Raptor Clever Girl
(You might be my friend if you know the classical reference😜)
I had totally the wrong camera/lens in my hand at this moment. Generally I walk around the ridge line with two cameras but not the right one for this lol. I was working the light looking over my shoulder using a long distance, long lens. The other was a 10mm for wide perspectives. Thus…… 600 mm Telephoto from about 200 feet away. 28 inches long ….Both wrong lolol….
So now you know what I drive now into the back country. My office as it were, a pretty good photo studio in an of itself. . The first new pickup I’ve owned since 1999 and that had 6K miles on it when I got it “new”. I kept that truck still using the 3/4 ton Ford Superduty for heavy hauling. Raptors are not known for their towing capacity…. They are climbers ……
Some people have bad knees, or hips, I deal with a screwed up neck. It’s quite troublesome at times unfortunately. I’m sure many of you understand. It got way worse last summer. I suspect from 3500 miles last year and more before, of backcountry driving in vehicles that threw me around doing photography.
This might be the best riding commercially riding truck available. Bought this 2020 Ford Raptor Dec 31 at the local dealership. Special ordered took 3 months. I am approaching 900 miles on it since then. I have only driven 210 of that back and forth to Gillette. 700 miles all driven within 5 or so miles of my house. A few 20 miles trips to the Pass at Rocky point. The rest is on two track roads and hillsides to drive to the crest.
I only do this on my private deeded land. I would never leave a two track on ground not mine as your not necessarily going to get back home that do doing so. The two track roads generally go over safe ground here in sandstone country. Well set up for getting me unstuck this truck is.
The Reason it rides so well is the 14 inches of suspension travel on each wheel having very high end long arms under with computer controlled shocks. Basically it is Qualified to run the Baja 500 race stock (they put roll bars in it for that). I WON’T be jumping it but it can lol.
So what you have here is a dedicated backcountry expedition vehicle that actually seldom gets taken out of 4 wheel drive. My old vehicle, a jeep Grand Cherokee spent 90 percent of it’s time off road as well. The Raptor will too.
It was time to get a better ride :). This IS a better ride 🙂
Location: Bliss Dinosaur Ranch, Wyoming/Montana borderlands.
Title: Raptor Clever Girl