or actually use our tractors for work?
How many of us are weekend warriors, retired so that you get to work all the time,
Myself, I am just a weekend warrior.
Most folks here know my story: Early-retired (read: downsized) mechanical engineer seeks fame, fortune and economic survival as owner/operator of a "compact tractor and backhoe services" business... however, then goes on to make every business startup-related mistake in the book. The SBA and SCORE folks said this little, one-person "in between the big boys and landscape services" business would never make it in Massachusetts... and darned if they weren't pretty much right.How many of us are weekend warriors, retired so that you get to work all the time,
Semi retired prior business owner. We sold our business to the employees in 2001 and they still pay me to stay away. I am now finding out how many friends I have since I purchased my Kubota L39TLB.
I keep the TLB busy doing contract work such as fencing, trenching, excavating, road work, and grapple work to make the tractor payments plus a little extra. I own 3 mountain properties to take care of and that was the reason for my purchase of the Kubota L39. It is working into a new job/business which I don't need. I try to take the weekends off and enjoy life but find myself too busy sometimes to even do that and have to do my own work on the weekends.
Orrrrr, do you not need it, but you enjoy doing it?
Myself, I would jump at the opportunity to be able to make a good living using my equipment.
I envy you and your situation. I keep thinking about moving out of loony land and going to Montana. But Wyoming would be great also. Sure would be nice to live in a state with less than a million people. We have about 3 million here in San Diego CountyI like to stay busy as I was never able to sit around and do nothing as some people can. I also never learned to say no to hard honest work and the money that comes along with good work ethics. Part of the fun is knowing I don't have to do the work, but doing it anyway without the stress of a "have to situation". Sometimes opportunity just seeks you out and lands in your lap which is what has happened since we bought the tractor for our use. Working outdoors with the tractor is also very mentally rewarding to the wife and I as we spent many years in high profile/stressful type jobs. We now live year round at 8500 foot elevation in the mountains of WY. Most of our work is for people with summer homes and vacation properties along with some government jobs and these jobs do not require bottom dollar prices. I can get a great price for my tractor work as my competition must transport their equipment at least 65 miles round trip to do a job. The tractor also provides a nice extra income/cushion to allow us to do the extra things we enjoy in the winter such as traveling, snow cats that we buy, repair, sell and use to access our home in the wintertime. We must either snow cat or snowmobile in and out of our mountain home in the winter for about 4 to 5 months a year. Life just does not get any better...
and over 40 million in the state. I do too!
Sounds like MtnTopper has achieved what I set out to do over a year ago... with the big difference being that he has been successful at it with seemingly little to no effort expended! Meanwhile, I continue to struggle with marketing problems, insane insurance costs, sky-high fees & taxes, legal hassles like you wouldn't believe, cut-throat competition and endless logistical issues. 
I do too!
The next question, of course, is why the huge difference???
Oh yeah. I forgot. I'm in Ted Kennedy's social welfare wonderland: Massachusetts.
Dougster
I fully intend and expect to escape soon... perhaps as soon as next year (2008) but more likely in 2009. Everything depends on my ability to sell my home here for enough money to buy a place elsewhere without a big mortgage. Lately, the numbers have been trending against me.I'm always amazed at home much people will put up with when it comes to cost of living, taxes, etc. just to live in a particular area.
Dougster - you don't have to live there do you? You have some choice in the matter.
I'm always amazed at home much people will put up with when it comes to cost of living, taxes, etc. just to live in a particular area.
.
It is a tough but neat place to live if you are capable of adapting to the lifestyle. I am sure some of you here on the forum are capable of adapting but many others are not. There is only one place tougher in the US to live and that has to be Alaska.You have obviously never visited the People's Republic of Taxachusetts!!!
