to me on a day back in 1986. I was carrying bundles of dogwood a hundred yards to the river bank and then toting them down the bank and loading them onto my boat. I became exhausted and began talking to
myself. I sat down and leaned back against a cottonwood tree. I began to meander between reality and fantasy. I dreamt of a contraption that could ford deep water. When a huge sandbar called for the use of a dune buggy it could serve as one. Dogwood swamps would not be a deterrent; my bulldozing contraption would plough right through them! One giant clap of thunder jarred me back into reality.
I bought several big chucks of Styrofoam two of which were identical in size and big enough to float a 4-wheeler. I thought. It took Wilkerson Machine Shop and me one whole weekend to build a cage on my new Honda 4-wheeler and design a way to mount the Styrofoam chunks onto it. We built a transom for a little 5 horse power, Sears Game Fisher boat motor and I was in business.
Then came the day; my new rig and I headed to Red River for its maiden voyage. On the way to the river I came up with a name for my new rig; if she proved herself worthy, that is. I drove her down the river bluff, across the sandbar and stopped
at the edge of the water. My heart raced! Wildly is mild. If she sank she would remain my rig ... if she floated she would become my Dream Machine!
