Grab Opportunity by the Balls & Go For it!

Going ATVing.

You’re what??? Watching TV? No, going ATVing. Nooo. You’re too old. Don’t they have an age limit on those things? Are you nuts? Well yes, I am. So?

I guess at 75 I should expect that kind of conversation. But it grates on me. Next time I will keep it to myself and talk about it afterwards. Who needs the negative opinions of others, just because they would be scared shitless to go?

I had this great opportunity while attending a speech writing workshop in Dominican Republic a while back. We had a free day in the middle of the week. Would I want to take an ATV and get out and see stuff. Yep. Sign me up.

Now these ATV’s were sort of third world and had seen better days and were perfect for dirt roads with lots of holes and mud. What could go wrong?

I felt like I was on a chubby motorcycle that had worked out a lot. Big fat tires. Big seat. Big attitude. Bring it on. Vroom vroom.

Nobody local wore a helmet but I thought mine looked rather cool with the pulldown piece of plastic over the eyes and maybe it would protect me from bits of crap flying around or muffle my screams if needed. Plus, they had to hand them out because who knew if the touristas knew what the hell they were doing or not? Better cover all bases.

First, we had to drive on the busy highway, two lane with four lanes of traffic smooshing at just the right time. Trucks so close I could smell the driver’s sweat and what they had for breakfast. Tacos with lots of onions fish. I think I died a couple of times on that stretch.

Then we were off through the countryside and I finally got to see a lot of villages, churches, livestock, kids, dogs, colorful laundry, birds, occasionally another vehicle. And life. Life in another country. Wowzers.

Sometimes we would stop and that is when I realized my happy dude didn’t have brakes. I’m screaming “no brakes” as I worm my way through cars and people feeling like Luke Skywalker going in for the kill. Except it was me facing the killing. A ditch or two later, now with a crispy burn on my leg from the overheated exhaust as a wakeup call, I come to a stop. I’ve got this.

Okay. I learned I have two brake systems. One with the hand. One with the foot. When one doesn’t do the job, hire the other one right away. Offer bonuses. If neither works, then use your feet.

I loved racing with the young boys riding alongside going as fast as they could on their bikes. It was a great game for them, and we laughed a lot. I so wanted them to win that I would slow down, but they wanted to go fast so we did.

Lunch was at a person’s three-sided house off a dirt road. Barbecue chicken, fried plantain, rice, avocado and fresh coconut water and meat. I can still taste it. They fed us and we gave them some money. I think we got the better deal.

The day was splendid, and I was energized. I guess I could have been cautious and too old but for what reason? Someone else’s idea of what I should be doing? I don’t think so.

I ended the day with a swim in the ocean, a nice gin and tonic (with local lime wedges) and a fresh caught fish dinner watching the sunset. Actually I was watching the sunset, not the fish dinner but hey.

So, in closing, my take-away from that experience is to grab opportunity by the balls and go for it. What have you got to lose?

Kathleen Sinclair