The Final Ride

In the beginning, it was the year 2002.

I had just graduated from college, and had barely started my young photography career.

You were shiny new, vibrant, and only had 36 recorded miles.

One a kid from Montana, the other a silver Pontiac Sunfire, and for the next 16 years, we would share countless memories together.

The first, being the time I loaded you up with all of my possessions. It was all that you could possibly carry, and we relocated to Oregon. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time. Together we  would move to four different states. Driving through 10 states just to get there.

Over all those years, I would become an accomplished photojournalist, and you became to be known simply as
The Kashfire.

Sadly, today will be our last day together. The time has come for you to head into retirement. But before you go, I would like to say a few words.

Thank you for guiding me on 800 mile trips home to Montana in a single night.
Thank you for pushing a single gas tank to 400 miles on most of those trips.
Thank you for enduring snow, ice, rain, heat, wind, and dust.
Thank you for carrying my snowboard as we drove to the mountain with the back seat down and the coldness from the exterior coming through the trunk. It may have been a cold ride, but we always made up to the mountain and back safely.
Thank you for taking me to the beach for the first time.
Thank you for navigating me through major freeways, rural backroads, small towns, and big cities.
Thank you for enduring the hot desert sun of Nevada.
Thank you for never braking down on the roadside.
Thank you for always being constantly dependable.

Although there are many more countless thank you's to give, I will always be grateful for the service you provided to me. You didn't ask for much, even though I asked more than enough from you.

You were my first adult-type purchase, and together we shared 141,970 miles worth of memories.  But come tomorrow, it's going to be difficult for me to watch you ride into the sunset. Hopefully there is some other young man out there waiting for your dependable service.

Vaya con dios Kashfire....