I've been cultivating an attitude of gratitude lately, even during challenging times. Of course, we're grateful for the loved ones in our lives, but what about the things we often take for granted? Conveniences such as a constant supply of running water, not having to brave the cold in sub-zero weather to reach an outhouse, or having a vast amount of information readily available at the touch of a button on our smartphones.
The Journey and Legacy of a Trusted Vehicle
Preparing for Winter with a Trusted Companion
While getting my flowerbeds ready for the winter months, I glanced over by the shed and saw my dependable old Toyota parked among the piles of leaves surrounding her four wheels. For the past four years, I've been hesitating about her fate: whether to take her to the scrap yard or let someone else continue to put a few thousand more miles on her. Despite the reading on the odometer showing 337,000 miles, there's still a lot of life left in that old sedan, despite a few cosmetic flaws and a loud exhaust.During those winter preparations, I couldn't help but think about all the miles she had carried me on various adventures. It was a bittersweet moment as I prepared to face the cold months ahead.The Perfect Used Car Find
After some less-than-ideal car choices over the years, we purchased a used 1998 Toyota Camry in 2002. Finally, a reliable car that wasn't a strange color like green, orange, or that Yuba gold (which was almost the same as a school bus color). I put a lot of miles on this car as I chased down stories on my old beat. In 2006, while crossing the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge on Highway 49, a deer suddenly jumped out in front of me, totaling the car at just 164,000 miles. The engine still ran smoothly, but the impact at 60 mph destroyed the windshield and roof, and unfortunately, the poor deer as well.This incident led to the search for a new car. Pouring over used car ads, I spotted two contenders at a small dealership on the south side of Madison. There she was, a 2005 Toyota Camry, a former company car with only 67,000 miles on the odometer. I didn't care that it was 'old lady beige' (its official color was Desert Sand Mica). On the drive home, my brother, who was a car salesman's worst nightmare, kept complaining about how much I had spent on a car with high miles. Little did he know that this car would carry me nearly 270,000 miles over the next 18 years - a distance equivalent to 13 trips around the earth. I still like to remind him of this fact from time to time.How a Car Saved the Lives of Grandkids
If that old car could talk, it would boast about all the reporting assignments it had taken me on, countless farm shows, meetings, interviews, court cases, and even a hostage crisis at the state's oldest prison in Waupun. It had also accompanied us on pleasure trips to the Great Lakes, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, blueberry picking in Michigan, Cooperstown in the Finger Lakes region of New York state, a Phish concert on the East Coast, and countless other adventures.I always felt safe behind the wheel of that car. I was especially grateful for Toyota's technology, assembly, and safety ratings on July 27, 2018. I had stopped to inflate the tires before picking up my two grandchildren for a day trip to Plymouth. We were planning to visit the Cheese Counter and Dairy Heritage Center and then go swimming.As we were driving north on Highway 67 through the Kettle Moraine, an oncoming car pulled into our lane to make a left turn. Instinctively, I swerved to avoid a head-on collision, and the car missed us by inches. The car handled perfectly and never lost control on the gravel shoulder. I couldn't say the same about my nerves after that close call.Battle Scars and Unforgettable Moments
Ever since my Border Collie Jack was young, he had a passion (and patience) for tracking down chipmunks. He would sit for hours at the base of an oak tree, waiting for the chipmunks to come back down. When he thought he had a chipmunk trapped, he was relentless. One day, he circled our riding lawn mower, pulling at the wires under the hood, determined to get to it. And he was surprisingly accurate. Pulling up the hood of the lawnmower, a chipmunk would jump out and run to the nearest tree.We often found him with his head stuck inside the wheel well or undercarriage of the car, searching for another elusive chipmunk. Soon, we noticed scratches on the paint and dents in the sheet metal on the front quarter panels. Those were bite marks! At first, I was more than annoyed, but by then, the car was old, and the battle scars became an interesting topic of conversation. It added character to the car. Thankfully, Jack is no longer in that stage and has left our latest vehicle alone.The Difficulty of Saying Goodbye
That old car and I have shared so many great adventures together. I clearly remember the day the odometer rolled over to 300,000 miles. After returning from Farm Technology Days in Kewaunee County, I kept an eye on the odometer as I drove along the scenic byways in the Holyland east of Fond du Lac. At an intersection on a scenic hilltop, I stopped the car and took a selfie with my old mechanical friend - with all its dents, dings, and memories.Over the past year, we've only driven her a few times. People often ask me why I don't sell or take her to the salvage yard. Saying goodbye to a dependable, reliable old friend who has been nothing but good to you is hard to explain.Perhaps I have some attachment issues. Or maybe my 19-year-old car has served as a backdrop to both significant and routine events that make up the fabric of life - road trips, vacations, or even taking a dog home from the vet after a difficult procedure. Whatever the reason, I'm filled with gratitude for every mile that Camry has given us since 2006. And I'll be sorry to see her go.The words of Dan Seal's song My Old Yellow Car sum it up best for me.Somewhere in a pile of rubber and steelThere's a rusty old shell of an automobileAnd if engines could run on desires aloneThat old yellow car would be driving me homeContact Colleen Kottke at 920-517-2653 or ckottke@gannett.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @ColleenKottke.