What keeps you motivated?

Stuntman Autoworks said:
This for me but it also comes down to that I actually enjoy doing it. All the hours in the shop all the money spent all the time taken to go on trips (closest place is 3hrs, harlan is 6) doesn't matter. I have several hobbies and I make them all work because I really enjoy doing them. My personal opinion is if you keep making excuses as to why you cant go ride or why you don't have time to work on something etc etc... then you probably dont really enjoy what your doing.
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I hear what you're saying, and @CasterTroy as well. I truly enjoy it, too, but I do get overwhelmed from time to time just because of all the work I have left to do on this thing to even get it moving again, vs. the time that I don't have. I wish it were as simple as I'm just making excuses, but...I've got a retarded schedule, many obligations, etc. etc.... anyway, I'm thinking I've got a chance at some life changes in the near future that might facilitate me getting my ass (and the CJ) back in gear! I heard that news on the DL today at work, and waiting for the official announcement for a new opening...I'm definitely going to slide my resume across that manager's desk, and hope to God/Allah/Sun/Moon/Stars/Thor/Zeus/Whothehellever that I get a fighting chance at taking this. Just hearing of the opportunity brightened me up tremendously. Don't really want to get my hopes up too high, but we'll see!
 
Scooter402 said:
I hear what you're saying, and @CasterTroy as well. I truly enjoy it, too, but I do get overwhelmed from time to time just because of all the work I have left to do on this thing to even get it moving again, vs. the time that I don't have. I wish it were as simple as I'm just making excuses, but...I've got a retarded schedule, many obligations, etc. etc.... anyway, I'm thinking I've got a chance at some life changes in the near future that might facilitate me getting my ass (and the CJ) back in gear! I heard that news on the DL today at work, and waiting for the official announcement for a new opening...I'm definitely going to slide my resume across that manager's desk, and hope to God/Allah/Sun/Moon/Stars/Thor/Zeus/Whothehellever that I get a fighting chance at taking this. Just hearing of the opportunity brightened me up tremendously. Don't really want to get my hopes up too high, but we'll see!
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2 kids
a wife that works 10 hr shifts
I work a rotating day/night 12hr shift
Have a business on the side
Getting into another business

If I can find the time to go wheel and work on stuff and keep a house up and vacation with family and go to ball games and practices and take kids to school etc etc... Then anyone can.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
2 kids
a wife that works 10 hr shifts
I work a rotating day/night 12hr shift
Have a business on the side
Getting into another business

If I can find the time to go wheel and work on stuff and keep a house up and vacation with family and go to ball games and practices and take kids to school etc etc... Then anyone can.
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Okay, honestly you got me there. My wife works days, I work nights, we juggle the child care responsibilities to avoid daycare. Wife wants family time on the weekends since we pretty much don't see one another during the week, thus she gets pissed if I want to go in the garage on the weekends (again @CasterTroy nailed it).

But, like I said...you got me beat there. I used to work in the garage during the daytime before I went to work, but that was before our daughter came along. She's still a little too young for me to bring her in the garage, but if I keep patient...maybe I can start tinkering here and there sometime in the near future.

But, you are exactly right. If it's something I really want to do, then I have to MAKE time for it. That's why in my build thread, I've got some pics/commentary on making parts and fiddling with stuff during my lunch/break times in the machine shop at work. I do still get to work on stuff here and there, but it's literally for only minutes at a time. One of these days...

Looking at the pics some of y'all posted up, it's really getting me jonesing to get back in the garage again. I'll have to maybe wait for warmer weather (since PA sucks balls and isn't in the 60s and 70s right now...), and perhaps I can strap the kid in the stroller and have her right there with me, so long as I can keep her entertained.
 
Scooter402 said:
Okay, honestly you got me there. My wife works days, I work nights, we juggle the child care responsibilities to avoid daycare. Wife wants family time on the weekends since we pretty much don't see one another during the week, thus she gets pissed if I want to go in the garage on the weekends (again @CasterTroy nailed it).

But, like I said...you got me beat there. I used to work in the garage during the daytime before I went to work, but that was before our daughter came along. She's still a little too young for me to bring her in the garage, but if I keep patient...maybe I can start tinkering here and there sometime in the near future.

