Have Truck Will Travel

The day started out on a dismal tone as we walked through rows and rows of SUV's. What I liked he didn't and what he liked I didn't. But we were determined to leave with a new vehicle one way or the other.

We settled on a Dodge Journey It wasn't what either of us wanted and was more of a car than a SUV, but it had only 9K and was a 2012 and had heated leather seats. Heated leather seats! That's pretty hard to pass up. I know we get mild winters here in Louisville compared to a lot of other places, but we still have some mighty cold days. And sitting on leather seats on a 40 degree day makes for a frozen backside. But I digress. Before we pulled the plug and signed on the dotted line, just for grins and giggles we decided to look at pick up trucks, despite determining we couldn't afford one. The hubster sat in a burnt orange Dodge Ram 1500 SLT extended cab pick up truck and a look of sheer joy spread across his face. We took it for a test ride so he could see the folly in getting such a large vehicle. Okay, it did ride like a dream. And I have to admit it felt pretty darn good being so high up and looking down on the ants, I mean cars. Having all that glorious room to move around was pretty swell too. But the gas mileage. Dear God, the gas mileage! Folly, sheer folly.

After taking the truck back to the lot, we took the Dodge Journey out for it's test drive. After all, that was the vehicle we were going to buy probably. We even drove it home to get the title for our Pathfinder, so we could do the deal as soon as we got back to the dealership. A funny thing happened at that point. The nosiest neighbor in the entire community saw us pull up in the white dodge journey and alerted the rest of the neighborhood that we had purchased it. She even described it in full detail to those who hadn't seen us pull up in it. (That turned out to be a hoot later when we came home in a different vehicle. Neighbors were asking us where the white car was. LOL) Later, when the hubster went into the back room of the dealership, I told the salesgirl that even though he loved the pick up truck I was certain we'd be going with the dodge journey.

 

We walked in the "talk turkey" room and sat down. We'd already run the numbers on both vehicles and with the truck being $100 more a month, I knew he'd make the right decision and go with that Journey. Sure, it wasn't my favorite vehicle, but it fit in our budget and it made sense. Lower gas mileage, lower payment, smaller vehicle so even I could drive it. Since it made so much sense, I knew my practical husband would choose the Journey. After all, we've been married 19 years and I know him like the back of my hand. "Which vehicle will you be purchasing today?" the salesgirl asked. My husband smiled wide and said, "The pick up truck." I tell you, I almost fell out of my chair. Is he crazy? The gas mileage! I'll be having nightmares about 15 miles to the gallon in my sleep tonight. But oh, how well it drives. The comfort. The spaciousness. The gas mileage.

Guess we'll find out tomorrow how horrid the gas mileage is because we're taking our first road trip in it. We're leaving early Sunday morning for Manassas Virginia and the Civil War battlefield there. Then we'll trek on down to the eastern shore of Maryland to Ocean City, where my mother in law lives and spend the rest of the week with her, coming home next weekend. We're thinking about making a few other side trips on the way home to other Civil War sites and a few haunted locations, but aren't certain yet which ones. Even though we both were born and raised on the eastern shore of Maryland, there is still so much we haven't seen. But, no matter where we ending stopping, we'll be driving there in comfort thanks to the USS Dodge Ram.

So if you pass a fine looking burnt orange Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4 door extended cab with Kentucky temporary tags, be sure to wave.

See you on the road, happy trails!