Mountain Biking Woes and Triumphs Discovered in New Zealand

Challenges To Face 

Christchurch 4 weeks
Prior to Earthquake

After 12 hour work days and being inside a 16 mile radius for nearly 90 days straight, it is enough to drive anyone crazy. With the occasional rocket attack and the stress of all work and no play, the days blend together and daydreams of far away destinations take place. Being deployed in Bagram, Afghanistan as a Department of the Army civilian for nearly 18 months, it has been worth the sacrifice of supporting the military and the war effort but challenging indeed.

Freedom is spinning the wheels and living the dream, especially when living and working in a war zone. This statement became true when I realized that all I wanted to do was mountain bike every day while on Rest and Recuperation (R&R)! Before coming to Afghanistan in October 2009 I had the best summer, riding single track all over Maryland, Virginia, Missouri and Utah but my fitness level had waned over the time spent here in the desert. 

I wondered if this was too big of an endeavor for me to bite off, even while in the planning stages but the Pacific Cycles manager Axel Reiser encouraged me to join the group and said that it would be challenging and fun! Bagram is mostly flat, with a few hills to play around on and with the rainy, cold weather I hadn’t biked much before going on this trip. My fitness level was average at best and didn’t train as much as I had liked or should have before flying off to New Zealand. I had no idea what I was about to discover while on this 14-day mountain biking trip.

Anxiety of what challenges I was to face began to build during the 21 hours in the air from Afghanistan to New Zealand. Not knowing what to expect or what the group was going to be like was unsettling for me. I was told two Germans, two Swiss and a man from Australia was accompanying me on this mountain biking adventure. After hearing this, I thought I was definitely in for a full can of whoop ass! I landed in Christchurch airport and spent 2 nights on my own before I joined the mountain biking group on Monday afternoon.

Axel, our mountain biking guide who was born in Germany, took us to a local Christchurch park called Bottle Lake Forest that had a smooth, flowy single track and a bike obstacle course at the end of our ride. It was a fun, easy day for us to try out our bikes, to bond with one another and ensure everything was ready for our couple weeks of riding. All anxiety was erased and replaced with excitement and a lot of laughter, even on the first day our group seemed to mesh extremely well.

Port Hills: It’s all About the Climb

The second day of the tour, we left from the Latimer hotel after a nice breakfast. It was great sitting with everyone and chatting before the adventure of the day. We drove to Halswell Quarry Park outside of Christchurch and rode up and up and up the many hills ahead. It was around a 2-hour continuous climb up to the peak of the mountain where Christchurch could be admired in the valley below. Miley Cyrus was not kidding when she said it is all about the climb! 

I had the most difficult time climbing at a continuous pace and on top of it all, I was last. It was frustrating! There were quite a few times I had to walk the bike up the hill and at one point I felt like crying because I was so angry with myself due to my poor climbing skills and lack of endurance. I managed to underestimate the difficulty of this mountain biking trip. The mountain bike guide (delete I already introduced him as the guide) Axel would ride back down to check on me and ride for a bit. He would encourage and talk to me about technique and how to stay in aerobic mode. He would often say there was only one more hill to go and then we would get to the rest point and there would be more! 

This went on for quite awhile and I was getting exhausted. Regardless of my burning legs I kept pushing to make it to the highest peak, whether it was walking or riding. During my ride a familiar yoga mantra came to mind, to be present and accept where you are; to have neither attachment nor judgment towards self. It was about being present regardless of circumstances. During this ride I kept feeling inadequate, stupid and slow, constantly judging myself. It was literally a mental war in my mind that kept badgering and saying horrible things. At one point, Deb who is from Switzerland joined me in the climb and pushed both of our bikes up the hill. The support offered by everyone was tremendous and made me feel less critical of my ability to climb.

 What goes up must come down! Thank God! I would say the downhill portion was easier than climbing but it was still very difficult. There were times I had to get off of my bike and walk because of rock gardens and narrow passageways. Serious switchbacks that were extremely complex to ride were pushing me to my limit as a novice rider. After riding those hills in the first half my legs were toast, so I could not take the little hills without tiring out easily. It was definitely a mental test along with the physical. We started at 10 am and ended around 2pm to have lunch which was well earned. 

