For the past couple of weeks, I have been watching a few YouTube videos of National Cowboy poetry competition.
One headline title that caught my eye was “Three Wheeler.” I began wondering what that had to do with cowboy, horses or cows, so I had to watch it.
The man’s poem was about how he had been roping cows and a youngster pulled up with a three-wheeler and took off on the back two wheels across the field.
He proceeded to talk about how his buddies talked him into jumping on that little machine. When he put his spurs into the front wheel he had nothing but trouble and thought he was going to kill himself before he could get off. It was funny!
It reminded me of my own experience many years ago when I was about 20 years old. I thought I needed a Honda 200 three-wheeler. I had never ridden one.
I borrowed the money and bought a brand new one. It was winter time, cold and just rained when I unloaded it in my yard.
I remember cranking it up and taking off down my dirt road.
At about 50 yards I decided to look back behind me. When I looked back ahead, I was headed towards the ditch.
I hit it and was flying over the handle bars. I landed flat on my back in a ditch full of cold water and the three-wheeler was upside down and still running with a right front bent handle bar.
I got up, made sure I had no broken bones and wiped the water out of my eyes. The only thing that was hurt was my pride.
I was glad no one saw what happened as I flipped it back over, got on it and rode it back to the house and parked it. I didn’t ride it again for a couple of weeks.
I realized right then and there that it was easy to get hurt on one of those things.
• Wayne Morgan is freelance wildlife photographer and author.
