Here's Dave's new 'girl'. Hilarious!

It has become obvious that this is no place for the Acura. The traffic in town moves very slowly and is in some ways more unpredictable than the rapidly moving traffic in a city of a million people. I feel both insecure and extreeeemly obvious driving that beautiful car in Salmon.

Plus, we need something to beat around the hills in and to haul stuff around, right?

So, Dave came home with 'Luverne', as we have dubbed her. We have been for two short drives and I have discovered something very interesting. The first afternoon we immediately took off onto a gravel road right up into remotesville, to check out the 4 wheel drive. I commented to Dave that I could drive around in the mountains, bumping around on the dirt roads all day - I really enjoy it. I had said the same thing to Dad when we were driving around one day in August - it is slow driving, with the vehicle rocking over the uneven road and the engine geared down - and he said emphatically 'so could I'.

Last evening we were on the highway, Dave was driving and I felt so relaxed and peaceful on my side of the fabric bench seat. I think I could have ridden like that for hours and most likely have fallen asleep - there is a particularly soothing quality in the sound of a truck engine.

That's when it occurred to me: this was how I had spent many, many, hours growing up. Riding with my Dad in a truck. No wonder I feel so content with Luverne.