I walk out of my back door down a small stone path across the fresh cut grass. Insert a key into the lock, twist, open....shut the door behind myself. A flip of 2 switches and a few 40amp breakers turns on overhead lighting, a radio, and other electron thirsty circuits. I set down a warm cup of coffee next to a big blue box resembling a Cold War era missile launch panel and grab a black mask with a seemingly opaque lens in the middle of it. A few more switches to flip, a big knob sitting on top of 80lbs of inert gas to turn and I flip down my mask with a smooth jerk of the neck. I press forward on the big sewing machine pedal sitting on the floor. After 1 more coffee refill, 3 hours of time, and 2 minor burns on the ball of my hand, I'm finished welding up a day's worth of goodies for installing.
I turn around on my stool to look at 6000lbs of 4130 tubing, cold rolled skid plates and dual shocks hanging corner. A project truck by all means, but a capable off-road vehicle - built in my back yard. Another sip of the coffee just to realize its again reached the bottom layer of sludge in the cup.
A quick break from the ozone/ burning impurities filled air leads me up a small staircase to a dim lit room with the sound of hard drives spinning and monitors humming. A small switch on the side of a large custom built desk (yes, I do a bit of carpentry too) sends a wake up call to 4 nicely proportioned LCD displays. On 2 displays are 3D cad drawings of parts currently being built, and others being conceived. Another display dedicated to email, web browsing and chatting with Mom online, with the 4th left for a full screen deadline counter. It reads 26:10:36. 26 days left to finish the beast below and still have ample test/tune time if it is to set for it's maiden voyage down the Baja peninsula. 26 days sounds like a ways off but behind the desk on the wall hangs a large white board covered in a to do list - each task having its own deadline.
After a few phone calls looking for parts apparently lost in the mail, and a few more looking for ideal shock valving setups and its time for lunch. A leftover burrito in the minifridge from Lolita's gets some microwave injection followed by a little hot sauce. Who ever thought French fries in the burrito would be so damn good? A brief check of the weather channel and current NYSE situation on the nice TV hanging on the wall mixed with a few gory images of war and world starvation means its time to get back to work.
Mount up the roof rack and light mounts welded up earlier in the morning and check their fit. Confirming their placement, I attach a masking tape label and move them to the "flat back krylon" pile in the room adjacent to where the truck is located. I check on the condition of another set of parts painted yesterday and decide that an extra coat might be necessary to protect against the harsh desert conditions.
I switch gears and do some electrical work, after being confident in the location of all accessories. Fuel pump, gauges, radio, GPS, air purification pumps, fuel pump, starter button, and enough lights to light up the sky over Mexico like the space ship from ET.
Feeling the effects from lunch and noticing the onset of night, I feel the need to get ready for a busy 2 weeks. Did I mention that the 26 days remaining include 3 50+ hour work weeks? Oh well, I guess that's what crunch time with the help of friends is for.
Climbing into bed, I feel a sense of pride in having created such a beast in my own back yard. I anticipate the neighbor's thoughts upon the initial startup of the 600hp big block but figure they'll get over it soon thereafter. Sleep brings another day.
25:23:56
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Now playing:
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - gpn2007-08-19d1t12via FoxyTunes