We had really awesome bread, salad with blueberries, cherry tomatoes, peppers, mixed green lettuce, pomegranate juice, olive oil and balsamic mix. It was fresh and delicious! I had Swiss cheese and brie. Lovely lunch and great company after all of that work! After we restored some of our lost energy, we loaded all of our bikes and got on the road to drive to the next location. 

Throughout the ride, I would say that everyone was really supportive and great to ride with. I was told to take my time and get there at my own pace, which was great advice.

Overcoming the Rocky Roads – Aoraki/Mt Cook

We arrived to Aoraki/Mt. Cook after a scenic drive past a large, beautiful aqua filled lake. It was a great clear day to observe Mt. Cook and some of the other mountain ranges that are similar to the Himalayas. I saw my first glacier today! The view was spectacular!!! We had the joy and lots of laughter while visiting the Observatory Center with all of the collected taxidermy animals and specimens that were on display.

At the Beginning of the Rocky Road

Late in the afternoon, Axel drove our mountain biking group to Moraine Road that lead to a great view of Mt. Cook. The bike ride was about 12K but it was on lots of loose rock! I called this the “Rocky Road Challenge” because of the continuous rock garden that went for several kilometers. It was very challenging and I was the slowest (of course) but I was sound and determined in my task of making it to the scenic lookout. If I was told to turn around I was going to have a full tantrum right then and there! 

For at least an hour there was not a soul in sight and all that surrounded me were the mountains and thousands of rocks that spread before me. I would turn around and look at where I had just ridden and it would not appear as if I had gotten any closer to my destination. I was chasing a mirage and after a while I didn’t know if I was going in the right direction. 

As I am climbing one of the hills, around the corner there is Deb, Matthias and Axel. Though I am excited to see my mountain bike group, I quickly acknowledged them but continued pedaling to the top because I didn’t want to lose my momentum or my motivation. Axel turned around and accompanied me as I pushed myself to complete this endeavor I set out to achieve. 

I made it finally, as the sun’s light and warmth disappeared behind the mountain range. It was starting to get dark and the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees in the valley as I arrived at the end of the road where the sunlit Mt. Cook gleamed down at me. Strange enough it didn’t seem any closer than when I started but it was a spectacular view from where we were standing. It was definitely worth the difficulty I faced pedaling over those rocks. Axel took a few pictures of me with the mountains in the back drop and then we went rolling back downhill. It was getting dark, so Axel told me to hurry and advised me to allow speed to guide me down the rocks. 

Beginning of the Rock Road 

It was easier than I thought! At the end of the day, this taxing ride made me proud of my accomplishment and made me really appreciate my Bergamot Full-suspension bike during the downhill portion! Riding down a bunch of lose rocks taught me to trust my bike’s ability and just roll over it. Speed was my friend and the bike absorbed most of the shock, along with my knees and arms. It was a lot of fun and increased my confidence when dealing with rocks. 

Glenthorne Station View From Cabin

Afterwards Deb shared with me that she didn’t think I was going to make it to the top but when she saw me ride past her, she was very impressed with my determination. As each day went by during this trip, my improvements as a mountain biker were made in great strides. Matthias and the others voiced their opinions and stated that I was improving a lot over the week that we had been riding together. My skills were coming back full force!  As my good friend Peter would say on our weekly rides around Bagram, “Ride it like you stole it!” And that is exactly what I did.

Glenthorne Station sheep, the guy in the middle is Big Ben

Successful Downhill at the DH Gondola 

The familiar silhouette of the Remarkables greeted us, the same ridge of Otago I had seen in the mountain biking movie, Follow Me. Our mountain bike guide, Phil announced that we were not far from Queenstown, a place known for its tourism, resorts and adrenaline junkie activities such as skydiving, bungee jumping and many other fun-filled activities. 

After our long drive, we got situated in our hotel rooms and soon thereafter we opened a bottle of wine and drank a few glasses before dinner, while we admired the sun glistening on Lake Wakatipu and admired the spectacular view of the mountains. A relaxing evening was spent together downtown at one of the local restaurants and then it was time to rest for my big day at the Gondola Bike Park!

Central Otago: Capturing a Sunset

One of my focuses was making it to Queenstown and experiencing what was expressed to me by my mountain biker friends in Maryland, that this was the best place in the world for riding. Finally my dream was coming true, to spend all day at the Skyline Gondola, the first gondola assisted mountain Bike Park in New Zealand. For downhill mountain bikers, Gondola Bike Park the trails are designed for different levels of abilities from beginners to expert mountain bikers that can maneuver through everything and anything that comes their way. 

