CarmelUnbeknownst to me, a few months ago Herb had signed up for a 2-day Off-Roading clinic in Mojave, California. This was to be a “Herb” thing, without the wife, a concept he had heard was possible from other men traveling alone that we be passed in our travels.
The course was to be given by a well-acclaimed organization called Badlands Off-Road Adventures, whose mission was to provide training clinics in which inexperienced SUV & 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) owners gain expertise required to safely and confidently negotiate their vehicle off-road.

I was a little surprised Herb chose a beginner class, because we have done quite a bit of Off-Roading, but Herb said that this is the class they suggest you start with.

As the time for the class approached, I got some vibes from Herb that he might want his “Herb” thing to be a “Herb and Lolo” thing, so I asked some questions as to what to expect, and then did some negotiation as to what we might do both before and after our stay in Mojave.

Also, I didn’t want to miss out on something interesting or fun, so I asked if he wanted me to be his co-pilot and he enthusiastically agreed. We rarely do things apart.

Of course, my accompanying him on a road trip resulted in booking two nights in Carmel before the course, and then a visit to Death Valley, and the grand finale - visiting our 2-month old grandson in Bishop for a few days.

Seemed like a win-win for all