It's not exactly a secret around the office that I've been working on the landscaping at my house this summer. I've been using various long-term cars to haul various plants from various nurseries for weeks now, complaining loudly about the whole dirty, sweaty, process.
Having conquered most of the smaller areas, I'm now forced to deal with reducing the size of the wide, front flower bed, and hauling away the mess.
The first step: remove the buckling concrete border that snakes across the lawn. Turns out, a 10-pound sledgehammer and a shovel is all that's needed.
Oh, and a truck.
Step 2: load the broken slabs into the back of our already well-loved 2009 Dodge Ram pickup. No bedliner is a downer, and not willing to be the first editor to turn the shiny red Ram's bed into a box of scratches, I grab an old beach blanket out of the garage and build a protective plaid layer between the bright red metal and concrete filth.
Step 3: enlist an able-bodied staffer (we'll call him, Mike) to help unload the concrete at the local Santa Monica dump. He unloads while I cheerfully photograph the effort from the front of the Ram's bed.
We're driving the first 2009 Ram the dump workers have seen at the "yard," and the ground crew is anxious to get a closer look at the truck. Towel-covered mask-man asks Mike to open up the side-storage Ram box, telling him confidentially it will be "a good place to stash your schrooms when you head up to the mountains."
Another worker saunters up when he sees me shooting the whole smelly scene, convinced I'm a camera-toting member of the dump paparazzi.
"Make sure you get a picture of that guy," he whispers. "That's Tommy Chong unloading the green Toyota Tundra." I obliging point my Olympus at the truck parked two down from me, where Cheech's supposed Chong is lurking behind an extra-large gold picture frame.
Ah, the people you meet when you drive a truck.
Good times.
Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 3950 miles
firstwagon says:
04:23 PM, 08/ 4/09
That bed really looks small. For 10 years I drove a little 88 Dodge Ram 50 Extended Cab (Mitsu). Being a little 2700 lb truck I accepted the shortcomings of it's little 6 foot bed.
I would have a hard time acepting a smaller bed on the massive 09 Ram.
Why does the rear seat have to be so huge, who do you plan to put back there?
Good reason to buy the Chevy. They still offer the extra cab version which gives you a decent back seat and a 6 and 1/2 foot bed.
thundera says:
04:26 PM, 08/ 4/09
That's a previous gen Taco - not Tundra :)
shaddai says:
05:08 PM, 08/ 4/09
@thundera - you beat me to it. Totally a Tacoma. The tail lights are a dead give away. Extended cab, 2001-2004 model year.
:D
shaddai says:
05:10 PM, 08/ 4/09
@thundera - you beat me to it. Totally a Tacoma. The tail lights are a dead give away. Extended cab, 2001-2004 model year.
:D
scott65 says:
07:23 PM, 08/ 4/09
That actually does look like Tommy Chong lol!
the_big_al says:
02:04 AM, 08/ 5/09
I think you guys need to get a bedliner. I know you have to worry about resale value and so you don't dare scratch the bed of your trucks, but it's a truck! Although I do understand the blanket to help keep the concrete from denting the metal. But get a bedliner! That takes away all worries and they hold up to the abuse you will throw at it. Then you can use it like a real truck without worrying about marring it.
cruiserhead1 says:
03:23 AM, 08/ 5/09
the side pocket storage is nifty looking but I would rather have more bed width. On a short bed like that, you need every bit.
dougtheeng says:
05:44 AM, 08/ 5/09
Truck w/o bedliner = fail...that's always been my opinion.
rick8365 says:
05:55 AM, 08/ 5/09
Spray-in liners........the best.
I think Chong's truck is a first gen Tundra.
cruiserhead1 says:
06:48 AM, 08/ 5/09
it's clearly a tacoma extra cab w/ contractor rack in the background. Chong's truck looks like a Dodge Dakota
rick8365 says:
09:10 AM, 08/ 5/09
Sorry - thought we were talking about the black one in the foreground. And, I think I agree with Dakota.
rick8365 says:
09:11 AM, 08/ 5/09
Uncle Jesse Jr. with the black truck??
hybris says:
11:01 AM, 08/ 5/09
After seeing this I can safely say the main short falls of the LT Ram
1. Short Bed
2. Narrow Bed (RamBoxes are IMHO too much of a fad)
3. Lack of a liner drop or spray type (Fault of the owners)
08lr3 says:
11:31 AM, 08/ 5/09
sniff sniff... sorta smells... like dead Ford and Chevy.. huh?