Fresh air, clean water and nature’s wondrous bounty all at your doorstep. Yes, growing up in the country certainly has its benefits and I’m proud to say I have been apart of that lifestyle.
Every country boy (& girl) I know either currently owns a truck or has owned one at one time. Quite a few city folks own trucks as well. I have owned two in my life and both of them were Fords. Of course that was many moons ago, and the vehicle I often refer to as a Country boy Cadillac has come a long way since those days.
I consider myself fortunate to be a country boy; fortunate to have an upbringing which brought me deep into God’s country, and back, on more outdoor adventures than you can shake a stick at. One of those special trips is my annual trout fishing trip into Northwestern Quebec in search of nature’s most perfect fish. It is 23rd anniversary of this trip with my father and brother-in-laws.
To gain proper access to nature’s perfect fish ( in case you didn’t know) requires not only good knowledge and equipment, but and a good solid truck as well. This year I was fortunate beyond belief when my old pal Kristine Simpson of Thornley Fallis asked if I would like to try out the new Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost engine?
“Ummmmm, I dunno Kristine. lemme think about it” I said with a smirk.
“OK, I’m in!”
Before I even had the bug spray or fishing stuff packed for my trip, I was Googling the new F-150. Man, there is a pile of info available on this bad boy!
The new Ford F-150, as I discovered, is not unlike the F-150 of days-gone-by except for one big difference – the new EcoBoost engine!!
What is the EcoBoost engine? Well, it is something best enjoyed while pointed northward out-of-town, and driven as fast as humanly(& legally) possible.
The EcoBoost has a feeling not unlike other power plants, that is until you step on the gas, and if you open the window while driving on a bush road, my brother-in-law and I agree, the EcoBoost actually has a similar hum to a jet plane taking off. You can hear and feel the old school ‘spooling’ of the turbo engine; as it quickly and efficiently builds power.
All that to say, the trip was off on the right foot once the truck was packed and loaded on our 5-day trip into God’s country. Yes, the interior layout and comfort was something to behold. Bright and roomy and I almost felt a bit guilty for getting it dirty.
The F-150 FX4 model boasts a lot of great amenities including full leather, Sync command system, Sirius satellite radio, generous drink holders and fully adjustable electric seat controls with lumbar support. (Man, my back loved that)
When it comes to seating and storage space, the new F-150 FX4 comes with comfortable folding rear seats which tuck neatly away against the back wall. Since we usually travel two men per vehicle, this feature is great for allowing extra camping and fishing gear to be stored inside during the trip. (And trust me; I had stuff piled to roof.)
Another feature of the FX4 I really enjoyed was the pop-out step sides, which allowed for great access into the truck box from the sides. When loading and unloading the vehicle, having a leg-up from the side is a real bonus!
Once we arrived at our lakeside paradise in Northwestern Quebec, the F-150 seemed to fit right into the surroundings with its rugged outdoor appeal. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of style and class when you’re roughing it in the wilderness. That’s what I kept telling the boys anyway.
The tailgate also made a super place to ‘cop of squat’ after a long day on the water, room enough for three tired (but happy) campers.
For those who are into statistics, the new Ford has plenty of impressive ones. The direct-injection twin-turbo 6-cylinder has a tow and payload rating (5,125 kg/11,300 lb and 1,388 kg/3060 lb respectively. As far as gas mileage goes throughout the trip, the truck saw as high as 18 L/100 KM in fuel consumption, but averaged somewhere around 16 L/100 KM, I would say.
All in all, the new Ford f-150 FX turned out to be a worthy fishing companion and a head-turner as well. The truck performed flawlessly, got great gas mileage and held up like a charm to the punishment of 4 hours on some of the toughest roads in Quebec. (& without shaking your kidneys too much)
The 2012 F-150 EcoBoost was a huge part of this year’s fishing trip and from I’ve seen, would be perfectly suited for any hunting or fishing trip you can think of. (And I can think of a lot)
The Outdoors Guy