WHO: Globe arts staffer June Wulff, her husband, Jim, and their son, Cameron, 18
WHAT: Off-roading
WHERE: A wooded area in Wakefield
A few weeks ago, my 18-year-old son asked if my husband and I wanted to go mudding - navigating his four-wheel-drive truck through muddy trails. The middle-age woman in me thought, "Absolutely not," but the mother who wanted to spend time with her son said, "Sure."
Cameron filled us in on what we'd need: shovel, rope, water, spare tire, flashlight, cellphone or walkie talkie, grubby clothes; and how to drive: slowly, watching for rocks and other obstacles, and somehow respecting nature. He assured us that the wooded area was public property. (I recommend searching for off-road sites and inquiring about rules and cost. Try mountaintravelguide.com/Massachusetts/MassachusettsOffRoadTrails.htm or 4wheeldrive.about.com)
"You have to listen to country music when you're off-road," Cam said. So this muddin' mama, sandwiched between my two guys in a Dodge Ram, was a little bit country and a little bit nervous. As soon as we left the pavement and headed down at a 45-degree angle, I started bouncing around like a bobblehead doll, clutching thighs that weren't mine and bracing myself for our first muddy path.
I was fine until Cam tucked in his side mirror to avoid protruding branches along a narrow, rutted trail. Thankfully, after a quick "nope," he threw it into reverse. Next came an open field, a steep drop, and mud on the windshield - the grand finale. After 30 minutes we were exhilarated and ready for our next stop, the car wash. [J.W.]