The beginner trail is smooth as butter, with small jumps and it flows up and down like a roller coaster. “Hammy’s Track” (shows this on the website with apostrophe) is a great place to learn cornering, riding berms, small jumps, steep yet easy descents and building confidence in mountain biking skills. The intermediate and expert riders have many trails to choose from, single black diamond trails “Terd Sandwich” and “Vertigo” and for the most daring downhiller, double black diamond tracks “Armageddon” and “Ant’s Track” are available.

Phil Oliver, our mountain biking guide, and also the business owner of Altitude Adventure Tours and partner of Henderson Cycles is located in Central Otago area town called Alexandra. He allowed me to tag along with him at the Gondola, mainly because I wanted to learn everything I could from him and I was going with or without him. This was my dream coming true and nothing was getting in the way of experiencing DH Gondola that I had heard so much about.

Having someone to learn from and ride with was off the charts! Phil has the patience of a teacher and enjoys sharing his knowledge to less experienced riders. As I rode the “Hammy’s Track” the first run I followed his lead and took cues from him. The second jaunt (was run) down the beginner’s trail, Phil followed behind me yelling out pointers and instructing me to lean my bike, dip my shoulders and use my hips for cornering. I was cornering and riding berms like I had never done before! It was scary but fun! From one day of riding downhill with Phil, I had built more skills and confidence that would come handy when I returned from my deployment in June (changed from Oct – Yaay). 

I did 5 runs on the Hammy’s track, one on the Terd Sandwich track (because of the dirt that leaves stains on your arse and I experienced this) and one time down Vertigo trail. These last two are black diamond runs and I was amazed with what I was capable of doing. I managed to pedal and swoop down steep declines that I had never thought possible! Some drops I went down slow but quickly realized how much control I had using my front brakes. This DH Gondola day was monumental in my progress as a mountain biker, it was by far the highlight of my trip and better than I imagined it could be. Future downhill and possibly racing is on the horizon this summer, thanks to Phil and his superb teaching ability. 

Humbled by Queen Charlotte 

Our morning started earlier than usual; by 7 a.m. we were on the road driving to Picton to catch the ferry for our epic two-day ride on the infamous Queen Charlotte Track, which is respected as one of the best single tracks in NZ. As we were waiting on the dock, Matthias takes pictures of all of our bruises from our last few weeks of riding the South Island. It was fun to compare our scars with one another, not even knowing where they came from. 

Many people were sitting around with their friends and families, stacks of colorful luggage of many shapes and sizes sitting on the pier. Our five mountain bikes were parked in a row, ready to be loaded onto the boat, which would take us to the beginning of our journey. We laughed and joked around as usual, this was our normal daily routine we grew accustomed to. Angelika, Matthias, Andreas, Phil and I got along so well and there was not a moment without laughter, jokes, taking funny pictures and enjoying each other’s company. 

The ferry arrives to the dock; we all embark the vessel to find our way to the bottom in a half moon booth that we all shared. As the boat left the pier, Angelika and Andreas walked around observing the fellow passengers, enjoying the different outfits and facial expressions. At one point, Andreas pleaded with me to partake in his observations of people on the back of the boat and I wanted to know what was so funny. I followed Andreas and he was on target with his comments and scientific observations of human interaction and behavior. We stood in the middle of the threshold of the cabin door, watching a couple sitting on the bench looking miserable. Andreas and I proceeded around the deck of strangers and made up our own stories while laughing hysterically at what we came up with. 

I settled back down in our comfortable seat with Phil and Angelika. Matthias was behind us in the other seat beginning to nod off. It was nearly a two hour ride and it was fun for the first hour but after a while, the stuffiness of the cab put me to sleep. With this group you had to beware if you fell asleep because it was guaranteed to be a camera snapping event. What did I tell you? “Click!” there went a flash and my eyes snapped open, yep Angelika got me once again! Sneaky bugger! 

Ship's Cove Let the Journey Begin

Finally we arrived to our destination, Punga Cove where we would start our bike ride of the Queen Charlotte track. In the end, this trip would become an intimate bond (changed it from relationship) formed between Queen Charlotte and myself, though I didn’t realize how close until it was all said and done. 

