2005 Dodge Dakota Club Cab 4X4 Laramie Road Test

A 2.0-Metre Tanning Bed?

I love trucks, and I don't know where my fondness stems from. My family has never owned any, nor are they planning to

I love trucks, and I don't know where my fondness stems from. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

purchase one in this lifetime. Sedans are the Straub's vehicle of choice. But I am the odd one out here, since I like going to the dentist, my favourite flavour of Jelly Belly jelly beans is 'buttered popcorn' and I live for Formula 1 races every second weekend. I'm not your average female.

I recently acquired my undergraduate degree from university after a few long, stressful years and what did I do? Go out and party? No. Go shopping? No. I went out for sushi, bought myself a nice, big chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cone (I splurged because of the special occasion and because it's my

The bed of the pickup doubled as my own personal beach on a particularly hot afternoon. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

favourite kind of ice cream in the world), and went home and washed my 2005 Dodge Dakota Laramie Club Cab 4X4 loaner.

Yes, it was a beautiful sunny day, and the Dakota had accumulated a fine film of pollen, so I washed it. Oddly enough, I couldn't have pictured myself doing anything else. After I shammied and wiped the truck down, its lustrous Atlantic Blue Pearl Coat was sparkling again. And when the bed dried, I grabbed my patio furniture cushions, laid them out, and lounged in "bed" under the hot rays thinking how relieved I was not to have to study anymore, or at least not for the time being. Again, I suppose I'm not the average female.