Forget that the Vernal Equinox was weeks ago, and that the tree frogs have been peeping nonstop almost as long. The surest sign of spring has been evident this week on my fitness rides. There they were: the Cub Cadets, Craftsmen, Simplicitys, and for the overachievers, John Deeres, idling in driveways and open garages, ready to assault the increasingly lush, chemically jump-started lawns.
Taking their cue, and with an eye to the latest flood warning in the forecast, I pulled out the tiller with the intention to do just the early-season quarter of the vegetable garden. After squirting off the dust and straw, the Honda engine fired up relatively easily, considering no winterization, and we were off to the races. Reverse gear didn't seem to be working, so I fiddled with the cable adjustment, and was able to get a bit of reverse when I needed it.
As I was going, I started to smell something burning, which I at first ascribed to the omnipresent chicken shit and straw that seems to get everywhere. But it started to seem more and more like burning rubber...like a belt, to be precise.
And I noticed when I paused that the tiller seemed to want to go backwards when it was supposed to be idling. I remembered with alarm the stern warnings in the owner's manual not to engage reverse until forward motion had fully stopped. Apparently, I had a bad counter-rotation situation on my hands, with a tiller that is not supposed to counter-rotate.
I entertained for a minute the idea of just tilling the rest backwards. There was quite a bit left to do, though, and it would be slow going, and who knew what neighbors might be watching?
I'm a piss-poor mechanic, but I got the tools out anyway. It clearly wasn't the cable. So I took the cowling off, and lubricated the stuck pivot point, and the rest of the pulleys, etc., while I was in there. Gave everything a nice petro-shower. How annoying that it would need oiling after just two seasons of heavy use.
It did the trick, and I ended up tilling all four quarters...and got some mowing in (though it didn't really need it) before the rains. It sure was satisfying to see that nice fresh earth before the weeds take over. I scattered some scratch grain all over so the the chickens would get in there and do their job: Scratch, peck, and poop. I'll keep them employed at it through the weekend.
Then it's planting time!
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