We all popped onto our bikes and clipped into our pedals as we rode up the single track to the starting point. Out of the 12 days of the South Island, this day was by far the hottest, muggiest we had ever encountered in NZ. Sigh! This is probably where it all started to spiral downward quite fast for me. At this point, I was used to the idea of being last and knew that I would be challenged but low and behold I didn’t realize HOW MUCH I would be pushed to my limit.

As soon as we started the ride on Charlotte it was an instant climb up the mountain that went on for what seemed like eternity. It never ceased to amaze me that around every corner or bend, it was another incline to push myself up. Sweat was pouring from my face and my body was drenched in the first 5 minutes. My burning legs continued pushing, paying close attention to my increased heart rate and diminishing oxygen capacity. At this point I started to question my validity for being here on this mountain biking vacation. 

Spectacular View of Charlotte Sound

I thought I had set one foot in the grave. Or possibly I had entered hell and didn’t realize it. I am not kidding when I say that after the first half hour, I thought I had caught a fever and then the voices started whispering, getting louder and louder as time pushed on. My tolerance level plummeted and here I was alone again. The group was ahead of me as usual, though they were very supportive and wonderful, it didn’t quiet the judgment and criticism that soon consumed me! 

Phil, our mountain bike guide, was extremely supportive and would come back to check on me, and then ride back to the group ahead. He tried talking me through the hills, telling me to keep a steady pace and that slow was alright. At one point, I was very quiet and not a peep came out of me for the fear of unleashing a cry of frustration and anger. I silenced my sobs as much as I could and took long, deep breaths to stay under control. Once I was alone and everyone was completely out of sight, the tears started falling and the voices continued to badger and ridicule my lack of experience, endurance and skill to keep up with the rest of the group. My mind was at war and my body was pushing as hard as it could, gasping for air and drinking water from the camelback as if my life depended on it. 

At the half way point, the rest of the gang stopped at this great vista and as I rode by I said I would keep on going because I wanted to get ahead of them. Well, I realized when I flew down to the bottom of the steep hill; it was a mistake on my part they were not riding in behind me. They had stopped for lunch and I was dead against climbing back up the hill I just sped down. I sat under the bush and ate my peanut butter banana sandwich that Matthias so kindly made that morning. In my solitude, I ate in peace and thought about how much I hated this ride. It was good that I was alone because I needed to keep from breaking down in front of the group that had been great from the very beginning of this mountain biking trip. 

Phil Oliver, our mountain biking guide, a local Kiwi

We get started back on the trail after lunch and here we are riding together for about 5 minutes and then here I am alone again. The Whitesnake song, “Here I Go Again” playing in my head as I steadily pedal in as smooth of a circle as I can, in the lowest gear possible. The heat, dehydration, exhaustion, frustration are all key contributing factors to making me vulnerable to the negative self-talk that implodes within me, telling me that I should not be there and that I am no good. I yelled back at the voice, to shut the f$#@! Up but it would continue pushing me to the point of a blubbering idiot, wiping tears from my blurred eyes as I continue grinding forward into the beautiful wooded area.

I stopped to take pictures along the way of bright red mushrooms, trees and the bike I was riding and tried to at least enjoy that part of the ride. We started our ride around 12:30 that afternoon and was finished by 4:30 or 5pm. When we got to the main road where it was a decline, I let myself roll as fast as I could and allowed the crisp breeze to dance around my damp body, cooling my taxed body from the day’s heat and humidity. That was the happiest moment, when I saw the Portage hotel below me as I glided down the paved road. 

My Bright Orange Mushroom

Orange Mushrooms

The first thing we all did was get a cold pint of beer after the ride. It was by far the hardest day of this tour and I felt terrible for not being able to keep up. I was barely talking and was bummed. Matthias told me that we had climbed over 1000 meters that day and that he was very proud of me. I played it off and said that I walked my bike up a lot of the hills. He said it didn’t matter one way or another I (changed from you) climbed 1000 meters whether it was on my bike or my feet. Once one beer was down the hatch, I began to relax and unwind from this day’s ride. All the anger and criticism subsided with more positive, happy thoughts from the beer and my mountain bike buddies that made me laugh and focus on what I had accomplished. 

