As you know, I amended my list of 30 things to do in my 30th year to include trying 3 new things. Well, last weekend I had the opportunity to try something new that my husband suggested- off roading. Now, this is something that I am NOT interested in-AT ALL. In fact, I have always thought it was a ridiculous activity that wastes a lot of petrol BUT my husband truly enjoys all kinds of vehicles and driving and since purchasing an older Jeep earlier this year, he has been DYING to go off roading. I am not interested but I have watched him watch endless YouTube videos of people in Russia driving old Soviet trucks and Ladas through all kinds of terrible terrain. Then, I watched him watch countless videos of SUVs driving around in snow and mud. Thus, I realized, I would have to support him (another thing on the old list!) and give it a go.
Stuck!
Although born and raised in the area, I had no idea where to start with such an activity. Luckily, my husband has a friend from work who called on the weekend and suggested the trip out. Thus, in the afternoon we gassed up the Jeep and picked up the friend. He lead us through some old logging roads through a beautiful area to a muddy clearing. I was surprised to see all kinds of SUVs, ATVs, dirt-bikes, and trucks already there and tearing through the mud. The pure expression of joy on my husband’s face made it all worth it.
We spent the next hour or two tearing through the mud, bursting up and down hills and over ridges, fishtailing, and whatever else until the Jeep was covered in dirt and it was impossible to see outside the windows. The fun-and it was kind of fun I admit-came to an end when we got stuck in mud hole After some attempts to get out, we only ended up further embedded in the mud. Luckily, other people helped pull us out and we were on our way again. We made our way off of the mountain after needing to change a tire. My husband was very happy with his afternoon and I realized I have to try to find more opportunities to accommodate his interests. He deserves it and it will make life more enjoyable here for him.
We all then parted ways to clean up and take care of a few errands before meeting up for dinner later that night. The friend brought along his girlfriend this time and we had a pleasant meal. Best of all, I can see my husband has finally made a friend in this country who he can relate to. As you may recall, this was one of my wishes in a previous post.
In the spirit of cars and driving, I would like to add a link to a BBC one hour special about driving on dangerous roads in the Republic of Georgia. I watched this just today and it brought back so many memories of all the roads my spouse and I traveled over during our adventures in Georgia in his 1983 Lada. The car and driving all around the country played a very important role in the development of our relationship. It also reminds me how much I look forward to returning to this unique country which is now a permanent part of my life and family. Enjoy!
I am 39 now 