The Vehicles of My Life

I've never owned a brand new vehicle and never plan on it. Used is just fine for me, and besides, it just has to be comfortable and run well, right? 

My first memory of a car of any sort was probably my Grandpa's blue station wagon. Don't ask me what kind or year it was, I have no idea. It always smelled of his pipe and I can remember us cruising down dirt roads in it with him and visiting ghost towns. Stories were told, and I know me and my cousin were a little creeped out; although in awe of how much Grandpa knew. How did he find these towns? Yes, we got stuck a few times. It's okay though, that's what makes it all so interesting. I must have only been about 5 or so on these trips, as details are seriously lacking. 

The second memory was time spent in my parents green van. This van was definitely awesome. It had shag carpet on the walls, a bed in the back (really just foam) with a cool curtain, fridge, and 2 or 3 oddly placed seats in back. I loved that van, even though I was pretty young: under 10 years old. I remember us going to the circus and the elephants peeing on us and then me and my sister had baton fights in the back. I won a particular fight when hers snapped in half. Needless to say, many tears were shed. I also remember us on our way to a neighbouring town and the muffler fell off. Dad put it in the van and told us not to touch it. We obeyed of course. I'm not sure what happened to that van, but I always wish we could have kept it as a playhouse.

One thing I know about my family is that we drive our cars until they fall apart. My first car was no exception. It was actually the family car for quite some time until I moved out at which time it became mine. However I drove the awesome 1989 Pontiac 6000LE throughout the last 2 years of highschool. The first time I finally got my license I drove it to the lake, went to park, and lightly hit a post right in front of all my friends. This car's tape deck was broken a long time ago, and the radio would cut in and out, which could only be remedied by a smash to the dash. Music did sound quite good pounding out of the factory speakers though. In that lovely photo, it was right after I ran out of gas up north and when I went back to it, it had been smashed; adventures, eh? I drove this car to all pit parties, picked up many friends in it, and when I first started driving it, gas was only 53 cents a litre. I had it until the fall of 2004, a whole year after graduation. In the end, the ceiling fabric was falling in, and it needed tie rod ends, so I said my goodbyes to my entire highschool days and sold it for $250 bucks. 

The next car I owned was one I bought myself. My lovely 1993 Sunbird SE. Yes, that desk did fit in there. I honestly picked it out because it was blue and "looked cool". It was a 2 door, had tinted windows, and a CD player; this was all quite amazing to me. Oh and it had air conditioning, even command start. This was the car of my dreams. This car never quite worked 100 percent. It would stop for no reason on major intersections and when it was cold. Command start only worked half the time, but I loved this car. This car made me feel so cool, it was unreal. Time was spent blaring Ashlee Simpson: Autobiography, and Keith Urban: Be Here. As well as Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory, Christina Aguilera: Stripped. Yeah, I know, kind of a strange combination, but that's what I had. I cannot play any songs of those albums and not think of that car. I bought it while I was working at Subway. In the end I needed something reliable and so I sold it in the summer of 2009 for $1200. The command start worked just fine in the summer.

I soon realized 2 doors are impractical when you have more than one friend, and perhaps a nephew with a carseat. It was time for bigger and better things. It's listed as a station wagon but I call it a hatch; the love of my life the 2003 Toyota Matrix. Seriously? That's the car I picked? YES, you want to know why. Well who can resist the appeal of cup holders everywhere, and by everywhere, I mean that neither of  my previous vehicles even had them. Command start was soon installed and all was well in my life. All, meaning that I could officially go on road trips, road trips to anywhere, and so a trip to Fargo, North Dakota was planned. It was brilliant. Good on gas, suitcases fit easily, and was insanely comfortable on that 12 hour drive. This is my current car and the cds it reminds me of so far are Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers: The Bear, Hanson: Shout It Out, Jason Reeves: The Magnificent Adventures of Heartache, Green River Ordinance: The Morning Passengers, and currently Boots Factor: Part Or Execution. I hope to drive this car until it falls apart, and hopefully that is many years from now. I should probably wash it more often. 

Wherever my road leads, and right now in Saskatchewan, driving is a big part of life, I will need a car, and there will be music, and sometimes even friends to share these adventures with me. There really is nothing like it. I could blare music and sing along all day, if only gas wasn't so expensive and I had somewhere to go.