So many times this day, Queen Charlotte and I were in a constant fighting match, over and over I wanted to give up and say the F%$#! with it all but something inside me kept me moving forward. Was it pride, heart or stubbornness that I made it through this ride? Regardless of how I got to the finish, I made it. It didn’t matter how slow I was or how much I walked as long as I put one foot in front of the other. I was not racing the Swiss or the Germans; it was a race for my own life. 

This day I realized how much more I was out of shape and how much I needed to improve my health. Many times as I walked up the hill pushing my bike with snot running down my face and quiet sobs escaping, my determination and tenacity would not let me give up. When I finally relaxed and had time to reflect on the day, I had accomplished so much more than I thought I ever could. I did it! That voice that was badgering, calling me names and making me feel terrible was all of a sudden gone. My true self stepped up to the plate and hit a home run, it didn’t matter how long it took just as long as I finished. 

That evening Angelika, Phil and I did cannonballs into the pool and laughed to the point of tears. Everything that I was feeling bad about disappeared. The five of us got a few bottles of wine and sat on the pier watching the sun go down, as big, cumulus clouds rolled into the side of the mountains, casting this magic feel across the water. These people I was sitting on the pier with, were not just my mountain biking buddies but they had become really good friends of mine that I will cherish for years to come. 

The next day ahead of us was the mother of all mountains to embrace. I don’t know how else to describe this mountain. I don’t know what changed this day but it was a like a different person emerged from the intimate encounter with Queen Charlotte the day before. No longer were the negative voices taunting me. Regardless of being last and all alone on the trail, I was finally content with where I was in mountain biking. Phil did come back to ride with me several times and even carried my bike up the mountain because I was winded and it was ridiculously steep. 

My ego was put to rest and no longer badgering me. The second day no longer worried me. I finally accepted that it was what it was. All I could do was my best and that is what I did. The day before was ten times as worse for me and today all of sudden it was silent. True peace and an equanimous mind had finally emerged. This was a celebration for me! 

We finished the 25k ride at high noon, Angelika, Matthias and Phil jumped into the lake. I put my legs in to wash off the dirt and mud but it was a little frigid for me. We cleaned up and got ready to hit the road for our last lunch together as a group. We stopped at an information center for me to get a bus ticket from Blenheim to Nelson. In a half hour we drove from Picton to Blenheim. My tour ended a day earlier so I could go to Nelson to see my friend Shelley Monrad and finish my last 3 days relaxing before flying back to Afghanistan.

Never Say Good-bye

I reluctantly finished my 14-day South Island New Zealand mountain biking tour with Pacific Cycles. It was really sad to leave everyone. I got misty-eyed having to leave a day earlier than everyone. Through challenges, sweat, laughter and beer we became very close as a group. There is no such thing as saying good-bye; it is more like a "see ya later" because we plan on meeting in the near future in Europe.

Her Beauty & Grace

As I sat in Christchurch Airport and reflected, many thoughts and emotions went through my mind. I was at the Coffee Club, just finishing a pesto bruschetta and an orgasmic bailey's cheesecake. I could not believe my vacation was finished. It went by that fast and now the journey was nearly complete and back to reality.

A moment of nearly breaking down transpired when I was in the Nelson airport right before boarding the plane. I saw two ladies (perhaps a Mum & daughter) and they were hugging each other tightly for a long time. I could feel the emotions emitting between these two beings. The energy transferred to me and my eyes misted uncontrollably. Sadness had set in like the low lying clouds right before a rainstorm. 

I am really going to miss this place! I am not leaving a friend, lover or family member, I am leaving a place that is welcoming and warm; somewhere I could call home. The mountains bowed to my heart as if embracing me one more time as I walked towards the plane. It was tough to imagine not seeing these beautiful mountains and aqua, teal waterways for a long time.

Before I embarked the plane, I knew I had one more chance to see her beautiful terrain and gorgeous face, so I prepared myself mentally while I waited for the plane to arrive at the gate. This was not a “Good-bye” like I said before; this was a “See ya later!” My heart was filled with an intense love and warmth for the people I had met during my mountain biking trip and for a heavenly place that exudes nature, freedom and openness.

May New Zealand always keep me in her heart; I will keep her in my heart. It is a long term relationship that I will continue to build from now and into the many years to come. Until next time, bon voyage and safe travels.

