The Kid

No... not Billy!

After years of trying to entice the kid into motorized stuff, except for a brief Alberta foray which didn't end well, (threatened by fish and game officer with confiscation*) finally Anna has taken to riding, the Big Bear.  Only around the yard and short stints to the "pit" with supervision, she's caught on quickly.  There is no doubt that given a bit of instruction and some time, she could move to the 5 speed TTR and believe you me, she's eying that daily.

                                                    It's only a matter of time.

Pretty serious no nonsense gaze there girl.

With her adhd and other issues, some things are tough for her, like socializing, but she seems to adapt to electronics, games and motorized stuff rather quickly, often telling 'me' what and how, but that's Anna.

Well, a bit of a smile perhaps here.

*When I first got the little Baja Bugs, I trucked us all out to MacLean creek off highway vehicle riding area.  I chose a flat spot shared only by some distant bovines that really didn't seem to care about much of anything, and in an area about 200' square, with governor set for a walking pace,wearing knee pads, elbow pads, long sleeves and a full face helmet that fit her, I set her and Mom circulating.

The illegal Dirt Bugs

Things went excellent until about 30 minutes in a Ranger shows up.  He parks and walks over to me and asks if we're having a good time.  I answer in the affirmative explaining this is Anna's first time on something she didn't have to pedal to operate.  I'd picked them up Friday and it was now Saturday morning.

He then tells me that 'right now, we are in violation of several regulations and he could confiscate my truck, the trailer and the two tiny "lawnmower" engined mini bikes.'  Now I know the rules as well as he does and legally, in Alberta to ride on crown land or even in an actual OHV zone, one must possess a working headlight and taillight, a spark arrestor, public liability insurance and an OHV plate affixed to the machine and true, I am in violation.

I do however point out to him that we are operating at less than 8kmh, in an area of 200' with no vehicles, houses or people within at least a quarter mile, and if she were to somehow manage to get by me and travel the 100 yards to the nearest half ton cow, and manage to hit it somehow... I'd think the dirt bug would come off worse for wear, but in fact would bounce right off!  I also mentioned that she is as fully protected as possible and the only access road to this area off the MC Trail is easily visible, from whence he came.

His response would have given a late night sidekick credit!  Deadpan, he repeats the regulations to me as Brenda and now Anna are pulled up within feet.  He says, 'it's not his intention to spoil our family fun, but "them's the rules!"

He did add however that if I got the insurance (approximately $100 or so annually) and a plate (approximately $45 annually) and if I installed battery operated bicycle headlight and taillight, even if they "didn't work", we would be legal. Oddly enough just over the border in British Columbia, there are NO regulations off road on crown land!

97 cc four cycle auto clutch governed to 8kph.

I pointed out that surely, he the keeper of the wild must have some discretion at his disposal and his reply, wait for it... "I have to make my rounds to the park boundary and when he returned in 30 minutes, we had better be gone..."

I think that's the date that tripped over in my head and I decided to move once again, to PEI, buy my own property and not have to deal with that kind of blinders, narrow minded thinking.

This almost cost me a couple of grand in fines!