Good morning! I hope the world is being good to you and you’re being good to it.

Grab your coffee or beverage of choice and share a thought with me!

Several years ago, I purchased a Nissan Titan. My previous vehicle lease was expiring, and as much as I liked the Kia Sorento (don’t laugh, Kia makes a solid vehicle – SPORT MODE, BABY!!!!), I felt we could use a vehicle with a little more utility. I did not have a predisposition for the Titan, but I knew I wanted something different from all the F-150s, Silverados, and Rams, rumbling around the area. It just happened that the local dealership had the exact truck I built online, so I considered it kismet.

Overall, I like my truck and its features. Aside from Nissan including dated infotainment, navigation, and camera systems, there’s nothing I would change, and truthfully, those systems are still usable; they’re just not as crisp and slick as I’ve seen in other vehicles. I did not discover until last year that my model year of truck was the last year Nissan made the Titan, so I’m not surprised some of its electronics feel older. I also have to confess that my truck operates in chauffeur mode most often, which leads to one of my standing resolutions: I need to do more truck stuff.

Sure, I’ve hauled a load or two, including 25-plus folding tables at once, a snowblower multiple times, a store’s worth of cardboard for recycling, and all the yard waste you could want. Those moments have been the trifecta: big man driving big truck hauling big load. Seriously though, I’d love to get more utilization out of the truck’s capabilities. Give me something to tow, or let me pop her into 4LO so I can navigate some uneven terrain and kick up mud. I suppose I could just get a trailer and then either find something to haul on it or become that guy with the trailer who’s always helping people move (but that would require me getting to know more people). Biggest problem with that would be needing to back the trailer up. I’ve not had many occasions in my life to move a trailer in reverse, but I do have one very vivid memory of it not going well.

My honest inclination to get more out of the truck is to get a small camper. In today’s world, something like that could serve as a perfect office outside the house. Park it at a nearby campground, and assuming internet is still available there in some form, the camper, with its kitchen, bathroom, table, and A/C makes for the perfect non-home home office.

There is something bestial about hearing the truck’s V8 rumble at idle or while getting up to speed. The truck chews through snow in four-wheel drive, and it still manages to provide comfort for the whole family while cruising down the road. So yeah, I want to get more out of the machine. I want to be able to do more truck stuff. If that doesn’t pan out, I may as well get a minivan.

P.S. Have you seen minivans lately? They’re awesome. Van stuff may not be so bad either.