chuckography

The Treadmill That Couldn't...

Using a treadmill probably is not as healthy as walking outside around your house.

But city streets don't seize up and catch fire when you're trying to stay fit.

We're not talking "second-hand" smoke here.

It happened quickly just as I finished my daily half-hour routine.

The belt jerked and jolted me as it slammed to a stop.

I maintained my balance and saw smoke rising and a bright red glow down around the motor area.

Flipped off the power switch and grabbed a handy fire extinguisher.

Pulled the pin and aimed the nozzle "at the base of the fire."

White powder shot forth and smothered whatever was going on in there.

The smoke alarm let me know it was working.
Beep...beep...beep...beep.

I turned the treadmill over and gave another shot directly at the motor housing.

Then I opened the shop door, rolled the exhaust fan to the opening and started clearing out the smoke and white powder still lingering in the air.

My "gym" was my dad's 50' x 20' workshop.

Because he worked with wood, fire was a fear and he kept many small red 2-pound fire extinguishers around.

I've added a few more around the house and I check to make sure the arrow on the dial stays in the green.

That means it's charged and ready to use.

The one I grabbed does not have a date on it but, when the 9-year old treadmill suddenly quit and flared, it snuffed the problem nicely.

Hmmm. How to find someone who made a New Year's resolution to exercise. And now uses his fancy treadmill just to hang his exercise clothes on.

I mean, I have to continue to try and stay fit.

Don't want to end up as a "couch potato."

(Click on pictures for more detail.)

Think I got the last treadmill at Sears.

Guess I'll start my search there. Thanks for stopping by.

Check the batteries in your smoke detector.

Labels: couch potato, dead treadmill, exhaust fan, fire extinguisher, smoke detector., The Simpsons

posted by chuckography @ 11:35 AM