4Runner — Kurt Eagle

…Tomorrow is a new adventure, I turn the key, it always starts up. Where to next? I own the perfect set of wheels to take us there.

A worn leather shift knob flaking off on my hand, the scent of wet sled-dog baked into the rear seats, and the quiet squeak of hand-crank windows rolling down on a crisp Minnesota morning; these are the things that personify and make an old vehicle human. My vehicular-human is a purple, mid-90’s 4runner. I have shared over 60,000 miles during the last 5 years with this car, transforming the way I see things and pace my life. A lot of the magic this 4runner has boils down to the marriage of two things that are normally exclusive in cars – old and reliable. I have never been left stranded, despite it being 30 years old.

My partner Reece and I drove up from Duluth to Ely for a weekend trip. The contents of the car included: camera gear, two very active dogs and their crates, cabin comforts, snacks, and the other miscellaneous things an ADHD packer would throw in for a trip at the last minute. We cruised up north through forests and twisty roads, shifting between forth and fifth gear as the road tightens. About 2 minutes into the drive, Reece’s dog Indigo blew through the fabric side of her crate, so she now shares a seat with a restless Healer. We bounce trailhead, to trailhead, slowly working our way trough the edge of the Boundary Waters. The road takes us to the Airbnb Reece is shooting that night, and we part the sea of bugs to get to the front door. A blissful day of hiking, dogs, Northern Minnesota lakes, and a 90’s 4X4. Tomorrow is a new adventure, I turn the key, it always starts up. Where to next? I own the perfect set of wheels to take us there.

Nebraska