MY NEW TRUCK—

Permit me to introduce my (new to me) 2000 Ford F-150 pick-up truck. It appears to be delightfully suited to towing the camper.

It replaces an old friend; my Jeep. The Jeep served me well but it really struggled in its towing duties.

I had added a transmission cooler to the Jeep, and, new 6 ply tires to give it a boost in the towing role. The camper was within its factory tow limits. But, the recent run down the Ohio River and over through the Hocking Hills on the way home convinced me of the need for a more robust tow vehicle.

An earlier challenge was dragging the camper across the Sandusky Bay Bridge in a rigorous, quartering head-wind.

After a fairly thorough search (and encounters with used car salesmen previously described) I found my new truck in son Brian’s neighborhood. It belonged to his friend Bruce Hahn who used it to successfully tow his camper—a bit larger one than mine actually.

It has what Ford calls its Triton V-8. Doesn’t that name just make your testosterone quiver?

It was born in Henry’s factory with a tow package as well, so, the test tow I did with my camper was simply to bolster my pre-purchase confidence.

It buzzed the camper around my local hills without breathing hard—comparatively like adding an engine to my bicycle.

And, it is nicely tricked out. Picture this in a tow vehicle: leather seats, keyless entry and all the other goodies in the “Lariat” trim package. Reminds me of a gentrified mule.

So, my looming trip across the Pennsylvania mountains in August has suddenly become less daunting.

Welcome aboard Mr. Truck.

Now, I’ll try really hard to find my little red Jeep a good new home.