We are self-professed car enthusiasts. Between the two of us, we have owned 11 cars in our combined 42 years of having a driver’s license; including two Hondas, two Subarus, three Toyotas, and four Audis. Saturday was a big day in our car obsessed lives as we purchased our traveling and towing truck- a 2016 Ford F-350 in Magnetic Grey. Not only is it a huge step in making our dreams a reality, it is also the first American car and first pickup truck that either one of has owned, adding more new and exciting changes to our lives.
There are many exciting experiences throughout life and where they rank is different for everyone. One of life’s guilty pleasures for us (it’s a good thing that we found each other) is the experience of purchasing a brand new car. Any car that is “new”, whether it be new or used, is exciting; but there is something special about pulling out onto the road from the dealership parking lot in a car that no one else has owned and very few, if any, have also driven. Part of this experience can be attributed to the smell of a new car. It’s hard to think of many other smells that invoke images of taking in the sights as you travel down a road you’ve never driven before, eating your first meal in the car and desperately trying not to drop crumbs between the seat and console, or blasting your favorite road trip song on repeat.
Our first visit to the dealership came with us looking for a black Platinum F-250. With the help our fabulous salesman, Lance, we looked beyond our original list of wants and needs and found what ended up being the “one”. On Saturday evening, after a thankfully easy purchasing process, we pulled out of the lot at Western Slope Auto with a mere 25 miles on the odometer. To say that we were giddy was an understatement. We never imagined that a) trucks could be so nice and comfortable and b) we would so excited to add to our fleet. It definitely makes remaining patient more difficult.
It’s been less than 48 hours, but we’re smitten. So much so that getting rid of our 2015 Toyota 4-Runner suddenly became less painful. We’re hopeful that it’s going to find a nice new home with a family member, so that we can at least visit and take it out for a spin every now and then. And the last and perhaps most exciting part of this car buying excitement is the fact that we now have a home for Hula Girl. Originally intended to travel with us on our Great American Road Trip, a trip which we had planned to be on right now, she is a small but important symbol of the trip that ultimately planted the seed for our life-changing adventure and the beginning of Tin Sheets to the Wind. We look forward to many adventures with her!
P.S.- Finley has already claimed this truck as his own. He made sure that things stay interesting by throwing up in the backseat during his very first ride in the truck, less than 24 hours after we bought it. Never a dull moment…and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
