goodbye ole buddy

[LongLine]

I had to say goodbye to an old friend of about 17 years this week. We chalked up a lot of miles together. He wasn’t my 1st mate, but just like a fishing buddy, he helped me launch the boat every time. He wasn’t into fishing like me and he actually preferred to stay at the launch/park area, watching others trying to launch, while I went out on the lake for a couple hours. I imagine he saw a lot of antics over the years.

He was well respected as nobody ever bothered him. He always kept his cool and never became overheated as a lot of others did, even on those hot summer days.

That’s not to say we didn’t have issues over the years, but I was always able to mend them. Guess it was a few years back when his problems became noticeable. At first he developed a little wobble after hitting a pothole on life’s bumpy road, but I managed to straighten him out before it became too serious. Then he was plagued with joint problems which were really bad when they acted up.

Last year his body started showing some serious signs of deteriation and he eventually just didn’t have the stamina nor zip of his youth anymore and really began slowing down. Last month I got him some new wheels just so he could get around better. Saturday, the writing was on the wall. He had developed a major case of flatulence & I don’t know the medical terms but guess he just blew some internal gaskets.

So I took that hunk of scrap to the dealer and bought a new truck!

Tom B.

(LongLine)

p.s. ’94 Ranger – 246.5K miles, 20.2 mpg for the last 5,000 miles.

[Twill23]

Haha this made me chuckle.

[N II Deep]

Ford tough.

My old girl is a 98 expedition w/ 260,000+

We had to give her a new heart 5 years ago.

The legs are still strong I hope I get a few more years

This past winter was rough on her, first signs of major holes in her skin

Stay strong old girl and keep pulling N II Deep to the ramp

[joelsanders]

those rangers are good lil trucks!

[Far Beyond Driven]

I'm on my third Escort GT, raced and rallied every one of them, this one's at 186k and needs new front brakes but still runs like a champ. Actually, you can flog the hell out of it and it doesn't care and kicks back 27mpg regardless. Looks like crap, lots of rust, but when an Audi A8 would not get out of the left line I grabbed fourth and was in front of him before he could even blink.

Going to miss that car when it goes. Will never be able to push any thing else to the limits and know what it's going to be capable of like those Escorts.