Oh You Rugged Reliable Car You!

scenic lunch spot en route

 NOTE: Honda Canada invited me to test the CRV  and blog about my overnight stay at Lake Sacacomie with them.. I have editorial control of the content and wrote honestly and openly about the experience. I hope you enjoy and comment as you see fit.

I spent the night with Honda and now I have a crush on them.

Not quite the big blushing gushing sputtering Rob Lowe kind I’ve harbored for twenty years. More the kind of crush  you get on your big brothers red-headed friend because he knows how to take a toaster apart and put it back together again kind.

Me and five other bloggers were invited to hang out with Honda Canada  for a night, in order to test drive the new CRV in “real life” conditions. Oy – If only this were my real life. Honda put together the most thoughtful well planned event I’ve had the pleasure of attending and now I kind of want to marry them. Or at least, spend another night together, frolicking and exploring (safely) through the forests of Lake Sacacomie.

Now forty one, my tastes have changed. I no longer crave macaroni and cheese with ketchup or frosting on toast. I’d always thought of myself more a convertible girl but now I’d take the adventurous spirit of an all wheel drive with the reliable safety of a CRV.  {For a round up of all the cars features, visit their site}

Here’s the big thing though: The event left me with the impression that if Honda puts as much detail into making their vehicles as they do into creating awesome events  {and presumably they do}, this is absolutely a car worth checking out {ps. they were already on my short list}

The whole weekend had the feeling of balancing the rugged with the reliable, which is  how I like my men car. We toured along smaller roads, arriving mid afternoon (after a canoe ride!!) at our final destination, Hotel Sacacomie near the Mastigouche wildlife sanctuary. Once we were settled in -and after a peaceful massage – we were taken on a beaver and bear watch.  I wonder if the weekend was meant to reflect the car: exciting, yet safe…

Excitement Factor: Driving through the winding, undisturbed, gravel back roads
Safety Factor: Honda put up road signs to ensure no one got lost.  Also, there was a USB charger in the middle console so we were always *connected*.

photo courtesy of montreal.com

Excitement Factor: Getting into a 12 person canoe on an increasingly foggy rainy afternoon (BTW, I was the annoyingly competitive person in the back of the canoe, barking at everybody to “stroke paddle paddle paddle” and snapping at the ones not keeping up.)
Safety Factor: The canoe tripper who put us all at ease with his gentle french folk songs.

paddling to our destination!

Excitement Factor: spending the night in a rustic wilderness lodge.
Safety Factor: Ok I’m calling this one rustic due to its lack of TV, radio and air conditioning but it had a spa…so ok, maybe not..it also had the most beautiful views and comfortable beds, along with lovely fresh meals.

talk about a room with a view

Excitement Factor: Bear-watching! The only thing between us and the bears was a flimsy wooden watch station. It was marvelous and breathtaking!
Safety Factor: Our experienced guide. And his cayenne pepper horn maker. Oh, and the fact that we kept telling ourselves these were the vegetarian kind of bears.

this was really worth the cold rainy drippy wait

momma bear

baby bears...

I have no idea how I got invited to this event (seeing how my “review” skills are um, questionable, at best.) As a blogger, I am constantly questioning what type of relationship (if any!) I’d like to have with brands. Still, it wasn’t until I saw this tweet on Sandy’s twitter feed that I understood their intentions and I was proud to be included.