Yesterday I drove to Chad’s town to pick Addie up after school so she could spend the long weekend with us. I know Chad and Nicole enjoy a little alone time sometimes and I definitely enjoy having Addie. Chad was off so I told him I’d run by and visit with him for a while, get Addie’s stuff and then I’d go pick her up. When I got there, he was out working in the garage doing some woodworking and he had some bread recipe rising because he had to stop and go in, clean up and do a bit of kneading on the dough. He’s such a cool guy . . but I might be just a bit biased in my opinion. 🙂
I asked him if he wanted to go with me to get Addie. He said “Let’s take the old truck!”
It has been so, so many years since I rode in that truck. It was such a trip down memory lane for me and totally weird in a good way to see Chad driving my grandpa’s old truck.
It was a farm truck – never meant to be a fancy truck like the trucks are today. I never paid attention to my grandpa driving it but watching Chad having to work four pedals with two feet . . I can tell you I’ll never try it. When Chad first got it home, he was struggling with working all the pedals and now, he said it’s a piece of cake. He doesn’t even have to think about which foot is going to do what. I can’t even say that when I’m walking! 🙂
Addie was so happy to see us drive up in that old truck. I hope my grandpa is able to look down and see how Chad, Nicole and Addie are enjoying that old truck.
I will forever be thankful to my uncle for giving Chad that truck and keeping it in the family.
PamO says
And that’s the reason, car thieves don’t steal vehicles with clutches. No power steering is also a challenge.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Yes, there’s no way I would try to drive Chad’s truck. The steering would be more than I could handle these days.
Elle says
How AWESOME you got a ride in the truck. It is a gorgeous piece of family history and obviously much loved my the younger family as well.
Linda in NE says
Until seeing your picture I forgot all about that starter pedal on the old trucks. I learned to do it way back when but it would be very awkward now after driving modern vehicles all these years. Chad will never have to worry about some punk stealing it. The young ones can’t even drive a vehicle with manual transmission. They would never figure out the starter pedal.
Nancy H. says
I still drive a manual transmission car and most of my grandsons want me to teach them how to drive it. But I think number two might have decided he doesn’t want to try anymore after really watching his brother drive my car over Christmas break when the oldest was home from college and borrowed my car to get to his part time job. I thank God for power steering. I remember how hard vehicles were to drive without it. The first truck I drove at the age of 8 had manual transmission and no power steering and I had to pull the hay trailer as my dad, brother, uncle and grandfather loaded the trailer. Lots of stopping and starting if I went to fast so I tried to go slow enough that I never had to stop.
Cindy F says
Wonderful you got to ride in the truck! I learned to drive on a manual transmission but had no idea about the extra pedal in these old trucks! My husband loves his manual transmission Jeep (purposely sought one out) but I’m a fan of automatics!
Nelle Coursey says
Your uncle knew that his dad would love for Chad to have that truck! He knows Chad will take care of it just like he did!
Sherry Bobak says
My first car was a used Ford Fairlane with no power steering. I had to take my driver’s test in it and the officer took me out some narrow country roads. I don’t know about now, but back then they made us do a three-point turn. I tried three times hoping not to run off the side of the road but just couldn’t make it without power steering. I thought I failed my test but the nice officer passed me. He said that he could see that I knew all the right steps, just that a little girl like me didn’t have the strength to turn that wheel. I sure got lucky!
Carolyn says
I think Chad is pretty awesome too! I love how he has embraced so many things that he made fun of growing up. I love that he has come around to your way of thinking! You did a great job raising him!
RuthW in MD says
I remember the little white Rambler my sister and I learned to drive on, manual transmission was “3 on the tree.” (Versus “4 on the floor.”) No seatbelts either. Mom drove us out behind the church parking lot (onto the cleared dirt lot) and we did lots of starting and stopping and circles. So fun!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
My first car was a Mustang with a stick shift on the floor and no power anything but it was small and easy to drive, plus . . I had never had power steering so I didn’t know any different.