In the last big fun ride of 2001, Senior Correspondent Mike Keefe and I met up with our XR400-mounted riding buddy Jim at Attica, Ind.'s Badlands Offroad Park. It was a nice easy ride with few problems until we got stuck on some 4WD trails with their requisite feet-deep ruts and Jim slipped down into one. Being the thoughtful guy he is, Jim picked one that had a foot and a half of water in the bottom.

Mike, always quick to help a fellow riding buddy in distress, watched for a couple minutes while Jim and I tugged on his heavy, mud-caked four stroke. He did eventually lend a hand, but Mike grabbing a handful of throttle when Jim was standing directly behind the rear wheel probably wasn't the assistance Jim had in mind.

Later, I told Mike he was an asshole for not knowing better and inadvertently dousing Jim in mud and water on a 40-degree day.

Mike's retort was, "Who's the asshole? Me or the guys who actually trusted me to help them?"

Unfortunately, once you get to know Mike, you see his point.