what the truck

scenes from the sun mountain 50k trail race, 2013.
photo courtesy of melody mândrean coleman.

i need a a truck.

a no-nonsense, no-frills little pickup truck.

with a shell.

it's more "want" than "need," maybe, but i can rationalize whatever difference there may be between the two.

it should be a vehicle that makes a statement by making no statement whatsoever. strictly utilitarian. something a few years old ~ 2007-ish, say. a 4-cylinder with a 5-speed-manual transmission, for the gas mileage. 

something the dogs can ride in to the vet or the park or wherever dogs need to ride. with a bed big enough to throw down an inflatable mattress and sleeping bags for weekend overnighters. out-of-town trail races. impromptu mountain excursions. like that.

sounds like fun, doesn't it? sure it does. big fun. so, how much could a simple, basic little vehicle like this possibly cost?

one million dollars.

okay, maybe not quite a million, but still. turns out a decent, won't-break-down-the-minute-we've-bought-it pickup (a toyota tacoma, for example), costs north of $20,000. even garden-variety '07 ford rangers start at nearly $20k.

what. the. hell.

that kind of coin would buy a lot of nights at some very nice bed & breakfasts. or at a four seasons hotel, for that matter. when did little banger trucks become the fabergé eggs of the automotive world? for the price of something more extravagant, say a new automatic 4x4 with an extended cab, we'd have a down payment on a nice house. or many years' supply of above-average wine.

i'll take the house, and the wine, thanks. i'll drive my seven-year-old, paid-for honda civic to the comfy B&B, like a civilized person, and run to the nearest trailhead.

the dogs can find their own ride.