I drove this truck for nine years and close to 100,000 miles.  Had the engine rebuilt once.  Drove it in 2009 from Tucson, Arizona to Lago Atitlan, Guatemala and back, getting the tie rods replaced in Aguas Calientes.  It was a wonderful icebreaker with the young soldiers at the puestos militares along Mexico’s highways.  “Lo hiciste???”  “Si, yo lo hice.”  “Que padre!”  I had to learn to drive differently, owning such a recognizable vehicle.  No flipping off other drivers, cutting them off, and absolutely no road rage.  I had several police cars tailgate me for blocks while they ran my plates to discover a clean record.  When I drove it to Juarez with my friend Randy, Customs ran two dogs in and around it for a half hour on our return.  Border Patrol south of Tucson came to recognize it with my frequent trips for photos near the border.  It has a camper shell, but Zach, whom I sold it to a few months ago, prefers to go topless.  I’m happy he hasn’t repainted, and that my Spiderman action figure still hangs from the passenger sun visor.