I have a crush on old, run down pick-ups. Not that I especially want to own a truck (because, in fact, I do not). But, if I see one parked along the side of the road, I'll slam on my brakes, jump out and snap a pic.
I blame my dad. Who used to possess the world's crappiest truck. It was four (or more) different colors, rusted out all over the place and, whenever he cut the engine, the thing would buck and snort for several seconds before coming to a standstill.
My sixteen-year-old self was mortified.
But now, of course, I look back on it sort of fondly.
It wasn't that my dad loved owning a jalopy either. But, on a teacher's salary, that was what he could afford. Also, he drove his trucks into the woods, where he loaded the beds with logs that we burned to heat our house. (Yes, I am from the backcountry, why do you ask?)
He didn't want anything too nice, nothing he couldn't rough up a little.
Hence my preoccupation with old trucks. They kind of remind me of what my parents were willing to do for our family and how hard they worked.
Now, when I start whining because I've been entertaining the kids for three straight days, or because I must wash a Mt. Baker of dishes, I think about the steaming heaps my dad drove. And how he used to chop down actual trees and split them up so we could be warm every winter.
And I snap out of my self pity.
Very nice International Harvester. I would drive that. We have Granddad's old Chevy Wheat truck sitting out behind the barn and it's becoming one with the pasture.
Posted by: Terri | July 21, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Mmmmm. Truck porn.
Posted by: BOSSY | July 21, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Ahh..sigh. Symbols of simplicity and sanity. When rusted metal meant living a little closer to reality.
Posted by: LeSan | July 21, 2009 at 02:11 PM
Funny how things so horrible in our youth can become dearer to our hearts.
Posted by: M | July 21, 2009 at 02:11 PM
If I'd known you were going to write this, I would have tried to find you a picture of the old heap - a '72 GMC 4WD. It was pretty bad looking. I believe the colors were blue, gray, yellow, and rust - lots of rust.
I'm pretty sure that I remember you ducking down as we would pull into the school parking lot.
Dad
Posted by: T | July 21, 2009 at 06:36 PM
Only a few times...
The one before the GMC was pretty homely too. Brush painted gray, I believe. :)
Posted by: All Adither | July 21, 2009 at 07:13 PM
We also had our share of trucks, and wood heat. So I fully understand, and also think they are pretty neat.
Posted by: Leslie | July 22, 2009 at 02:08 PM
Lovely photos. Looking forward to meeting you!
Posted by: Sweetney | July 22, 2009 at 02:10 PM
Those are great photos! My dad owned a really old Ford pickup truck with several primer spots, rust AND diff colors as well - you couldn't turn it off or the battery would die! And then, when that was gone, he got an El Camino (dumbest vechicle EVER! Is it a car or is it a truck?).
I think I really did die. Or at least part of my teenage self did.
Posted by: Carrie | July 23, 2009 at 12:17 PM
You with old truck and me with old houses. Sometimes we just have to surrender to our nostalgia.
Posted by: Michele | July 25, 2009 at 06:25 PM
Beautiful photos!! Ther is something really charming about old trucks.
Posted by: Nancy@ifevolutionworks.com | July 26, 2009 at 05:24 PM