Sometimes, cool stuff happens.
Long term jellybeans may remember a few months ago when I did the Black Dog Ride, with my mate the Bear. We cruised– at some kind of exceptional speed– down the Putty Road from Scone to TinyTrainTown.
And ever since, I've been aching to go back and explore.
Up the back of Sydney, across the Sackville ferry punt. And up the long, strange, windy mountain road that borders the Wollemi National Park, into the depths of the New South Wales Hunter Valley.
What a freaking brilliant idea for a ride trip.
It's kind of kick–arse that Hyundai peeps thought so, too.
So here's the big secret I've been keeping for almost a week now (excuse me while I just about burst with excitement...)
On Thursday this week In about four hours; my mate Auntie Mickey, my five year old 'The Chop' and I head off on the three day driving adventure of a lifetime, courtesy of being named one of ten finalists in the Hyundai #BrilliantRoadTrip campaign. We've been granted use of Hyundai Elantra for four days to make this trip absolutely one to remember.
Without revealing too many of our super secrets– you'll have to watch them come to fruition over Twitter, IG, BookFace, Flickr, Google +, YouTube and the blog as they unfold. I can tell you this. The RRSAHM #BrilliantRoadTrip is going to include, among others...
An abandoned bus, a burnt out roadhouse, a fifty foot wo–man and a sailing boat atop a mountain.
Some super sparkly Christmas lights, a five year old adrenaline junkie in a go-kart, Lori being terrified of horses (yes, really... what?) and heights, and the most amazing view you've ever seen.
One creepy church, a room full of butterflies, seven hundred kilometers, and a partridge in a pear tree bicycle built for three.
Annnnnd... a five year old, strapped in a car for hours at a time. (May God have mercy on us all). The Chop, who helped plan the route and choose the activities (”Harley ride, or horses, Chops...?”), is under strict instructions to be on his very bestest behavior. No whinging. No complaining. Keep up, or shut it– if you are coming on a big boy adventure with mummy, we need to be quick and tough and cool like concrete.
I've elicited promises, in verbal format, of all of the above. And Hyundai has assured me that the car is super kid–friendly and perfect for long drives and road trippin’. I'm taking their word for it– I'll keep you posted with the Frazzle–Meter as we eat up the road.
We've also been given a fourth travel companion- a hitch hiker, if you will. He's quite cute, smells OK, doesn't complain about my driving and takes up almost no room at all. He has very recently been named. By me. And his name is Bob. Short for "Bob The Brilliant Bear".
But just 'Bob' will do.
You can keep up with our trip live via this Google Map (which I spent hours lovingly crafting and am inordinately proud of and you really should check it out to gratify all that time spent slaving over a blue toothed keyboard), which I'll update, cross off and generalize vandalize as we progress. And– naturally, we’ll be over the social medias. Over sharing. Because this is what I do, yes?
View Lori @ RRSAHM #BrilliantRoadTrip in a larger map
And I'd love to meet some RSAHM readers on the way. Very rudely, I have to ask you to come to me, and please keep in mind that we’re running on a tight time-frame, potential temper tantrums (and not just the Chop– both Auntie Mickey and I have been known to have a meltdown on occasion), and the buzzword for our #HyundaiDriveBrilliant road trip is ’spontaneity’; so we may not get to say hi to everyone we'd like to. But if you're en route, have a few spare hours and would like to say hi, I'd love to meet you. Leave me a comment here or on the map, or catch me on Twitter or FaceBook and we’ll see how we roll. We're also looking for any and all suggestions about what to do, where to go, what music to play, and where and what to eat.... help some road trippers out here, jellybeans.
With less than two weeks to go until Christmas, just about every mum I know is in barely–contained panic mode, hanging on by the skin of their very fingernails and just riding it out, hoping all those balls they're juggling stay airborne at least until Boxing Day; being chosen for an impromptu road trip two days after the Chop’s fifth birthday was... mind blowing. To say the least. But when an absolutely brilliant adventure like this one– and the chance to win, for keeps, the awesome vroooom Hyundai we’re driving– uses it’s windscreen wipers to knock politely on the door of opportunity... you generally don't say 'No, sorry, too busy right now– in fact, I'm wrapping Christmas presents tonight!'
You say ’hell yes’. Ignore the filthy house, overflowing email inbox and slightly weird family relations that are the status quo of your life right now. Pack a car with one kidlet, and your best mate.
And drive.