Last night I got in the jeep and drove to the end of our street. Peggie got in the truck and drove to the other end. We accelerated at each other like a game of chicken, but we didn't chicken. Apparently we both hit 88 mph at exactly the moment of impact, sending us into the future. October to be exact. But when we got there, we were not in the jeep and truck any more. We were in this hybridization. It is a four door, 4wd, Dodge Ram 2500. We raced it up to 88 mph and returned to the past and the new truck came with us.
In reality, (that first paragraph is mostly fiction) I was looking on-line at truck dealers' inventory to get some kind of idea what might be available and what they cost. Here was a 2012 with all the equipment we wanted in the used car inventory. It had 19,000 miles on it and was about $18,000 less than a new, new truck. We decided, "What the heck. Might as well check it out." The good news was, it had the right stuff without anything we wouldn't want if we ordered from the factory. The other good news (?) it is available right now. I decided that with a 4wd truck, I could give up the jeep as a trade-in, and we needed to trade the old truck anyway. So it was a twofer.
Of course, there were some adventures included. I took the old truck to our favorite RV place to have the fifth wheel hitch removed, to be remounted on the new truck when we return in October. First, the hitch had been welded, not bolted in place. Second, the frame of the new truck will not accept this hitch without adaptive hardware, since Dodge has redesigned their frame in the last 16 years. Third, the company that made our hitch has been out of business for 5 years, therefore, the adaptive hardware is not available. Result: the hitch stayed with the old truck. Aw, it will probably all be scrap metal next week, anyway. There will be further adventures in October when we have to buy a new hitch, and have the trailer raised to the new bed height. I just bet that won't be a straight-forward proposition. You think?
We will be heading to the hinterlands in a new-to-us vehicle. The ride will be more comfortable. We have cruise control, a longer wheelbase, a heavier vehicle, and new suspension.
And we can take A LOT more stuff now.
I (mostly) don't make this stuff up, folks.
10 comments:
well, that silver lining turned to gold real fast...pretty sure your glass is full now :)
congrats! it looks like a newer, nicer, bigger, less-colorful version of your old truck.
Sad to see the Jeep go, but this seems worth it :)
Well I must say, every day is a new adventure in the Thomas household. And, by the way, NICE LOOKING WHEELS! But will this let you 4-wheel in the backcountry like the JEEP did?
Peggie: There was a group of Tucson quilters up here yesterday on a quilt cruise. Do you know Jo Cady Bull and Jean Biddick? (I'm not sure if I am spelling these names correctly.)
Those are the only names I caught...and they knew Janine Holzman and were able to meet up with her.
AND...I tried my hand at machine quilting on my Brother 1600 and did a small piece of free motion work...and it turned out very nice...Lisa gave me an A on this one and Jill and Trish said it was very good. I don't know if I will try anything much bigger yet.
I am truly glad to hear that you didn't play chicken against Bill...although I am wondering which one of you would have turned first.
love and hugs...I miss you guys!!! JANE
When I came up with the notion of trading the jeep, I reviewed all the places I have been or want to go. A truck like this with 4wd will take me to all those places. In fact, I have seen trucks similar to this in those places either in person or on youtube. The question is, can we get along with just one vehicle? When we look at how seldom we use both at the same time, we think we can make do.
Well, this seems to be a very nice truck. It's a bit longer and the hood is much higher than our other one. The part that is taking getting used to is getting in and out of it--those extra inches in height really make a difference.
I told Bill that I felt sad last night on the way home that he gave up his Jeep. I sure hope the truck fills his off-road needs. I had decided that silver or tan were my choices to minimize the visibility of the scratches he'll get off-road. The color of the old truck was absolutely the BEST ever but I guess this just shows we're still young and flexible and not set in our ways!!!
I know who Jo and Jean are but they're not in my "circle" of friends. Jean has written a book and had one of her quilts on the cover of one of the big magazines. And Janine has a quilt in the 100 Years-100 Quilts Centennial show that's ongoing during 2012 at the AZ Historical Museum. Lots of talent wherever quilters gather, huh?
Just grab fabric and batting and practice, practice, practice machine quilting to develop that muscle memory. Think of all the throws Maggie will get for her personal comfort! Glad you're having fun and getting A's!!
See you in Skagway?
I might just have to make a special trip up there...I am not working for Trish this summer...didn't last fall either. Although I did sew and sort and pack kits this past winter. I guess she is really happy with the gals she has hired.
I don't head to Minnesota until late July because we have friends from Denver coming up in mid-july. I would love to GO NOW and find some sunshine and warmth.
It's been a long cold grey winter and spring up here.
Have a wonderful road trip. Wish I could fly down and join you on that...I need a ROAD TRIP too.
hugs from here...jane
Well, you could make a special trip up there. No ship on July 1st so we could all party on June 30th. Trish may want to stay open for the Canadians, but that doesn't affect the rest of us.
Wow. I didn't think Greg was serious when he said he ordered a new truck for Father's Day, but maybe this was his doing, in a really subtle way?
Very nice truck. Now you need a camper shell so you can cover all your stuff securely for the drive. Or not. Bet it'll be a smoother, more comfortable ride than the Jeep too. Good things happen to those who make opportunities, huh?!
I guess you got my note with the truck about "just add water and watch it grow".
Add running boards to ease Mom's accent to the seat. We have them and they make it much easier for Ariana to get it.
Yes, it may mean you have to be careful not to bottom out and bang them on rocks, but Mom will be getting in/out much more often than you will be going over rocks.
I will say that unless you use them to get out, when they are dirty/muddy/wet, you are more likely to get your pant leg dirty/muddy/wet too, since they stick out - my only gripe with them.
Maybe add the short kind that are really just the length of a step.
What a nice boy thinking about me getting in and out of the truck. I forgot the first time I "hopped" out and really jammed my lower back. It was so much further to the ground. Now I have a stool with a string attached for getting in and out. Low-tech problem solving. Yes, we'll definitely be adding some running boards.
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