"Andrew T. Maness" (theroadlessdriven)
04/15/2014 at 14:48 • Filed to: Truckin, Chevrolet, High Country, Silverado, Lake Tahoe, road trip, California, snow, pickup truck, Oppositelock, TRLD, The Road Less Driven
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"Andrew T. Maness" (theroadlessdriven)
04/15/2014 at 14:48 • Filed to: Truckin, Chevrolet, High Country, Silverado, Lake Tahoe, road trip, California, snow, pickup truck, Oppositelock, TRLD, The Road Less Driven | 0
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In another life I was a professional snowboarder. When I graduated from high school I made the first of many migratory trips from New England to the west, specifically Truckee, CA. While many friends dreamed of moving to California for it's beaches and chill vibrations, I dreamt of getting a hundred days on my board and riding mountains much larger than those which I grew up on. For those that hope to achieve these goals one of the conditions is that a good part of the season will be spent on the road. Contests, filming, unpredictable snowfall; all these things that are part of a snowboarder's life mean constant traveling. It can really wear you down, especially when you're crammed in less than ideal vehicles for long periods of time. Gutted vans, weary Subarus, body on frame SUVs and rotted trucks: these were our tickets to freedom. Packed to the limit with gear and people, resembling a dustbowl family's model T, a snowboarder's vehicle is regularly put through years of service that would make most automotive folk cringe. I believe that if a company wants to thoroughly test the durability of a vehicle, all they need to do is give it to pro rider with a full season calendar and that'll filter out the unworthy vehicles. Bottom line, being a professional snowboarder is a demanding job and if you want to do your job right, you need a vehicle that's gonna be up for towing snowmobiles for 20 hours, while hauling a ton of gear and being comfortable while doing it. That's why when Chevrolet offered me the chance to drive their all new lux truck for a couple days, I gladly said yes because there was snow in the forecast up in Tahoe, a mere 488 miles away.
A pickup truck used to be a utilitarian tool. It had a low tailgate so you could easily load cargo into the bed and it had a bench seat so you, your dog and your woman could go for a drive. Then sometime before I was born, a guy in a basement design room had the brilliant idea to extend the cab of the pickup truck. The era of man, dog, woman was dead and the era of bro, bro and more bros began. This was the end of the trucks being a tool and the beginning of tools driving trucks. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the pickup's place in our history. It's a shining symbol of American innovation, a rolling interpretation of that age old saying that could be our national motto, "yes, I'll supersize that" . The DNA of the tail finned land yachts of the 50's has managed to trickle down to these lux trucks and nobody seems to care. I mean why should you when you've got fancy toys like vibrating seats and cylinder deactivation.
I mention these things because they're what Chevy touts above all else. Safety and fuel efficiency are the two most important factors in the automotive marketplace these days and brands will do almost anything to convince you their trucks have both covered. My roundtrip fuel economy was 18 mpg, one mile per gallon over Chevy's combined city/highway number. This surprised me because I was a big fan of the noise the 5.3L V.8 made when I pushed my right foot down on the go pedal. Maybe the trip computer was broken, maybe I didn't drive the truck hard enough or maybe, just maybe that cylinder deactivation thing actually works. I certainly noticed it kicking in, much like the start stop feature in the 3 Series, it's hard to miss.
During the 7 hour trip up to Tahoe I got very used to jealous looks from farmers, truckers and guys driving crossovers. Apparently the Silverado High Country is a status symbol in central California and folks don't take kindly to young bearded types with a heavy foot driving one like it's a Z3. Have you ever been passed on the right by a Z3? I have and let me tell you, that shit gets under your skin. Of course when the shoe is on the other foot and you're the one doing the passing, you know you're wholly in the right. If you've ever been on I-5 between LA and Sacramento you know that it's an exercise in efficiency and patience. Some of you might be saying, "hey, idiot, why didn't you take 395? It's faster and way prettier". The answer is I was meeting a friend in Sac and the 5 is actually faster, if you can navigate the constant onslaught of meth loving truckers and left-laning nitwits. You wanna fight your way through the winds of highway 14 and speed traps towns of Lone Pine, Independence and Bishop go right ahead but don't for a second tell me 395 is the better route. Anyhow, where as in most trucks you'd be dripping with sweat from any thing in the realm of white knuckle driving, the High Country has cooled seats to keep you nice and dry while you piss off every other motorist around you. Once the temperature dropped and the snow started to fall, I was all too happy to flip the switch in the other direction, further warming the cockles of my heart which were already toasty from blasting by all the poor souls chaining up on the side of I-80. There are few greater feelings than not having to worry about chain control in California. It's one of many reasons why I'll never have a non AWD or 4WD vehicle and it's a damn good one if I do say so myself.
