UPDATE June 23rd, 2008

The older I get the more time seems to fly. It's either that or just too many demands on my time.

Bottom line is I just don't get all the stuff done that I want to do.

Back in the middle of December I wrecked my F-250 that I had been driving for 9 years. A young man driving a 3/4 ton contractors van I was following decided he needed to do a U-Turn but did not bother to check the mirrors first.

When all was said and done, both vehicles were totaled.

96 F-250

It doesn't look bad but the frame was bent in 2 places and the firewall was pushed back 1 inch or more.

If you are like most folks I know who could live out of their truck for a week, then you can understand what it takes to start over with a new truck.

I thought for grins that I might write a list of all the items in my now destroyed truck but I couldn't find enough paper.

Even the little things like a fresh toothpick stuck in the sun visor or the un-opened package of batteries in the console.

Oh, it's not a big problem to get it all out of the truck but getting it all into the new truck is well, a 9 year project.

I didn't by a new truck. The one I wrecked was a 96 F-250 Supercab and I was perfectly content with it. So I searched the web until I found one in the same condition (which was mint, by the way) and I bought it. It's a 97 F-250 Supercab.

97 F-250

With only minor differences, it's the same truck. The minor differences have driven me crazy though. My 96 had captains chairs and what I fondly referred to as a "dumpster" for a console. The 97 has the jump seat in the middle with the worthless storage compartment built into the back of the seat accessible only when the seat is folded forward. It also contains the "beverage holders" if you will but they are more like a launch pad for soda cans.

The stiff suspension of the 3/4 ton throws coke everywhere unless you grab it before you hit a bump.

Anyway, when I settled with the insurance company they informed me that I could buy my 96 back from them for $1300. I couldn't leave well enough alone so I bought it back and stuck it in a barn out in the country. Ended up making a good chunk of change parting it out but spent a lot of time doing so.

Kept the rear springs because my "new truck" had a broken leaf on it. Been there done that knew it would be quite the undertaking and I wasn't let down. What a cluster, but it's done.

Then of course I had to install my 5th wheel hitch in the new truck and that is always a pleasant project. Nothing like drilling 16 holes in a truck to completely frazzle your nerves.

So here it is nearly the end of June and I still haven't fired my new Ruger Compact

Planning to get the 4th of July out of the way and then get with the program on finishing the break-in procedure and then sighting the rifle in for some serious practice.

Deer season, at this rate, is just weeks away.

Hope you all are having a great summer and looking foward to the upcoming hunting season.

Bill