Froze Up

Around here, "froze up" is a common phrase referring to mechanical stuff that isn't working like it should. This term applies equally in the summer as in the winter. For example, someone might say that an engine is froze up, or a bolt is froze up, or the brakes are froze up from sitting too long, or any of a number of parts that should be moving but aren't. I once heard that only two items are needed for doing most mechanical repairs - duct tape and WD40. If something is moving and it shouldn't be, use duct tape. If something isn't moving and it should be, use WD40.

Yesterday, I went out to take a team of dogs for a run, and I found that the ATV was "froze up". Specifically, the throttle cable was frozen. It would not budge one little bit. Some water must have gotten inside the last time it rained, and now it is frozen good and solid. Without that throttle, I dare not run the dogs because the ATV is too heavy to get through some of the drifts on just eight-dog power, and the snow on the trails makes it too dangerous to just run a huge string of dogs since they would be able to slide it along even with the brakes locked. This is a huge inconvenience as I now have no way of training the dogs.