Setting out on this adventure I was curious to discover what personal changes I would undergo. Typically while we often hope for one change or another through some concerted effort, most personal transformations take us by surprise or come slowly over time such that we hardly notice them happening. At least, that is the way it often works for me.

One of the first surprising changes I’ve encountered is that both Trail and I have become “Truck People.” Which is to say we not only drive a truck, we love the truck. We take the truck for its regular scheduled maintenance at certified dealerships. We worry about damage to the truck or what kinds of sounds it’s making. We come back from a hike and take pictures of the truck because it just looks so cool against the cliffs, or lake, or cactus, or whatever. I even compare my truck to other trucks I encounter and refer to those with similar trucks as “truck brothers.”

Batou-Yamato

I have always been a person who has owned practical commuter cars. True, my early cars were more along the lines of junker cars, but they were practical junker cars and honestly part junk because I had no clue how to take care of them. I’ve had a Subaru mini wagon, a Datsun hatchback, a Saturn coupe, a Honda accord, and most recently, my first new car, a Honda Fit. The fit was a great car; maneuverable, roomy, and kind of zippy. But while I liked it, I didn’t love it.

Ain’t she purty?!

There is something about the truck that engenders a kind of affection. It does, after al, move our home from place to place, a great responsibility. It also takes us on our adventures bravely tackling dirt roads, ditches, and small bodies of water. It happily totes around a generator, survival kit, toolbox, air pump and all manner of other handy things. It is also big and comfy; a Hitch sized vehicle, a big truck for a big man. It’s even shaped like me; boxy but with rounded edges. It keeps us warm or cool as needed and offers entertainment and advice on our travels.

A match made in heaven.

A truck also gives you a sense of freedom. You can go places with confidence where other vehicles would fear to roll. You can be sure if you want to buy something you can take it home. You can get what you need to where you need to get it whenever you want to. With a truck all things are possible… well, except for finding a good parking space downtown; that’s a real pain in the butt.