EventREEL – 111 miles/hr off-road | Desert Slip & Slide

I fell in love this weekend… with a place called Joshua Tree, California.

How could one girl resist? Some high speed desert testing and then topped of with a home-made Slip and Slide and a Mexican jacuzzi? THAT is Desert Style and just WAY too much fun.

What started out as a late night pickup at the LAX airport by Darren Skilton and crew member Will, with the 2008 Dakar Prototype Race Vehicle in tow, ended us on the end of Joshua Tree National Park at 2AM and on Tommy’s doorstep at ‘Hi Sky Ranch’. Early morning testing with Dakar Driver, Mike Peterson only hours away…

And hours later, we were crewed up and Darren’s Dakar car was barreling 111 miles and hour across the desert. Yes, you read correctly – the GPS is God and that’s what is said… And, yes, I finally got buckled up and rode co-driver as Darren took the car up to speed. I can’t explain the feeling other than it was like hydroplaning – and then we hit the dunes – and that was like water skiing, complete with the ‘Sand Tail’ spraying up as we carved the sand. Wow…

That was the word of the day… “wow”… and I am thinking that I look pretty good in that Dakar car! hee-hee…

The phrase of the day was “Slip and Slide!”

With the successful testing under the belt, we headed back to Tommy’s Hi Sky Ranch for a fantastic BBQ spread and some celebratory beverages.

It wasn’t long until the rumors of the ‘Slip and Slide’ proved true and construction commenced with focused diligence! Yes, I am 34 years old… and yes, I was as excited as a 6 year old… Most of this is on video – sorry everyone, have to wait for the series!

The night wrapped with the grand finale being the ‘Mexican Jacuzzi’. A very intricate design… One stone ring with a tarp filled with water, one bonfire, one long metal tube that extends across the hot flames (plastic funnel at one end with the ‘fresh water feed’ and the ‘hot water outlet’ trickling into the Tarp Pond), one re-circulating Camp Shower Pump, one garden hose… I think you get the picture.

In the end, it’s having that creative idea and just letting it GO! Woo-hoo! We had a warm jacuzzi and I ended up distracted by the hot bonfire. I think I was finally completely relaxed and lost on the edge of Joshua Tree Park with an endless desert night sky stretching high out over my head. I was smiling. I had fun.

Check out the Behind the Scenes —> 111 miles an hour in the Desert Part 1

Check out the Behind the Scenes —> 111 miles an hour in the Desert Part 2

Check out the Behind the Scenes —> Sky Ranch | Slip and Slide at Joshua Tree

Thanks Darren for the Desert Drive and thanks Tommy for the AMAZING desert hospitality. I should have accidentally left my passport in the H2 trailer…

It is sometimes rough being a ‘Canadian Film Girl’, but I wouldn’t trade it up for the world.

Thanks for stopping in,

Shawna

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