We pulled into Truckee around 10. The temperature was fluxuating which meant a mix of snow, sleet and good ol rain. Typical for the Sierras at this time of year but having lived in the town for 3 years, I wasn't worried, I knew the snow would come. The next morning I awoke to find the High Country coated in the thick, wet snow known as Sierra Cement. "This is my nightmare", I thought to myself. To have driven 7 hours to ride the worst snow known to man is one thing but to have done it with the purpose of getting some great shots for a serious piece of automotive journalism is another level terrible. We tried to salvage the trip with a drive up to the top of Donner Summit which had its moment's, namely disabling ESC and throwing the High Country sideways around some unplowed corners but all in all the trip was a wash. Resorts were unable to open the tops zones of the mountain because of avalanche safety concerns and the lower zones were unworthy of our time. Our gear and souls completely soaked in dreariness, we could only think of what have been, had the temperature gone down a mere 5 degrees. Nothing you can do about the weather, sometimes a trip is just a bust and this was one of those times. It wasn't even cold enough for me to enjoy the heated steering wheel, oh the humanity.
The silver lining of the experience was that I realized just how gosh darn comfortable the interior of the High Country is. Its leather seats would be right at home in a last generation Cadillac and I mean that in the nicest way possible. There's a USB power outlet for every passenger including two that will connect a media device to Chevy's MyLink infotainment system, a system that I actually like with one exception, the navigation. That's right, this $52,000 truck was equipped with OnStar based navigation system. I didn't use it once, horrible doesn't even begin to describe it. I don't know why it was there in place of the 3D navigation found in the Sierra Denali, for the money I'd expect Chevy to include the best system they have. Aside from an archaic navigation system operation on an 8" touch screen, I felt the fit and finish of the cabin was top notch. Leather stitching, useful pockets in the doors, plenty of room for 3 friends, this is a great way to get around in inclimate weather.
Speaking of which, I was also very happy to find that with the rear seat folded up, I could fit my board bag in the cab which was great for the trip home when it was pouring rain. It was at that point I really started to appreciate the versatility these modern trucks offer. You get all the luxury of a full size car, the utility of an SUV and the added benefit of street cred at truck stops. Honestly I began to imagine how easy it would be to live out of a lux truck, especially if you put a bed cap on it. I know, if you're going to do the, "home is where you park it" thing, a van is more practical. They have more room, they're cheaper, more efficient and less, well, douchey. However, you can easily spend $52,000 on making a van a suitable home where as with the High Country, all you need is cover on the back and a mattress. Getting in and out of bed would be no challenge thanks to the corner bumper steps. You won't wake your neighbors with the EZ-Lift tailgate that can be opened and let drop on it's own and you'll never get scared thanks to the bed illuminating LED night light. Of course if you're buying a lux truck, chances are you're not going to live out of the bed, you'll most likely be towing your second or third home behind you which is no big deal. A 7,200 LB GVW tow rating and trailer brake controller will make sure that 6 wheeled monstrosity stays right where it should, provided that you're not a total rookie, you're not a rookie are you? Hell no you're not, you're driving a Silverado High Country, rookies drive Titans or Tacomas or other trucks that start with the letter T.
When I pulled up to a friend's house he said "wow, nice grandpa truck". I was actually kind of hurt, not because he thought the High Country exuded grey hair style but because he said nothing about my expert parallel parking job. I shouldn't have been surprised, after all he knows that this and almost every other new pickup is equipped with an excellent backup camera and parking sensors borrowed from the Red October. Honestly I didn't mind the assistance as it'd been awhile since I'd driven a truck in the city but after a few days I found myself turning off all the bells and whistles in favor of a more authentic driving experience. For some people this au-natural approach will result in dents, dings, angry notes and happy body shop owners. It is truly scary to think that the majority of folks driving these high riding hometown hero wagons actually use words like folks in casual conversation, not to sound intelligent in some web article. Luckily there are a ton of safety features in the Silverado and they should do a pretty good job of keeping gramps from ramming his 5,429 lb retirement cruiser down your throat while he tries to find Willie's Roadhouse on Sirius. Of course you'll be too busy texting to see him coming so I suppose it won't matter if he does smash into your Volvo 240. Huge bummer man, I heard you got a really good deal on that when you traded in your Prius for it.
ThisNiceLife Report Card
Exterior: Like a 1st round draft pick, chiseled, loves the bling.
Interior: Like a booth at your favorite steakhouse.
Engine: Let's go fast in a straight line.
Infotainment: Hello, I'm a 1st gen I-Pad Mini.
Handling: Donuts are fun.
Value: See you on the CarMax lot!
THE FINAL VERDICT: An El Dorado with a lift kit that'll attract a-lot of attention, just not from the right people.
