.... has its new set of tires. They cost somewhere around $800. Most of you know why the twenty or so year old Chevy 2500/three quarter ton, former U.S. Forest Service truck has that name… but it’s sweet to re-remember the story. I think the government trucks used to be dark green - forest green? But at some point, perhaps to increase their visibility or to make them reflect sunlight and be easier to air condition, they changed to a lighter shade of green, more of a mint. Thus the big shiny fairly well taken care of vehicle is the color of mint ice cream.
My son wanted a standard cab and a standard transmission and both are quite hard to find. Turns out the government was selling them - this one came from the desert southwest and it hadn’‘t suffered as much salt damage as local vehicles do. He bought it through a local dealer who brought in a number of other mint green pickups, so it turns out they aren’t that unusual around here. There are three or four of them.
I would drive it to work on snowy days at my last job. It has a six speed transmission and the biggest engine almost ever put in a pickup. I have two stories - one about going up a long curvy highway hill and feeling the truck losing it’s grip on the road. I took my foot off the gas and carefully steered into the skid through several curves until finally the wheels all seemed to be going in the same direction. I looked in the rear view mirror to see if the vehicle following closely behind me was still there, but they had slowed down, giving me a lots bigger gap.
Another time a late storm in March left a lot of snow. I took out the broom to sweep the snow off the ICT. I live on a gravel road with hills and curves, but I was pretty sure I would be able to thread my way to the highway, and sure enough I got out the driveway and up the steep little hill by the house and was on my way to the big hill, when I saw a bunch of colorful and flashing lights. Turned out to be the snowplow on an early morning run. I stopped, not knowing how we would be able to meet each other on the narrow gravel when we couldn’t see the edges of the road. The snowplow was surprised to see me too. But early morning snow plow drivers are quick thinkers, and he knew the road well since he drove the regular maintainer = in fact the plow was the regular maintainer all tricked out for winter service. The driver turned into a field driveway and got out of my way, and I put the ICT back in gear and made my way on his freshly plowed path up to he highway.
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Oh and today guess what?! I saw my first robin and my first bluebird. Bluebirds are rare - I go many years not seeing one at all. This one was bright blue, distinctly what it was, and it was flying through Joana’s little field at the bottom of her hill. That is the only place I ever see a bluebird. I will have to keep my eyes out the year for further sightings.
I wore my new red shoes today. They might not be the exact size. I have odd feet. But I think they are close enough. Roomy is better than tight and they are roomy. I wear my wool hiking socks so there is some give and take.
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