I think for some people it’s like a form of meditation, especially for those with a big lawn and a riding mower. I don’t personally get it, but that’s the vibe these guys give off.
I hate the time it takes. I’m HIGHLY allergic to grass and wear near hazmat level protection.
But it requires many different skill sets including driving. This is what makes it enjoyable. The challenge to get the best look, or the most efficient mow.
Plus instant gratification. Each line looks good as you turn and come back on the next pass. And when you’re done, the whole thing looks 100% better so you get a big o’l dopamine push with your self gratification.
Not just ride, that doesn’t encompass the relationship properly. It’s nearly a sport or art form really. A man and his mower.
There’s a skill to not just driving, but you also control the speed of the blade, the direction of the cut, your lines. You need to control the speed so you get a good cut, which means dropping gears when you run thicker patches. You can also adjust the height of the deck (the part the blades are attached to), the speed of the blade. There are different kinds of blades to attach and you need to change them depending on the task or season. Also the blades need sharpening, so you need to pay for that or learn to sharpen (and balance) the blades. Then you use all of those skills to perfectly navigate diverse and uneven terrain to achieve the best possible look for your yard (once you decide if you are mowing for street looks or mowing for views from the house).
And that’s just cutting grass with a basic model. There are so many vehicle options that the equipment alone can be a huge part of riding mower life. You can have a basic no-name with two small blades that rattles your teeth while you hold on for your life wishing you had better hearing protection. Or maybe a nearly silent electric zero turn where you steer with levers and are practically sitting in a reclining chair with a built in insulated cup beer holder. And there’s everything in-between.
It fascinates us as well. The diversity is pretty insane when you stop to think about it. And every different place has their own things that everyone else thinks is strange.
I didn’t get it until I lived it myself. It’s a whole thing. Felt like a King of the Hill skit when the neighbors rolled up my 3rd weekend. We were all out doing the same thing so they came to say hello. Just three guys out sitting on riding mowers in the front lawn chatting and drinking beers in the early afternoon while we all take a quick break from our solitude. It’s probably the most relaxing chore that still requires a lot of physical labor. And you feel good about completing it.
Although if I wasn’t renting, all this grass would be gone in favor of plant diversity. American lawn culture is strange.
That makes sense. I also totally get you on the last point. As soon as I manage to own a house, the yard is getting planted with local flora, fruit bushes, and a vegetable garden.
I think for some people it’s like a form of meditation, especially for those with a big lawn and a riding mower. I don’t personally get it, but that’s the vibe these guys give off.
For others it is a means of escaping their family for an hour or so.
My wife’s parents have a decent plot of land and always go out for a mow when they’re bored of us. I guess it’s better than staring at their phones.
I hate the time it takes. I’m HIGHLY allergic to grass and wear near hazmat level protection.
But it requires many different skill sets including driving. This is what makes it enjoyable. The challenge to get the best look, or the most efficient mow.
Plus instant gratification. Each line looks good as you turn and come back on the next pass. And when you’re done, the whole thing looks 100% better so you get a big o’l dopamine push with your self gratification.
ok so there’s mowers you actually ride,… this makes a lot more sense
Not just ride, that doesn’t encompass the relationship properly. It’s nearly a sport or art form really. A man and his mower.
There’s a skill to not just driving, but you also control the speed of the blade, the direction of the cut, your lines. You need to control the speed so you get a good cut, which means dropping gears when you run thicker patches. You can also adjust the height of the deck (the part the blades are attached to), the speed of the blade. There are different kinds of blades to attach and you need to change them depending on the task or season. Also the blades need sharpening, so you need to pay for that or learn to sharpen (and balance) the blades. Then you use all of those skills to perfectly navigate diverse and uneven terrain to achieve the best possible look for your yard (once you decide if you are mowing for street looks or mowing for views from the house).
And that’s just cutting grass with a basic model. There are so many vehicle options that the equipment alone can be a huge part of riding mower life. You can have a basic no-name with two small blades that rattles your teeth while you hold on for your life wishing you had better hearing protection. Or maybe a nearly silent electric zero turn where you steer with levers and are practically sitting in a reclining chair with a built in insulated
cupbeer holder. And there’s everything in-between.Mowing life is weird.
this is amazing. The US fascinates me from an anthropological stand point
It fascinates us as well. The diversity is pretty insane when you stop to think about it. And every different place has their own things that everyone else thinks is strange.
I didn’t get it until I lived it myself. It’s a whole thing. Felt like a King of the Hill skit when the neighbors rolled up my 3rd weekend. We were all out doing the same thing so they came to say hello. Just three guys out sitting on riding mowers in the front lawn chatting and drinking beers in the early afternoon while we all take a quick break from our solitude. It’s probably the most relaxing chore that still requires a lot of physical labor. And you feel good about completing it.
Although if I wasn’t renting, all this grass would be gone in favor of plant diversity. American lawn culture is strange.
That makes sense. I also totally get you on the last point. As soon as I manage to own a house, the yard is getting planted with local flora, fruit bushes, and a vegetable garden.
Even more amazing: weeding. Some people go into the zone out there pulling weeds. To me it was always torture – mental and physical.