The date was set for prime time on the Green, the last weekend in April, when the fish are hungry and have hopefully forgotten the lessons learned from the previous season's onslaught of anglers. As the date grew closer, we watched the weather forecasts closely, hoping for descent temps, but seeing the prognosticators calling for high winds, snow, freezing rain and lows in the 20s. When we departed with the storm in our face, I was very thankful that we were driving the pinnacle of SUVs, the Ford Excursion XLT.

The first thing that made me realize what a unique vehicle we were driving was the load out. The Excursion we drove had the third row seating, for a nine-passenger configuration. However, third row fold-down seating, and the second row that folds forward provides a cavernous 146 cu. ft of cargo space accessible through a unique Tri-Panel Door™ system. It's always interesting to me to see the pile of gear that it takes to spend a few days in the wilderness. The most significant of our treasures was a two-man, 12-foot pontoon boat that was loaded disassembled. With the Excursions' huge cargo area, we were able to pack in the boat, oars, tent, sleeping bags, cots, tent heater, two huge totes, five rod tubes, half a dozen reels, vests, waders, several large gear bags, life jackets, a cooler and a thermos of coffee - with room to spare.

For the numerically curious, the specs of the Excursion are impressive. Overall length of this SUV is 226.4 inches, on a wheelbase of 137.1 inches and a width of 79.9 inches. The height varies from 77.4 to 80.4 inches, depending on the configuration, but in any case this baby is big, really big. In fact, it's so big that in consideration for the safety of smaller vehicles, Ford's engineers have designed a special BlockerBeam™ that helps prevent smaller vehicles from sliding under the front end of the larger Excursion. Trust me, everything except an 18-wheeler or an RV is smaller than the Excursion. Driving the Excursion in any type of weather is a very secure feeling, not to mention the comfort level that is possible with plenty of room to stretch out.

My fishing partner, Curtis Howard, and I left Sidney, Nebraska in a light rain that soon turned to sleet, then snow. By the time we got to the middle of Wyoming, we were in a pretty serious spring blizzard. Nearer the Utah border the snow was reducing visibility to the point that many drivers were pulling off and black ice was starting to form on overpasses. Yet, we both felt very comfortable driving such a large, stable vehicle. The Excursion's fully independent, double- wishbone rear suspension, coil-over shocks, front and rear stabilizer bars and variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering all contribute to Excursion's outstanding ride and exceptional control.

It would be possible to allow oneself to be lulled into a false sense of security, driving one of these big rigs. With proper precautions, reduced driving speeds and a due ration of common sense the Excursion rocked on while others failed. It never wavered or faltered, and the height was definitely an advantage for visibility. Despite the fact that I didn't get totally oriented in the vehicle before we started, I found the controls for various necessities like the rear window defroster and wiper to be very intuitive, easy to locate and operate.

During periods of heavy snow, when semi-trucks passed, creating blinding torrents of blowing snow and slush, it was easy to look down and see the painted line to maintain direction until the windshield cleared. It was never more than a second or two of whiteout, but panic is common in this situation. Having the ability to look down momentarily and know that all is well was a huge comfort. I also found that I wasn't very tired after driving over six hours in blizzard conditions. The speed-sensitive, variable-assist power steering just doesn't wear you out fighting the wheel. Steering was a breeze and the driving a real pleasure.

We trudged on, reaching our campsite, on schedule, just before midnight. When we arrived, there was a break in the storm and we were able to quickly pitch our Alaskan Guide tent. Just as we were unloading the last of our sleeping bags and gear, the storm resumed with a vengeance.

By morning several inches of snow blanketed the mountains and our enthusiasm for getting up. Rolling out of our warm sleeping bags, Curtis started the coffee and I fired up the Ford, noting the temperature readout above the dash — 28 degrees and well short of the area's average for this weekend. Once the glow plug icon indicated they were hot, I turned the key and was happy to hear the Power Stroke® diesel rumble to life.

Ford has three power options for the Excursion, and they're all powerful. You can choose from the standard 255-horsepower 5.4L Triton® V8, the 6.8L Triton® V10, with 310 horsepower, or the one I drove, a massive 325 hp 6.0 Liter Power Stroke® diesel, with class-leading 560 lb.-ft. of torque. Towing capacity varies depending on the options, all the way up to 11,000 pounds.

While we weren't towing anything, I was very impressed with the diesel's power to roll. All across Wyoming and into Utah, the climb is steady with rolling hills that make Interstate 80 an interesting run. What was striking to me was that the tachometer barely wavered as we took on hill after hill. If you listened closely, you could hear the diesel rise almost imperceptibly as it ate up the altitude like a voracious carnivore.

Fuel consumption for our trip was very reasonable, considering that we drove the speed limit of 75 mph on the way home. The onboard fuel monitor indicated we averaged 16.6 miles per gallon, and made the round trip on a little over a tank of diesel fuel, of course it's a pretty large tank - 44 gallons. That gives you a range of around 725 miles without a fuel stop. Our trip tallied up 931 miles, listening to a really first class entertainment package anchored around a 6-CD stereo changer that will bring the house down.

This massive monarch of the motor world isn't just for outdoor activities. If your vehicle requirements include transporting anything in quantity from people to packages, or hauling heavy loads, the Excursion is the SUV that should be number one on your list of possibilities. It's big, it's beautiful, chocked full of creature comforts like heated leather seats as well as safety features such as power anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, and what's more - It's a Ford!