In 1990 we moved from South Florida to Houston
, by way of Pennsylvania, in a Honda Accord. With one infant, one toddler, two car seats, toys, bottles, diapers, the whole shebang. We drove from Boca Raton to York, PA and then from York to Houston. When I look back on this I cannot even imagine it!
In Houston we discovered that we were in the minority with a “car”. What we really needed was a van or truck. SUVs
, like cell phones or the internet, were not mainstream yet. But have no fear, we did have running water and indoor plumbing.
We got our first mini van in 1995. We were converts. But then I started seeing this GIANT vehicle called an Expedition. Surburbans had been around for awhile, but these we so much cooler, so much beefier, they struck a chord. They were HUGE. Every time I would pull up beside one in the Honda (yes we still had the Honda, we keep cars for a LONG time) I would drool. I told Bob HE needed one of these. It suit him.
After much prompting I finally convinced him to get one. It was $35K in 1998! This was more than we ever imagined spending on a car. EVER. (we were still young and naïve). It was top of the line at the time. Eddie Bauer edition. Laser Red. Leather interior. Towing package (who would ever need that?!). I was afraid to drive it for almost a year. It was HUGE. But my she was yar. And it could turn on a dime. It was crazy that for as big as it was, it was the easiest vehicle we have ever driven to park and maneuver.
Well, to make a long story short, and of course this would be a long story since we still have the vehicle today, 2014, 16 years, 200K miles later. Sarah took it when I got a new Expedition in 2010. She has loved it as we did….maybe even more. It has seen us through most of their lives. Through vacations, trips to camp, hauling large groups of children, a harrowing trip down an icy mountain, hauling a bass, moving to college, moving around (A LOT) during college, moving to their first apartments after college, moving again (it has seen a lot of moving). It has never let us down. Never once stranded us.
Today Sarah will trade it in today….if she can. We will never convince anyone of its true worth, but It has been such a big part of our lives for so long we will miss it, and think of it every time we park another vehicle without its turning radius. We love you 1998 Expedition…the greatest vehicle EVER MADE!
