After our trailer was on order we had to find a truck to pull it. The process of choosing a truck was an adventure in itself. Learning how a Diesel engine delivers more torque than gas or gauging what payload capacity we will need offered a challenge similar to learning the nomenclature in Chemistry 101.
I rank shopping for vehicles right up there with walking into a dark living room knowing I am going to find the corner of the coffee table with my pinky toe. It’s not really the shopping I dislike, It’s the price haggling and the “I have to take this to my boss” exercise. Possibly the aversion stems from trauma I experienced from my sales career. There were many nights I cried myself to sleep curled up in the fetal position after a brutal meeting with a tough Purchasing Manager. The only difference being I was on the other side of the table. I still had the same doubts the deal would not bend in my favor. It will be decades of therapy before that emotional damage is dealt with, but I digress.
Now you understand my mindset walking into this thing. The experience was actually quite pleasant. I worked with a good salesman by the name of Ryan. He ended up calling me on a Sunday night after I submitted an inquiry to his dealership. Within a few minutes of speaking with him, it was clear he knew something about diesel trucks. Not only was he kind and patient, he genuinely enjoyed talking about what he was selling.
When it was all said and done we ended up purchasing a (Must be read in your best “Tim The Tool Man” voice) 2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty Diesel. This bad boy is 21 feet long and almost 7 feet high. When rolling down the road with our trailer in tow we will be 61 feet long. Thats a daunting thought (so let’s just bury that right now).
Since I practically have to pole vault to get in this thing, how we were to lift Colleen up was certainly a concern. After a bit of research I found a company here in Madison that specializes in ramps and lifts for vehicles. There were a few lifts to choose from, but we ended up going with a nifty design by Bruno called “The Stowaway Lift”. Transitioning Colleen from her wheelchair to the “Angel’s Seat” is pretty seamless.
Now that we have a monster of a truck, I am wondering how many friends we will gain that happen to be moving?
