Well, somewhere very, very hot must be very, very cold right now, because I went and got a new truck.
And it’s not just new; it’s also got all sorts of bells and whistles. I mean that literally; it beeps at me when I’m backing up, or getting to close to something in front of me. The steering wheel even vibrates when I get too close to the edge of my lane.
I’ve mentioned in the past that I’ve been perfectly happy with my 14-year-old, base model pickup truck. It did everything I wanted it to do.
We initially got it to pull the travel trailer, because even though it was “ultralight,” the old minivan was struggling up through the passes. The truck handled it with ease, and even did just fine when we decided we needed a bigger camper.
With vinyl floors, it was easy to clean up after the kids, dogs, muddy mountain bikers, snowy skiers, and whatever else we put in the cab, and a spray-in bedliner handled whatever went into the bed. (My sister was a dog musher, so there was some interesting cargo from time to time.)
At my previous job, “other duties as assigned” seemed to include pulling new-to-Alaska coworkers out of ditches and off the beach, something I’ve been called on to do a few times since then, too.
And as far as bells and whistles, it had an auxiliary port to plug in my iPod and later, my iPhone — at the time, all the features I needed.
But times are changing. Alaska roads and seasons have taken their toll. For a while, a big repair was required once a year or so. The frequency has gradually increased to every couple of months. And despite my argument that “not starting” is different than “breaking down,” my wife had a fair point when she said it was time for something new.
I will still put up an argument for “more reliable”; the old truck never let me down! In fact, in the back of my mind, I had a plan to overhaul the old truck, instead of getting a new one. But as much as I enjoy working on it, I recognize the limits of my wrenching skills.
I was also fully prepared to drag the process out; the last time, around, it took me several months of looking before I found the one I wanted. I might’ve been the one who was most surprised to find one I liked right away.
It was difficult to say goodbye to the old truck. You may laugh, but I’d put it up there with sending the kids off to college. I spent an hour or so taking my “stuff” out of it — tow rope, tie downs, first-aid kit, the “emergency” stash of Harry Potter every-flavor jelly beans that has been glove box since 2012 (I’m sure they don’t taste any worse now than they did 12 years ago).
When it was all cleaned out, I did have a quiet moment to say goodbye my truck, and think about all the adventures we’ve had. Even now, I’m getting a little misty thinking about it.
I’m still getting used to the new truck, especially backing up. I used to rely on the side-view mirrors, and if I was backing up the trailer, watching for my wife’s directions. It was a pretty good system. If you need proof, we’re still happily married after 27 years.
With the new truck, it’s information overload — in addition to the mirrors, there’s a video screen and a pinging noise that sounds like a submarine sonar right before a torpedo impact in an action movie. This is making my life easier, right?
I’m sure that I will eventually bond with the new truck. I’ll figure out all the driving modes, head out on a camping trip, and maybe even pull someone out of a ditch. Hopefully, it will prove itself to be as steady and reliable as the old truck.
Here’s to the adventures yet to come.
Will Morrow lives in Kenai. Email him at willmorrow2015@gmail.com.
