know when you are in a fight.. when the fight has really started but no one has thrown a punch yet and then be that guy who throws the first punch.
This is what my dad taught me and it has served me well. Most people will do chest puffing, shoving, yelling, some sort of "preliminary" thing before it actually comes to blows. Recognize the point of no return first and be the first one to strike blows, don't fight fair as there is no such thing, and finish the fight. In other words, knocking a guy down then standing there as he gets back up is foolish. If it's a real fight, put him away.
but at the end of the foray I felt like I had gotten my bellybutton kicked and I felt ashamed of myself.
Storchie, in all seriousness, if you examine the goals of the individuals in your confrontation, you won a clear victory. Their goals were, probably, to get your truck and your tools by beating you into submission. Your goal was, by default, keeping your truck and survival without crippling injury. Seems to me your goal was clearly achieved and the BG's failed completely. Storchie 1, BG's 0. Well done, sir!