This September I got an opportunity to do something different. Ford invited me on a road trip to test out their new Ford Explorer Platinum against possibly the most scenic backdrop possible: a road trip from Bozeman, Montana to Jackson, Wyoming.
Why did Ford invite me of all people? I’m really not sure. I’m hardly a car expert, I don’t even own one. Many of the other journalists were mommy bloggers or car journalists. Not to mention that this car costs well more than twice what my two year round-the-world trip did.
But invite me they did, and I accepted because I was curious mostly. I’ve been on plenty of press trips throughout the years, but most of them were run by tourism boards, not corporations. Plus, I never pass up a road trip opportunity.
I did feel like a fish out of water, but even a walk-everywhere hippy like me could see that this was a REALLY nice car. Plush leather seats and wood paneling, separate climate control systems for the front and back, a really neat back up camera and extensive GPS, lots of outlets and all sorts of other features that made it a great road trip option. It’s without a doubt the nicest car I’ve ever driven (massage seats- are you kidding me?!).
But maybe Ford knew that the real highlight was always going to be the scenery. Our route took us through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons on a brilliant and warm September afternoon. The summer crowds were gone and the fall colors were just starting to turn golden. That, coupled with Yellowstone’s strange natural beauty made for one scenic drive:
I was a little bit torn on how to write about this small adventure. It didn’t seem appropriate to put up a car review (and which of you would even read it?). I was only there a day so it wasn’t an in depth exploration of Yellowstone or anything like that. So I’m just presenting it as what it was: a beautiful drive in a beautiful car.
As days on the job go, this one was pretty great.
Disclosure: My trip was paid for by Ford Motor Company. All opinions are my own.
