77 Hours to Redemption – The Quest for the Indestructible ‘85 Toyota Pickup

The Search for Something Special

Every car has a story, but some stories start long before the first drive. This one wasn’t just about a truck—it was about a dream, a father-son bond, and a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

For my dad, this truck was personal. He had owned one just like it back when we lived in Colorado Springs. He loved that truck, but due to a frustrating and unfair series of events, it was towed without his knowledge and sold off before he even had a chance to get it back. Ever since then, he had a hole in his heart where that truck used to be. He would tell us stories about it when we were kids, always saying how much he wished he could own one again—how amazing it would be to relive that dream.

For me, my love for this truck was inspired by something different—Top Gear. I grew up watching the British car show, and if you know anything about Top Gear, you probably remember the legendary episode where they put an ‘85 Toyota Hilux (the international version of the Toyota Pickup) through absolute hell. They drowned it in the ocean, set it on fire, even demolished a building with it still on the roof—and somehow, it still started up and ran. It was a tank. Better yet, a legend.

One day, while my dad was hosting his talk radio show in Grand Forks—where he talked about politics, handyman work, his past as a pastor, and life as a truck driver—the topic of his dream truck came up. And then, almost like a gift from fate, a listener called in and said, “Hey, I think I know where you can find one.”

It turned out that a family member of the listener had an ‘85 Toyota Pickup sitting in Seattle, Washington. And the price? $500. Just like that, the mission was on.

The Road Trip Begins

My dad called me right away. “Hey Kenny, want to go on a road trip to Seattle?”

Now, if there’s one thing about me and my dad, it’s that we’ve perfected the road trip. We had spent years traveling across the country for my trap shooting competitions, and we had road trips down to a science. One golden rule? If there aren’t Star Crunches in the car, it’s not a real road trip.

So of course, when I heard what we were doing, I was SO in. This wasn’t just a trip—this was my own personal Top Gear special. I felt like Richard Hammond, and my dad was somehow a mix of both May and Clarkson.

But this was no small journey. Google Maps estimated 22 hours one way, but with stops, food breaks, and a stay-over with a distant friend, the full trip took us about 77 hours total. We left on Thursday morning at 9 AM and pulled back into Grand Forks on Sunday around 2 PM—exhausted but completely satisfied with what we had just accomplished.

The Journey – And the Hitch (Literally)

The plan? Hook up a tow dolly to my dad’s lifted Honda Ridgeline, load up with snacks, and hit the road. What could go wrong?

Well…

About five minutes into the trip, we found out exactly what could go wrong.

• First problem? The tires on the Ridgeline looked cool, but man, they were LOUD. Like, deafeningly loud. Every mile sounded like a jet engine was taking off underneath us.
• Second problem? The empty tow dolly was bouncing like crazy. Turns out, tow dollies aren’t really designed to be towed empty. Oops.
• The solution? A stop in Fargo, a trip to Home Depot, a couple of ratchet straps, and some sandbags to weigh it down. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. Very Top Gear of us.

Once we solved our makeshift engineering challenge, the road trip really began. From there, it was smooth driving, endless conversations, hilarious jokes, and podcasts about history. The miles melted away as we soaked up the experience. If you asked my dad, he’d probably tell you that was the best $500 he’s ever spent—not just for the truck, but for the trip itself.

The Arrival – And the Truck That Waited for Us

After over 22 hours of driving, we finally arrived in Seattle. And there, sitting at the top of a hilly driveway like a work of art, was our truck.

The truck was deep blue, with classic 80s Toyota pinstriping in white and light blue accents. My favorite color. Maybe that’s why this truck sticks so vividly in my memory. It was meant to be.

Sure, there was rust. But it was perfect. The moment we saw it, all the miles, all the road trip chaos—it was all worth it. This wasn’t just a truck. This was a legend.

We met the family, heard stories about its history, and after a great conversation, they handed us the keys. Even with the rain pouring down, we were grinning ear to ear. And now? It was time for the real test. Would it start?

I turned the key. And in true 1985 Toyota Pickup fashion, it roared to life on the first try. The odometer read around 130,000 miles—not bad for a truck this old.

The Drive Home – And a Lesson in Time Well Spent

With the truck finally running, we hooked it up to the dolly, took one last look at the place where this adventure began, and started the long drive back home. But by this point, it wasn’t really about the truck anymore.

See, time is the most precious thing we have. You can’t buy more of it, you can’t rewind it, and once it’s spent, that’s it. The best you can do is make sure you spend it on things that matter—on people, on experiences, on stories that stick with you forever.

And that’s exactly what this trip was.

It was long stretches of open highway filled with laughter, deep conversations, and moments where the road seemed to disappear—just me and my dad, two people who had always been close, but through this journey, found a whole new appreciation for the bond we shared. The truck may have been the reason for the trip, but the journey itself gave us something even greater—a memory neither of us would ever forget.

We had always done road trips together. We had spent years traveling for trap shooting, eating road trip snacks, making jokes, and exploring new places. But this trip? This one was different. This wasn’t just another drive. This was a mission, a shared purpose that made every mile feel like we were chasing something bigger than just a truck.

And looking back, I wouldn’t trade this road trip for anything—not for a fancy vacation, not for a newer, shinier truck. Because at the end of the day, it wasn’t about the destination…

It was about the drive.