We had been driving our 2001 Chevrolet Venture for 12 years. You have to believe that, in its day, it was quite a ride. We bought it when it only had 2,000 miles. It had only been driven to doctors appointments from a nursing home. So, it was pretty awesome. We bought this expensive 8-passenger vehicle because we had five kids who were ages 5, 4, 2, and twins who were 1.
Before that, we were driving a used Plymouth Voyager. I can't even remember what year it was, and while it looked nice on the outside, the inner workings, well DIDN'T. At least, not well. In fact, we hadn't been driving it for a week when we were going about 65 on the highway, and it just stopped running. The dealership made us pay 1/2 the cost for repairs. We should have known then that it wouldn't serve us well.
Anyway, the Venture was a breath of fresh air. And it was unfortunate enough to be rear-ended a few times throughout the years. But it really started its long demise when we moved to Arkansas in 2006. It just couldn't take the pressure (and steep hills).
We have been looking around for a long time for something we liked, and Jim has wanted a Ford Flex since they made their appearance. My friend drove hers down here for our girls weekend, and I really liked it, too. (The screen that shows what's behind you as you're backing up is one of my favorite features.)
So, now we are driving a 2013 Ford Flex. The information says it's "tan" in color, but it's a cool color of green (like how I did that with green being a cool color?)... So, the van is sitting a parking lot waiting to learn its sentence.
Will it be driven again by a family who needs some space?
Or, will it be retired to the junkyard where old vans go to die...
I asked Jim to take some pictures of it before he left it there on Thursday.
It's kind of ridiculous to be so attached to a vehicle, but my kids have grown up in that van! They have slept, spilled sodas and other colored things, even milk. They have vomited and cried and laughed and lived. We went for a 5,000 mile trip in that van...
On the way through Flagstaff, AZ in 2005, the needle went into the red, and I knew it was going to overheat! The thermostat showed it was close to overheating for a long time, even though it supposedly had been repaired... and it wasn't close to overheating at all.
We had that beautiful van over one-half of our married life.
Jim and I took a trip to Orlando in the van the summer of 2001. It was the year of our 10-year anniversary, and it was a very comfortable ride to take.
It's been to Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico.
Now that the kids are older, Jim decided he wanted something a little more "stylish" than a mini-van. If we drive this Flex for 12 years, we'll probably be grandparents by then. And then a new group of kids can sleep and laugh and live in it.
So, RIP 2001 Chevrolet Venture. You served the Hammers well.
And here's to the new Hammer-mobile! It's a great trade.
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