"We've NEVER Seen This Before!" -Polaris Representative

I am linking up for my weekly dose of inspiration from Mama Kat with her Pretty Much World Famous Writing Workshop.

Assignment:  Tell Us About Something You Broke.

Hmmm...this was an easy one for me.  Kinda.  Actually, no...it was really hard!  I break A.Lot.Of.Things. on a regular basis.  Since I was a kid I was "labelled"; irresponsible, careless, rough, bull in a china shop, klutz, clumsy...you get the picture.  However, my newest "label" comes from my Bestie, LeeAnn's husband, Jerry...are you ready for it?  Broche A Foin (said; brush-a-f-wan) it's French for; irresponsible, careless, rough, bull in a china shop, klutz, clumsy...you get the picture!  LOL!

Because there were sooooo many things I have broken, I decided to go with the most costly thing I have broken in recent years.  My dad's Polaris Ranger.  My dad's $16,200 Polaris Ranger.  I snapped the steering column right in half and APPARENTLY "they" (meaning the Polaris mechanics) had NEVER seen this happen in ALL THEIR YEARS of service.  Humph.  I guess that's why it cost $1400 to get it fixed...ouch!

Sorry Dad for making some kinda "new record" for the gang over at Polaris.

Thanks Dad for once again bailing me out of a tough financial situation!

Ok, so let me give you a little background on the who, when, where and HOW of this "situation".  Every year we travel to Ontario to visit family & friends, it's one of my favorite vay-K's of the year.  For 10 days or so, we head way up North to my dad's camp...DA CAMP!  It's beautiful serenity out there and I cherish every moment I have had the pleasure of spending up there.  It's BEAUTIFUL!  It's remote...

View of the lake from the cabins

Main Cabin, Guest Cabin & Storage Sheds

When my dad first build DA CAMP he had to hire float planes to fly in all the materials.  I vaguely remember the few trips we made up their via air because the bulk of my memories of how we got to the camp involves roads, boats and ATV's.  Throughout most of my childhood, we would drive 3 hours to a parking lot in the middle of the forest and then boat across a very large lake to a tiny little river.  I would get out of the boat and make my way through a small shoreline path while my dad wadded through the tiny river, pulling the boat and all our $hit.  I would then climb back into the boat and we'd cross another large lake until we reached our home sweet come for the weekend.  It was a long haul...for dad...I always had a BLAST!  It was like a new adventure each time and you never knew what would go wrong happen...LOL!

For the last couple decades the trip into the camp involves no boating and a lot of ATV'ing.  Can you say FUN??  While the trip in is a lot less daunting it never comes without that wonderful feeling of the unknown adventure that lies ahead or the things that will may go wrong.  Arrive at the "Broken Steering Column on the Ranger that has NEVER been done before" part of the story...

My two Bestie's LeeAnn & Karen and I decided to take the Ranger out for a "ride" and while the trails in and out of the camp are well build and maintained, you must appreciate that they were cut, dug, blasted and "groomed" by my dad, his Bestie's and the other cottagers on the lake.  Read: It's in the middle of the bush and it's full of pot holes, huge hills (up n' down) and tree stumps.  Damn Tree Stumps.

Anywho, the ranger comfortably seated the 3 of us and off we went on our journey to the road to meet a "latecomer".  As I was safely rounding a corner and NOT at all driving overly fast, a tree stump must have ran into us I must have ran into a tree stump and I hit the gas when I should have hit the BRAKE!  The next thing I knew I went flying off and Karen came flying off behind me but LeeAnn somehow managed not to go flying!?!  I can remember feeling horrified as I got to my feet and thought I had killed my friends.  However, after dramatically overreacting I calmly assessed their well being and  it was established that no one was seriously injured, we climbed back into the Ranger (which was still running by the way) and assumed we could just drive off.  WRONG!  While the beast was running as if everything was honky-dory, it wouldn't shift gears and oddly, the steering wheel just turned around and around and around.  I knew something was wrong but I had no idea just HOW WRONG!

Long story long, we walked through the forest, back to the camp.  Me crying like a baby (it's amazing how even in your 30's, the potential wrath of your mother can still bring you to tears...LMAO!), Karen hobbling (apparently her injuries were late to set in) and LeeAnn totally freaking us out about potential bear attacks and quizzing us on the "what to do and NOT to do if attacked" after seeing a few fresh paw prints on the path back to Da Camp.  It was horrible.  It was memorable.

The next day, the "boys" went back to the scene of the accident and retrieved the broken Ranger, using some very innovative means I might add, good job boys, sorry it took most of the morning to haul it back!

Two ATV's & a Boat Trailer Later the Broken Ranger Arrives Back at Da Camp!

Daddy Dave, My Daddy & Jerry

In case you are wondering, this is what a broken steering column on a Polaris Ranger looks like...

On the bright side of things (I'm a glass 1/2 full kinda gal), never say something is impossible Polaris, especially if you are a Broche A Foin!!

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