A few weeks ago, writer Marianne Sprangers and I hit the road in a super-sized pickup, all in the name of research: Marianne, always wondering if there is a man who might actually measure up to cheesecake (check out her musings @cheesecakeisbetterthanmen; warning: you will immediately crave slices of rich, creamy goodness); and me, searching for verisimilitude, as Vanne Smith, the main character in my current W.I.P., not only owns a Ford 350, she’s towing a tiny house behind it.

Enter Ford salesman Heath Burns (sounds like a romance novel hero, right?) who let us have our way with one of his powerful machines and its hu-u-ge engine. We cruised around town and then throttled up to full speed on the freeway. Woo Hoo!

I was surprised at how easy the truck handled, though I found the gigantic side view mirrors interfered with sightlines when turning.

Marianne, on the other hand, was surprised that I could see over the dashboard and that Heath came close to ranking above cheesecake in that A. he has a soft spot for dogs (he had just adopted a deaf puppy), and B. he was willing to waste a Saturday morning with two women who had no intention whatsoever of buying anything. (We were upfront about this being a research mission only.)

No argument, gas mileage in these big trucks is not ideal, but the towing capacity of a 350 is a must when hauling a tiny house. Coolest thing about the Ford 350: some models have a combination safe in the center console! Perfect place for Vanne’s Bersa .380.