But, you are exactly right. If it's something I really want to do, then I have to MAKE time for it. That's why in my build thread, I've got some pics/commentary on making parts and fiddling with stuff during my lunch/break times in the machine shop at work. I do still get to work on stuff here and there, but it's literally for only minutes at a time. One of these days...

Looking at the pics some of y'all posted up, it's really getting me jonesing to get back in the garage again. I'll have to maybe wait for warmer weather (since PA sucks balls and isn't in the 60s and 70s right now...), and perhaps I can strap the kid in the stroller and have her right there with me, so long as I can keep her entertained.
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Our kids are just old enough now that we take them to daycare/pre preschool 2 days a week to get some interaction with other kids and get used to playing with others besides mommy and daddy. On days that Im off while they are in school Im able to get some done before I pick them up at 5. Might be something yall look into. Mine are still too young to take to the shop they will pull something on top of them soon as I turn around.

I'll never forget me and @DirkaDirka875 where at my shop and I bent the first brake line for my buggy and my wife called saying her water broke for our first one. I said well time to go.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
Our kids are just old enough now that we take them to daycare/pre preschool 2 days a week to get some interaction with other kids and get used to playing with others besides mommy and daddy. On days that Im off while they are in school Im able to get some done before I pick them up at 5. Might be something yall look into. Mine are still too young to take to the shop they will pull something on top of them soon as I turn around.

I'll never forget me and @DirkaDirka875 where at my shop and I bent the first brake line for my buggy and my wife called saying her water broke for our first one. I said well time to go.
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We're most likely going to be looking into that in the next few years. She's only 10 months old right now, so it's some work right now keeping her entertained.

I had just gotten into bed after a night shift a couple hours prior to my wife waking me up telling me her water broke. I was out of bed like a bolt of lightening, thinking I'd be dragging ass. I was acting like I was all hopped up on Mountain Dew for the next 18 hours until the docs went in and dragged her out!
 
McCracken said:
There's a lot of truth there. Not every trip is one of the best but when the conditions are right and everything clicks it turns into one your favorite memories.

@Loganwayne and I were talking about Walden's Ridge as soon as he gets his shitbox together
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Oh I’d be game for another run on Walden’s Ridge if you guys have room in the group.
 
Scooter402 said:
We're most likely going to be looking into that in the next few years. She's only 10 months old right now, so it's some work right now keeping her entertained.

I had just gotten into bed after a night shift a couple hours prior to my wife waking me up telling me her water broke. I was out of bed like a bolt of lightening, thinking I'd be dragging ass. I was acting like I was all hopped up on Mountain Dew for the next 18 hours until the docs went in and dragged her out!
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I half nodded off the whole first night with our son with my hand in that clear crib thing waking up every few min to see if he was still breathing. Mine are 4 and 2 we started them in the daycare thing when they both turned 2.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
I half nodded off the whole first night with our son with my hand in that clear crib thing waking up every few min to see if he was still breathing. Mine are 4 and 2 we started them in the daycare thing when they both turned 2.
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We'll have to look into that. IIRC, my neighbor did the same thing with their son at 2 years.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
2 kids
a wife that works 10 hr shifts
I work a rotating day/night 12hr shift
Have a business on the side
Getting into another business

If I can find the time to go wheel and work on stuff and keep a house up and vacation with family and go to ball games and practices and take kids to school etc etc... Then anyone can.
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Everyone's requirements and demands in life are different.
 
drkelly said:
Everyone's requirements and demands in life are different.
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My point was just that if you really want to do something you have to work at it and make it happen.
 
I either need a drug that will allow me to function like normal on only 2 hrs sleep, or I need to buy a turnkey rig.
 
We all have different lives, no doubt. Its a hobby. Life is a struggle, at least for me, lol. (Unless you are on welfare and have babies). Wheeling is a lifestyle. I wheel with my best friend on birthday's religiously. Always fixing/building things on the rig/tow rig. That's what makes us who we are. Turning wrenches, drinking beers, and being with good people is what its all about.

Then when the time comes, you beat on your shit like it owes you money, highlights of my life.
 