Red Poppies, Sticky Mud & Landmines

I started pedaling through a parking lot of loose rocks and proceeded past a bunch of U.S. Soldiers and Coalition Forces standing outside of their huge, beige military trucks. It had rained for a few days and there were several mud holes to embrace! I barreled through the first puddle, splattering mud on my brand new Fox Shox jersey and at that moment I felt free! The guys gawked with astonishment as I weaved in and out of the mud slalom course with evident delight. Whoohaahaa!

Fierce wind whistled past my ears, clouds of dust circled around me like a cyclone, as I rode towards the paved yet crumbly road. In Afghanistan it is typical for half of the road to be washed out, which makes riding even more of an adventure.

After 12 months of volunteering for deployment in Afghanistan as a government budget analyst, I decided to buy a Single Speed GT Peace 9’er to satisfy my pedal hunger. After all I had another year to get through! All I needed was something simple to do the job! I named my bike, “Freedom” after my first ride because of the way I felt during and after my ride. It was exhilarating beyond belief! Being cooped up in an office most of the day is strenuous enough and I deserved an occasional excursion, even if I was in a war zone. 

I turned the corner smacked dab into a barrier of wind that nearly made me lose my breath. The loud clicking sound of an Afghan truck’s engine alerted me, as he crept up behind me. I cranked down as hard as I could and gave it all I had to stay in front. The wind tried to deter my efforts but I maintained my distance.

As I quickly climbed the short hill, a deafening rumble blasted me, as an all powerful F-15 launched off of the runway towards the mountains and then turned vertical disappearing into the sky! I yelled out with excitement, “Yeah!!” Being exposed to jets as a former Marine, it always gets me riled up when they take off!

In my peripherals I caught a glimpse of the same dark green truck and now 4 Mine Resistant Ambushed Protected (MRAP) vehicles rapidly approaching. I dodged onto the right shoulder into the thickest, stickiest mud I could possibly find! I yelled out with glee! The Afghan men in the waste truck were gaping in disbelief as they drove past me!

I slid from side to side at a smooth and steady pace, while keeping my weight distributed over the tires. 5” ruts were formed in the mud, leaving my signature behind, while coating my tires until they were hitting the sides of the rigid forks. I had closed my mouth before mud started flying (thank God), splattering all the way up the front and back of me. A giggle escaped from my throat as I continued my childish gallivanting through the streets.

Surrounded by barbed wire fences, land mines and heaps of metal left from the Soviet invasion from 1979 to 1989, I rode carefully alongside the rope with many red, triangular metal signs warning me of “Mines”. It is not unusual to see a row of pink tulips and bright, red poppies in the midst of a minefield and corroded metal. Beauty is present everywhere, even in a country that has been oppressed for over 30 years.

As I sprinted down Perimeter Road, which circles all of Bagram Airfield that sits at 4800 feet, I felt as if I could reach out and touch the ominous, snow covered mountains that completely surrounded me. I inhaled deeply, the crisp air filling my lungs and pushing out the stale air from being in the office. I lifted my face to the sun’s warmth; all of my stresses and worries began to dissipate into thin air.

It was gorgeous! An Afghan village spanned not far from the mountains, an oasis in the middle of the desert, mud villages surrounded by green lush fields and several trees. This was a magnificent gem to discover, while peering through a barbed wire chain linked fence.

As I pedaled with the wind to my back, observing the world around me, work was no longer present in my mind. On normal days it is generally hazy but this day was spectacular and perfect. I was in the moment and there was a true sense of peace and freedom as I pushed through the mud in my path! I had successfully lived my life’s motto of “carpe diem”, living life in the moment!

A three story guard tower was on the right side of the road and I turned into the rocky parking lot and barreled towards a 100 foot wide water hole that was calling my name! Water splashed everywhere as I played and laughter escaped allowing anyone around me to hear my pure joy! People were eyeballing me as if I was some kind of alien. I didn’t care! I march to the beat of my own drum.

I whipped around the tower with force, to find a cute bus driver leaning against his bus, beaming from ear to ear at me. I was literally covered in mud from head to toe and now soaked from meandering in the pool! I exclaimed goodbye as I smiled at the appreciative bystander, who watched my silhouette disappear into the muddy distance. I pedaled through many more puddles, rode up and down 5’ ramps that are normally used by Army tactical vehicles. Even in Afghanistan, joy and freedom can be unearthed. All it takes is a jaunt on “Freedom” through sticky mud to attain pure exuberance and bliss!

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