Wheelbarrow Tire Test

Hopped off the kitchen counter and squeezed out the back door screen. Needed fresh air. Walked down the gravel path to the side of the shed. Found an old green wheelbarrow tipped forward on its nose. The single black rubber tire was sitting right at eye level. Chunky tread, full of dried grey mud in the grooves. Unacceptable. Picked up a flat cedar woodchip from the mulch bed. Stepped up close. Jammed the sharp edge into the first deep tread pocket. Pried upward. Snap-crunch. A neat dried wedge of mud popped loose and clattered onto the gravel. One. Moved down one groove. Pried again. Chunk out. Two. Worked my way around the rim. Ten uniform clods dropped in a neat semicircle around my boots. Poked the clean rubber with my gloved thumb. Firm give. Good tire.