So why a photo of my old tractor? Well I had been busy today cleaning sheds, and restacking firewood so the seasoned wood would be able to be all on one side of woodshed and have room to put this years wood. That was a very good workout, but then brings us to the tractor photo.
Last winter I had a wheel clamp come loose and sheer off the bolts. My son in law got the broken bolts out of the clamp last week, so it was time for me to get it put back together.
So what does that have to do with fitness? Well the clamp was not lining up right and because the wheel would not move to get it lines up...i had it jacked up and on blocks. Seeing the wheel would not move enough to get clamps on I headed to my shop to get a steel bar to try and move the wheel in place. On the way to shop I heard a thud and when I turned around the darn wheel fell off...when things go wrong they really go wrong. That wheel has to weigh 600 pounds (275 kilograms).
No one was available to help so how on earth was I going to get it back up? Lifting is out of the questions so I started gathering blocks of wood and a round piece of firewood to use as a fulcrum. I gradually lifted the wheel a little at a time...placing blocks of wood under it and then would get a bigger fulcrum until I could no further. Then I walked to barn to get a heavy duty block and tackle and connected one end to the tire I was trying to lift and the other end to the other tire ( I have chains on the tires). To my surprise it worked and I was able to get it up...
It took another couple of hours to get it in place so I could start the bolts into clamp.
I was pushing my self to my limits. I could feel my heart hitting or exceeding my maximum heart rate for my age. My shirt was soaked with sweat.
I still have not finished but my body had reached its limits for the day...i left the block and tackle in place to keep the darn wheel from falling again until I can finish it.
Counting steps is one thing but one has to also consider the actually physical activity and the heart rate.
Well, that brings me to a close of this post. What a day, or at least some good activity leading up to an intense couple of hours that was not a lot of fun...but I did it.