Childhood memories of working on a truck or car and spending weeks at 13 helping tear old junk engines apart for parts, to use for the engine in the big truck then the real motivation is that long night grind when engine drops back in and ya allowed to skip school to finish wiring it up and bam 2am hood off in 70s K20 on big ass swappers heading straight for the river crossing and up the mud hills with tools flying off the hood and inside... that's my motivation I passed it on to my nieces and trying to do the same with the family I've got now they're grown up on me!! Oh and a # @CasterTroy made on fb really motivated me, I wanna see those damn flannel rock rings! Haha
 
I didn't realize this turned to kiddos, but Shit their the best help ever in some cases I had my 8 yr old niece swapping axles like a boss on my jeeps with me! Kids can get their arms up in trans tunnels to get bolts started!! lol I bought a lot of threaded toys when they were young too I'm excited I got a boy on the way to have help with projects makes for good memories my nieces are 17 and 16 now and ask you remember when we put that transmission in the jeep and you dropped it on yourself bc I was loosing the bolt lol yup that's what's it's all about!! And if to young to help put em in the garage in a playset chain em up hell... whtever will contain em I reckon
 
To me it’s the challenge to take a vehicle and improve on it to fit my needs and style. I may not be a master mechanic or fabricator but I spend the time to research on what needs to be done and then recruit help if needed. I enjoy the shop time by myself and especially when buddies come to help and hang out. The motivation for me is setting a timeline on the project at hand and staying the course. Getting out on the trails with family, friends, club members, and even strangers is the best part of all the headaches and late nights in the shop. I have been blessed to be able to have a dependable rig and damn good people around me to enjoy it with.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
... and I bent the first brake line for my buggy and my wife called saying her water broke for our first one. I said well time to go.
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Babies, schmabies. Did you remember to install the fitting first before bending the tube?
That what matters.
 
As I sit here getting ready to go to Bear Wallow I’m trying to understand what drives me to spend all of my free time the last couple of weeks getting the buggy ready. It’s normally 10-20 hours in the shop for 2 days riding if nothing major is broken. This my third off road vehicle, the first was a retired suburban that ended up on tons, second a truggy that I installed fuel injection, rear 4 link and whole bunch of other modifications, and now an older built buggy that I will continue to improve.
I wanted to build a buggy and did like a lot of you started collecting parts. Last summer one popped up for sale and boom I’m in the seat of my dreams. Fast track to the next level.
Last fall in Harlan a place I’ve been to more than any other I had the time of my life. I dominated every trail except Pony Hill when I sheared off the rear axle flange bolts to end my weekend. I never had to pull the winch cable all week end. The trail that really defines what drives me is Little Jäger. I’ve spent many hours at the top watching others try and fail,roll and break, and then the ones that make it. I know it’s propably not the most difficult but it’s the most visible. I watched one day as my son made it up while a stranger spotted him ( much better than I could have ) . Just telling it now brings tears to my eyes as it did then. All those hours of planning, wrenching and practicing come together for a moment of conquering. When I got to the top my eyes filled with tears with maybe 50 people watching. My thought was I might run over someone because my vision was blurred by tears. I drove triumphantly to the bottom, got out to hug my family of friends. These are the ones that drove me to always bring my « A » game, put up with my weaknesses and supported me when I failed and celebrated my success. The best hug was with my son. We have matured and raised our level of of abilities together. I am truly blessed to achieve my dreams with the company and support of my family and friends for at least the last 18 years.
Today I’ll rush around tying up loose ends at work, finish packing and getting my tow pig ready and everything else that’s needs done so I can head off for another adventure. I would not want to do anything else. Thanks to all that supported me each step of the way.
 
Motivation #2, I have the jeep in the shop with the doors off, and as soon as my dog realized Im heading that way, she dern near tears the door off the wall to run and jump in the jeep, then just lays there and whines when we dont go riding. That dog loves to ride more than I do.
 
@moldman05 the relationship you and Scott have is something very special to me. My father passed away way too soon in life and we never got to enjoy this hobby together. Granted he was a bit scared of the wild stuff, but I would literally give anything to have him ride shotgun with me just once.
He is the reason I ever became a "car guy". Fondly talking about his old 67 390 Fairlane and countless outings to local racetracks together made me what I am.

:beer: to you and the bond you have with your son.
 
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Jody your father would certainly be proud of you. You have always represented our hobby in best possible way worthy of being an ambassador of rock crawling. Your unselfishness to help others whether friends or strangers is lengendary. I still get goose bumps watching the video of you spotting me up the exit of Mason Jar.
 
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