The perks of the job
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Fortunately my name isn't Jack and I was able to get some play time in today. One of the general managers of the Golf & Turf division took us down for a factory tour at the Fuquay Varina (I mean, common people, who the hell names these cities) plant. We also had the opportunity to drive some of the equipment produced by the factory on our very own simulation golf course.
Now the first time you get onto a Z-series mower, named after its ability for a zero-radius turn about its axis, the reality hits you that the controls are more like those of a tank (which you've never driven) than those of a car (which, unless you’re a sucker under the age of 16 or have an incapacitating fear of things automotive, you have). After some time spent on the field, I was fully confident in my ability to start, stop and steer the mower, but unfortunately I was also confident of a fourth “S”: slow. Don’t get me wrong, I tried my hardest to get the thing to meet or exceed its operational parameters, climbing up to the top of a hill and jamming both throttles to full open. Alas, it was not to be. So it was time to try a different device.
This one at least had the opportunity for danger, with a devil may care attitude of no seat, no seatbelt and no roll over protection. It was also half as fast. Which means it was a quarter as interesting. A short spin later (figuratively speaking of course), I was ready to get out of the North Carolina sun and into some shade. So there you have it. A factory tour, two mowers and half a sun burn later, my Tuesday was complete.