DREAMS COME TRUE, AMERICAN STYLE

1995 AURORA VACATION CHALLENGE

September 22nd - October 7th, 1995


The Concept:

Garry Sowerby (we'll talk about this
extraordinary man later) decides to design
the American Dream Vacation.  He gathers ten
fearless couples from all over the world and
sets them off on an adventure that will last
a lifetime.

The Players:

Team India broke the record (previously held
by Sowerby) for driving around the world;
Team Poland was comprised of a guitar-
strumming Nationalist who drove from the
southern tip of South America to the northern
tip of North America and his artist friend;
the Tuvans were throat singers enjoying the
status of a superstar like Michael Jackson in
their tiny country; Team Mexico City included
a car racer; and the other fascinating
couples were from Cuernavaca, Turkey, Israel,
Guatemala, Reunion Island, and Canada.  Throw
in a honeymooning couple from Michigan and
media and press along the way, and let the
adventure begin!

The Game:

Teams met in Birmingham, Michigan, to pick up
their 1996 Oldsmobile Auroras and learn the
First Leg of their vacation.  Given only the
destination and adventure stops along the
way, participants armed with road atlases and
Polaroid and Kodak cameras took off.  To
document their escapades and misadventures,
log books were kept.  Along the way teams
were given challenges, such as finding the
tackiest souvenir and the best road meal
(much of the fun came from explaining the
meaning of "tacky" and "road meal").  The
goal was to "out-vacation" each other while
seeing as much of the American West as
possible. 

The Superhighway Connection:  All you needed
were a computer and a modem to join in the
fun.  Sowerby's Website documented each step
of the journey, and websurfers were
encouraged to participate by routing for
their favorite team and providing advice,
tips, and strategies.  Garry and Associates
provided daily updates, many from the teams'
log books, so you can get a real taste of the
event.  Check it out at
     http://www.adventuredrive.ca 

The Car:

The 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora is an awe-
inspiring vehicle.  The 32-valve, 250hp DOHC
V-8 can (and did) easily go from 0-60 in a
mere 8.2 seconds.  Kongar-ool from Team Tuva
felt the car should be equipped with a
parachute, and Team Turkey and Team Reunion
can attest to its speed (they have the
tickets to prove it).  Sleekly designed
inside and out and fully loaded with luxury
features, the Aurora attracts attention
wherever it goes.  Whenever I left my husband
with the car, I would return to a group of
strangers standing around the open hood and
trunk marveling at its many wonders.

The Route:

The Auroras headed out to The White Gull Inn
in Fish Creek, Wisconsin; this was the first
of many rendezvous where the teams shared
their experiences.  Days spent on the road
create hilarious incidents, challenging
ordeals, and an awareness of the American
culture that beg to be recounted.  From Fish
Creek, it was on to the Paradise Dude Ranch
in Buffalo, Wyoming, and then to the North
Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.  From
here the elegant Phoenician Resort in
Scottsdale, Arizona, was awaiting the
travelers.  The lavish San Ysidro Ranch in
Montecito, California, was the next stop, and
the final leg ended up in the renowned
Beverly Hills Hotel.

The Finale:

At a press conference in Beverly Hills the
teams gathered for their final day of the
AURORA VACATION CHALLENGE.  Log books were on
display, awards were bestowed on each team
for their distinguishing qualities,
experiences and impressions were shared with
the media, Kongar-ool rendered an amazing
performance of throat singing, and sadly
everyone began preparing to return home.

The Experience:

Some of the log books were as much as five
inches thick, and even the teams that put
them together would be hard-pressed to
verbalize their experiences.  Anyone doubting
the possibility of world peace should have
been a part of this challenge.  Almost
immediately these teams bonded, became a part
of a new and unique family, and will most
assuredly maintain contact with each other
for many years to come.  

Traveling through a foreign country, spotting
an Aurora in the distance, and coming across
a friendly face has to be a remarkable and
welcome surprise.  Team Reunion felt so
comfortable with the group that they slipped
away to Las Vegas to get married and
celebrated with their new-found friends at a
rendezvous dinner.  Throughout the challenge
these atypical comrades discovered a new
culture and conquered obstacles together. 
And Americans along for the madcap ride had
an opportunity to see their country from the
innocent eyes of visitors.

Each team became Ambassadors of Good Will as
they encountered friendly strangers and
explained their mission.  Cowboys in Wyoming
were awe-struck as they watched the Tuvan
throat singer perform; Team Poland spent the
night in their car and were cheerfully
rescued by local police the next day; and the
stories go on and on.  There were no losers
in the AURORA VACATION CHALLENGE; everyone
came away inspired and enriched.

The Man Behind This Delightful Madness:

Who is Garry Sowerby?  Co-developer of
Odyssey International Limited, he holds a
Guinness Book of Records acknowledgment for
driving around the world in 74 days; a long-
distance driving record for a trip from Cape
Agulhas, South Africa to North Cape, Norway;
and a driving record for a 28-day trip from
Tierra del Fuego, Argentina to Prudhoe Bay,
Alaska.  

Okay, so he knows how to drive and break
records, but what makes him so special?  His
ability to share his love of adventure and
his proficiency in putting together unlikely
elements are two priceless qualities.  This
is not the first vacation challenge for
Sowerby.  Last year he did the same thing in
Europe with 8 American couples and 2 Canadian
couples, but the 1995 AURORA VACATION
CHALLENGE shows the true genius of the man. 
Taking ten couples from different countries
on a journey from the majestic mountains of
Wyoming to the affluent sophistication of
Beverly Hills and letting them do it in a
1996 Aurora so they can experience the taste
of freedom for which America is celebrated
was nothing short of genius.  Making it fun
and safe and successful is mindboggling and
miraculous.

I came away from the AURORA VACATION
CHALLENGE with a course of action.  I am
periodically checking Garry's Website; I am
reading every book he wrote (Road Fever and
The Great Gold Toothpick Caper are two that
I'm aware of); and whenever I hear the name
Sowerby, I am paying attention.  This is one
fun dude!

-               Laurie Lawson-