I will be the first to admit that I was a little skeptical at the notion of buying a car online. The very thought of deciding on a car with “kicking the tires” would have drove my dad mad let alone the concept of the car coming from a vending machine with very little discussion of the whole matter with the “salesman”.

But now that we have experienced the process through Carvana, we couldn’t be happier. The service was simply phenomenal. With the Pandemic in full swing, we felt very safe and enjoyed the extra measures to keep everyone safe.

Perhaps the best part is the test drive policy. Sure we took the new ride for a spin around a few blocks and down the L.A. freeway for a brief moment but you probably could have seen my jaw drop when the rep told me that we still had 7 days to check it out and we could bring it back if it just wasn’t what we wanted. Seriously. “A different color you say? Sure, no problem. Just bring it on back and we will find another one!” I was beside myself!

So… I mean it just goes to reason that a real test drive was already overdue!

Straight from the Vending machine in L.A., it was right on to the highway and a few hours later the new wheels rolled into Las Vegas! Holy smokes, so many new tech features that made cruising down the interstate a breeze.

From dual zone climate control and heated leather seats in the front AND back to the adaptive cruise control that slows down the car for you if the car in front of you slows down (or another one jumps into your lane) to the CarPlay syncing instantly to my phone. Yeah, yeah sure other cars have features like this now too but it sure is a nice package all put together in a vehicle we intended to just be a dusty shuttle to the next trailhead.

After some over due visits in Vegas, it was time to head back to San Diego. But this was no time to just roll straight down the 15… Oh No! A left turn lead us quickly into the Mojave. Not that we could venture too far from the old cracked up two lane but we did get to try out just enough of the dusty stuff to enjoy the full time AWD. The stock suspension soaked up bumps and dips like they weren’t even there and while we were worried about ground clearance, the stock ride height is actually impressive enough for some weekend warrior type trails.

The best part about spur of the moment unplanned adventures is the surprises you discover along the way. Somewhere near Amboy, in the midst of some pretty fantastic desert scenery and along a piece of old Route 66, we came across these guardian lions. Known as “foo dogs” by some, Shishi by others, they are an important piece of Chinese Buddhist culture. Half lion, half dog, they are said to ward off evil (the male with the open mouth) and bring luck (the female with the closed mouth). What is amazing is that these things are made of marble and must weigh thousands of pounds.

After paying our due homage to these fantastic specimens, we again continued down this piece of Route 66 for a short time heading into the small stop of Amboy where we discovered yet another piece of Buddhists culture.

Once again stopping here for a few moments and paying homage to this Buddha shrine on a small plot of dessert near the road, by offering food and drink. Having lived in Japan for a few years, it brought memories of these shrines being tucked away between rocks on mountain paths or dominant and large throughout the country. It also brought light to me how intertwined and beautiful the world is when we just let people practice their beliefs as they feel to.

Back on the road, we headed through the City of 29 palms where we stopped on the Marine Corps base for a quick fill up and pit stop. It had been over 20 years since I had last seen that base as a young Marine. amazing how life leads you in the right directions. I am so fortunate that life led me to Ruth and that we get to live such a beautiful and happy life together.

Continuing on we passed through the city of Joshua Tree as we headed toward Big Bear. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time on this trip to do any camping or backpacking around either Joshua Tree or Big Bear but we will certainly make them destination trips in the very near future!

For those who have not been to Big Bear…it is HUGE and the whole area is just stunning! these picture do NO justice at all and only wet our appetites for many adventures into this area. Big Bear is known for its amazing hikes and camping in the warmer months and its a Mecca to the snowboarders and skiing crowds in the winter months. Amazing how much snow these mountains get and it is only a couple hours away from the surfing and beaches on the SoCal coast!

We only had time for a very short hike near the lake today but again will be back to explore this area much more throughly.

Within a couple hours we were back in San Diego and at the end of the most amazing “test drive” we have ever been on for sure. We have many plans for our newest purchase and will be sharing that with you all very soon. Not only accessorizing the Outback and getting it a bit more trail ready but the adventures it will lead us to is something we are both extremely excited to get to share with all of you. See you on the trail!