A View from the Saddle and the Driver’s Seat

Lately, my mind has been a bit of a battleground regarding the state of the economy. On one hand, I’m well-versed in the mixed signals being broadcast by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. I see the reports of record-breaking growth in April—the S&P 500 climbing over 10%—and the steady 5.5% growth we’ve seen so far this year. My own net worth is higher now than it was in January, even after purchasing a massive consumption item: my 2026 F-350 SuperDuty.

Yet, I still feel the “vibe-cession” in my bones. Inflation isn’t just a headline; it’s a sting every time I look at prices compared to 2020. I know for a fact my SuperDuty and its camper shell cost significantly more than they would have just a few years ago. A quality A.R.E. MX series cap, like the one I’ve been eyeing, now starts at over $4,000. Even food feels like a hurdle, though I’ve adapted by shifting to a more basic, healthier diet—a change that has helped me weather the sticker shock.

My commute offers a unique perspective on this disconnect. I ride my mountain bike to work, which means I don’t pass by the glaring, advertised gas prices that usually sour a consumer’s mood. My bike doesn’t need a drop of $4.50-a-gallon fuel, but even here, the economy catches up with me. Routine wear parts, particularly tires, have become shockingly expensive. Standard MTB tires now are over $8 each, and recent tariffs have pushed prices up another 10-25%.

The real test comes this summer. Right now, the F-350 is mostly sitting in the driveway, waiting for that camper shell to be installed. I can do the math: filling a 34-gallon tank at current prices is a $150 endeavor. While some SuperDuty owners with the 6.8L engine report highway mileage as high as 15-17 mpg in eco mode, many find themselves closer to 12 mpg when loaded down. I’m curious to see if the camper shell will provide any aerodynamic benefit; some tests suggest a marginal boost to around 18 mpg, though the heavy-duty nature of my rig might tell a different story.

I’m in a strange spot professionally, too. As middle management overseeing the Data Services unit, I’ve finally hit that six-figure income that once seemed like an impossible dream. But with life so expensive, it doesn’t feel like “wealth” in the traditional sense; it feels like a tighter, more calculated path toward my eventual goal: retiring to build an off-grid cabin and homestead.

he macro-politics don’t help the unease. While the current administration might claim a record-breaking economy, the unpredictability of slashing norms makes it hard for any business leader to invest with true confidence. For now, I’ll keep investing what I can each week and watching the days tick closer to that homestead, trying to reconcile the growing numbers on my balance sheet with the shrinking value of a dollar at the pump.