Take one last look, because this is the end of an era. For the first time since January 1978, we no longer own a Suburban. The first Suburban, a maroon Chevrolet was "baptized" when Claudia's water broke just two blocks away from the hospital, right before Margie was born.
The second Suburban, a blue and silver diesel GMC was "baptized" by Rusty after he ingested an orange super gulp.
There then came a rapid succession of unforgettable Suburbans, beginning with the electric blue '92, then two green with silver trim, one a 1993, the other a 1994 diesel. Just months later, a maroon 1994 made the scene, followed almost immediately by a gold 1995. The maroon Suburban travelled to San Francisco, then north to the Redwood Forest, and on to Portland, and Washington State. The gold one went to Breckenridge , among other places.
As a family, we have travelled over a million miles in Suburbans, and I honestly shed a tear as Ed drove away yesterday. It truly is the end of an era.
13 comments:
I should have asked all of you to post your favorite Suburban memory.
I loved setting the Suburban up for long road trips. We would fold down the middle seat and set it up like a giant bed, then pick up Ed at General Motors at 2:30 in the morning, and be off on another great adventure. I would make rice crispy treats for breakfast and peel oranges or slice apples in the front seat.
Another favorite memory was reading the story, Charlie's Monument out loud while we drove.
I remember leaving Grandma and Grandpa's Albert Lea house in 1981, and Betsey was just two, but she perfectly told the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, in her little tiny two-year-old voice. It was too cute.
One of Ed's favorite Suburban memories was driving home from General Motors at 3:00 in the morning, and never getting stuck in blizzards with huge drifts. He pulled out another Suburban, a bread truck and other assorted vehicles.
What are your Suburban memories?
I didn't realize you guys were getting rid of the Suburban? Did you trade it in for a new Malibu? Brandon is bummed.
Anywho. Favorite suburban memory. Driving home from Grandma and Grandpa Sumners house in Arizona. I was maybe 6. Crying my eyes out in the third-row backseat because I was so thirsty and Dad wouldn't stop. I thought I was going to die.
Love you!
-M
Yeah they traded it in to help me with a down payment on my car. Bummer that they got rid of it, but dad's barn can ONLY hold 4 cars and with their plan to get their own malibu they would have no room.
On vacations I always remember thinking it was so expensive to fill the suburban up. "$40!!!!!!! I could get a jersey for that"
karl
dammit. i'm sure they gave you crap in trade for it. i wish i could have purchased it. :(. i have MANY fond memories of suburbans. i'm not sure where to start.
-ryan
Ryan,
Dad got $3600 for it. It had 187,000 miles on it, and has a 42 gallon gas tank that costs $120.00 to fill. Dad figured it would need a new transmission before long, which is about $1000. We rarely used it until Karl took it to school, and it just didn't make sense to keep it. I'm sorry you wanted it and we didn't give you first chance to buy it. :(
Claudia
the stealership will turn around and sell it for 7k as is. no, i don 't think i should have. But i like to save every car. there is something special about everyone. this vehicle was so well taken car of, not to mention big block power. buy a GM crate motor, get the trans rebuilt and its ready for another 200,000 miles plus. oh well. it is what it is. just sad to see them go. i still want to buy the old diesel back. 400 bucks.
-ryan
You're just like Dad. He still keeps an eye out for a 1973 K5 Blazer. I think if he ever found one in good shape he would buy it right away.
I know we should not get so attached to our possessions, but I love everything that those Suburbans represented to our family. Happy times (except for Margie's unquenchable thirst), good adventures, times spent together, music shared. And look at those beautiful lines. Look at those awesome wheels. Look at how well that truck has been taken care of--the paint job is rust-free! It also represents Ed's work ethic, in taking care of his possessions so they can retain their value. McKean's Motor Service is the one who bought it--not Courtesy, because they would only give Ed $3000, and he knew it was worth more than that.
Too long--Sorry!
Claudia
Of course lots of suburban memories from this suburban and all the others we have had in the past.
I remember many drives to Utah, but particularly the one where mom offered to drive some girl names Christy to Utah with us. That made 8 people in the car...it was a crammed trip!
I remember listening to mom's Joni Mitchell tapes on those car trips and making fun of the songs. Now Joni Mitchell is one of my favorites.
I remember listening to mom read that stupid Charlie's Monument book...I cried like a baby. I'm a sappy girl!
I remember Ryan driving us home from school in the old suburban. I would walk from the middle school to the high school parking lot and wait for Ryan. He was always a little late because he was chatting with the ladies :)
did you know that diesel suburban was rated at 130 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque? it seems pretty week when you think about it. there are diesel Volkswagens that get more power. I'll have to say it was enough for us.
Ryan
I remember driving the 'burban to a Dave Matthews Band concert in 1998 with my friends. It was pretty cool to have something big to throw your weight around in as you drove through the parking lot at Deer Creek (now the Verizon amphitheater) because people would get outta the way if they thought their Civic was going to get creamed by a massive Suburban.
Here's to thirty gas-guzzling years.
Cheers,
Rusty
My brief but fond memory of the suburban is Claudia driving Edward, Alex, Josh and I to Ceder Point...and Joni Mitchell was still playing :)
Edward, didn't you get in an accident in the parking lot of Deer Creek in the suburban?
Dag, yo.
I was hoping no one was going to remember that tiny detail. That was in 1999, the next year if I recall. And yes, I learned that throwing one's weight around is only as good as the driver next to you's lack of nerve.
For the record the Japanese car that hit me (and yes I was hit on the driver's side along the front door) had to be towed. The suburban had only an eighteen inch scratch.
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