy]

I could buy one, but hiring one wasn't allowed?

I used to have the licence and certifications years ago. That rule is a joke, but basically what it means is you can buy a saw, "as long as you only use your saw on your property". That's why they can't hire one to you as you don't have the bit of paper to say you are covered if you put a cedar tree through some bodies roof other than your own, and it's not your saw, so.... You buy the saw, and you can't use it anywhere other than your own property, no cutting your pals firewood without the proper paperwork.

Crazy, right?

Incidentally, the guy I did the certificate training with died whilst felling a tree, so what good the training?

 

[MartytheMartian]

Forestry is all automated around here now but, back before that, there were a hell of a lot of forestry guys killed by falling trees, rogue branches and chainsaw accidents.

My old Dad has a chainsaw certificate and all the gear and damn near killed himself - Not with the saw though, daft bastard slipped and fell out of the tree he was taking branches off. Funny story - The old sod was sent to an open prison for embezzling his company and it was there he got his chainsaw training and certificate and, when he was released he walked out with all the protective gear! That's rehabilitation of offenders for you. One of the first people to call on him once he was out was a representative of a Glasgow crime boss wanting to know if he would be interested in putting his 'creative accounting' skills to good use.

You know the joke is that my old Dad reckoned that I was the greasy biker reprobate of the family and would probably end up in jail or worse. I've never had so much as a speeding ticket or stolen anything and I ain't never been to jail and I hold myself to a strict code of honour in everything I do.

 

[Don the Don]

some old pal's of mine were wood cutters, had their own mill powered by old stationary Fordson majors, we always held the buggers to one side when cutting saw a bloke with a "V" cut in his helmet visor were the chain cut when it kicked back, mind you they are also handy for cutting up Deer bit messy but do the job, don't ask me how I know.

 

[Big Sandy]

My closest brush was when felling and logging an old beech, it was in the fence line, so was very very careful for the fist six feet or so from ground level, just checking to make sure there was no wire, or nails/staples. All good.

Got to about 15 feet up, (it was on the ground by this time) sawing away quite the thing, big rings coming off neatly. Then BANG the saw kicked like a mule, and the chain went flying off past my ear and embedded itself in my jacket. Bloody shat myself!

A bit of work with the axe and a couple of wedges and there was the problem. It was a Clydesdale sized horse shoe! Somebody must have thrown it up there, who knows, a hundred years before?

Lost a friend to a windblown tree, he was logging it, knocked off for lunch and sat with his back against the roots in the sunshine. He'd taken enough weight off the trunk for all the soil in the roots to be teetering in the balance. It fell back in the hole while he was sat in it.

Nowadays I rarely use the saw, only have an old McCulloch now, sold all the Stihl and Husq ones years ago. I'd probably kill myself now!

 

[Big Sandy]

I ain't never been to jail

I've been in Risley remand centre. Working there, though. (not a screw, construction maintenance). Not a nice place... One of the inmates threw a bucket full of piss out of his window over my ganger, soaked him. We knocked off early that day so he could get a shower. The next day we parked an old petter engined dumper under his window and left it ticking over all day. Lovely blue haze, hope it choked the twat.

 

[Capt. Drunkey]

Thanks for the cheering up, mates! I spent 2 hours on the bike today. Our temperatures are finally reaching the magic 20s
Don't worry, I will not neglect the RE. It's a fantastic bike and completely different in character than the Scout. I dare say that on a long haul it is even the more comfortable machine due to its completely relaxed seating-position. It does remind me very much of the Bonnie T120 when it comes to the upright way, you sit on it, whereas on the 101 Scout your body is under more tension while riding. You always have to remind yourself to keep your back straight... Otherwise it's an awesome bike as well.

 

[MartytheMartian]

You want to try riding a Bonnie with clubman bars and rearsets @Capt. Drunkey anything is more comfortable than that! That's what I've got on the one I took for MOT yesterday. By God! thirty odd miles to the MOT centre and then back again and my spine felt like I had been on the rack and my wrists were/are killing me. Going down the steep hills locally felt like I was doing handstands! Why on Earth did I think that putting those things on the bike were 'Cool'?

 

[Big Sandy]

Thanks for the cheering up, mates! I spent 2 hours on the bike today. Our temperatures are finally reaching the magic 20s

What's it like, this magic 20's? Been 11° here...I'm out in a tee shirt. Plonker next door still has a bobble hat, polar fleece and gloves on!

 

[Capt. Drunkey]

You want to try riding a Bonnie with clubman bars and rearsets @Capt. Drunkey anything is more comfortable than that! That's what I've got on the one I took for MOT yesterday. By God! thirty odd miles to the MOT centre and then back again and my spine felt like I had been on the rack and my wrists were/are killing me. Going down the steep hills locally felt like I was doing handstands! Why on Earth did I think that putting those things on the bike were 'Cool'?

Marty, that sounds just like how I felt on the Thruxton RS… All those 30 kph zones in the villages here were killing me. Above 100 kph - as the wind took some weight from my wrists - it was an almost comfortable ride though.