It started off with a long week, not feeling well, a recording session the night before and a wedding rehearsal on Friday night, let’s throw a little dirt into the mix on Thursday with a quick trip to Tierra Del Sol. Well, that was the plan, but even the best laid plans don’t always work out. I ended up getting really sick and had to flip a coin and focus on my health for a day. If I can’t be well, I really can’t do anything well. So I asked forgiveness for missing the wedding rehearsal dinner on Friday night and stayed home Thursday with a one-day adventure planned for Friday.
For those that think this is a glamorous life, I may change your perception after this story. It consists of 10 hours of driving for 8 hours of being at the event. I wouldn’t trade those hours for anything. Up and out the door by 5am, I cheated and dropped down into the seat of my Mach1 Mustang to make the drive a little more under the radar, if you want to say, than in the big truck. We all know how I feel about the truck, less miles on it cuts the variables for 6.0 problems!
I arrived a little before 11 and was greeted with a smile from Bo Neece who happened to be at the new gate. Everything was brand new this year – Tierra Del Sol forced into moving locations because of a BLM permit issue that had challenged the event. Like everything new, it may be different, but I think it was great. The new location was literally just on the other side of the highway from the old location. Folks were able to drive their vehicles on the road or up the wash to see the vendors.
I drove up the road this time… Bo led my little car to a safe parking zone and scooped me up in the Polaris Ranger for a drive around the vendor area. I think it was awesome. There was plenty of room for all the vendors, and more! I think I heard there were over 80 vendors present, and when I say vendors, I really mean industry leaders all circled up and ready to talk to folks.
Bo dropped me off at the main stage that set right in between the registration booth and Raceline Wheels. I hung a right to visit with Greg from Raceline Wheels and all the folks from BFGoodrich Tires that was right next to him. We chatted for awhile, the plans for this year are amazing! So much fun to come!! Then I wandered towards the registration booth, beer garden and the event clothing area. All were packed with people, a great turn out for a Friday. I was love the response – it doesn’t seem like the folks minded the change. From the beer garden, which I want to say I did not have the opportunity to participate in this year, we could see the RC Car area, mud pit and obstacle course that folks could play around in. We could also see where the BFGoodrich Tires had a area to test the new KO2 tires by driving either Ruby or Brute.
Unfortunately for time, I didn’t get to wander too far out of the main vendor area. I did sweet talk the guys into driving off the course for a minute and down by the Salton Sea to take a couple of pictures. What an awesome adventure that was until I stepped out of the jeep into a whole bunch of broken up sea shells and fish bones in my flip flops…that hurt. Speaking of flip flops, it was gorgeous out there all day – nothing like California March in Flip flops and a tank top!
After saying my hellos and my goodbyes it was time to load up the little car and head home. I left right around 6:30 and was home by midnight. You know that sensation you have when you have been on a boat all day and then get off and it still feels like you are moving? Yeah, that’s how I felt when I got into bed that night. I was really glad that I was able to go to this year’s Desert Safari, and the wedding on Saturday was amazing too. It was here in Arizona at the Falcon Field Commemorative Air Force Museum that is packed with amazing old planes. Matt and I actually successfully pulled off a black tie getup, we were fancy. I am glad that I was allowed the opportunity to do both.
