Mickey, your story would be funny - but it just sounds too painful to laugh about. Maybe later, huh.  Hope your next rides were better.

CL I've been trying to get this chainsaw certification for about a year and a half.  Its quite an ordeal, but should not be.  The biggest problem seems to be a lack of certified instructors.  Then there's the CPR and First Aid certification also required.  You can pay $20 and cut 4 cords of wood on Forest Service land with no training.  To use a chainsaw to cut 1 stick of wood legally on a trail, you need a 2 day chainsaw course that is difficult to find, a $80 pair of chaps, about a $100 pair of 8 inch high logging type boots, CPR, and First Aid Training.  Seems like a waiver would do, but they make all the rules.  Any way, hope to get a little trail maintenance stuff going in the Roanoke area and I think having a certified sawyer is a necessity.  I was wondering how hard it is to get the certification in North Carolina;, could be the same kind of deal there.