Inspiration: Team Oakley – “Join us in Napa for our Learn to Ride Audi Sportscar Experience at the Infineon Racetrack!”

I spent an entire day with a fun group of daredevils learning to drive with the racecar pros!

Dax Shepard

Mae Whitman and Dax Shepard

The moment before this moment may be the most telling for me…..

After our classroom chat and a few pep talks I found myself sliding the face sock over my staticy hair, shoving on the helmet – a helmet that later seemed to squeeze in the heat with every burn and turn of tires – and then slowly lowering my body into the seat of the Audi V8. I couldn’t understand the nervous energy taking over. I barely spoke all morning. Makes no sense. I’m a speed driver maniac in my prius. This was supposed to be safe.

I suppose there was good reason that the memories came back post drive. Had I remembered climbing through my driver’s side window upside down after flipping a car that didn’t belong to me my sophomore year – well I wouldn’t have hit that 2.5 mile racecourse for speeding times. I would have only had one vision – my friends crying and screaming as I ran over a mile to the nearest house with blood dripping down my leg and instinct taking over the wheel. It took months to drive again after that and Dax I guess you’re right – I didn’t need the memory to help steer me on this course.

Instead, my nervous energy focused on the words of Pro Tony coming through my walkie talkie and of course Dick Trickle, one of the drivers on my inspiring driver list.
I will trickle this course like a mascot.

And I did…..or well tried my very best!
And it was geekzilerating!

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Here’s the  list of drivers my friends thought would inspire the best racecar ride.  I think I was still pretty jerky.  hint – Taryn Owens, passenger(near end of day) – “I think I’m going to throw up.”

James Bannister: Michael Schumacher

Nate Minnis: Ricky Bobby!

Tommy Meyer Klipsch: Dick Trickle! NASCAR Legend!

Anya Varda:  Mario Andretti

Heidi Kelso: Jenson Button

Eric Raine Ernst: Barney Rubble!

Jessica Paster: Dale Earnhardt…oh no he crashed and died…Dale Earnhardt JR!!!! He’s alive and gay!!!!

Ellen Pompeo and husband Chris Ivery

Shaun Sipos and Aaron Paul

Mae Whitman and Dax Shepard

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1. Carlos Lopez Moment: “Slice, Cut, Slash are you ready for my birthday bash!!!”
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Destination: Botanical Gardens behind the Opera House, Sydney

Inspiration: Dax Shepard sends me jogging to find bats!

Actualization: Mission Dax Bats started at the Opera House which was a whole challenge in itself. I actually ran around the gardens last week but definitely not through them and I’m not sure if I had I would’ve thought to look up to see the bats. When we got to the Opera House the area was being overtaken by Australian Idol (P.S. dying to have someone send me on that moment).

After running the stairs and showing Dax’s email to a few Aussies, I was sent off towards Palm’s Place in the middle of the gardens. Ironic because Dax and I first met when he came on a jet trip I coordinated to the Maloof’s Palm’s Place in Las Vegas. As we ran, I kept thinking to myself, I hope I actually can find a bat or two…and then we heard them more than one or two, and turned the corner to find hundreds of them. Each one hanging by barely a stick of a leg and wrapped in what looked like Duct Tape. It felt like a bat park. After seeing the first tree FULL of them it was like a never ending path of trees and every once in a while a bat would open up its duct tape wings and re-wrap itself.

I couldn’t go under the trees without covering my head. I kept looking at Janae saying, “get outta there before one loses a stick leg and the duct tape covers your face.” Obviously in my head I knew it wouldn’t happen but I swear if you go and look up at these guys you’ll be ducking away from those duct tape bats too. I asked Janae, “where do they go at night? To protect the streets of Gotham Sydney?” Later Janae told me her hairdresser explained it as a weaving effect…like leapfrogs in the sky, all at once the thousands of bats fly over the city at twilight every night. A group of them flew around us as we exited the park. I felt it was my send off and to prove themselves….those bats were not robins. Gotham Sydney doesn’t like the bat, man. They feel overpopulated and are putting into effect a petition to relocate the bats using noise to wake them up and get them out. So go see em’ soon.

Realization:  This moment gave me the hibijeebees and I can’t say it was fun, but it was a favorite because now I know more about a bat…and not just a Christian Bale/Michael Keaton one.

Related posts:

1. Kanye West moment: “Definitely eating kangaroo in Sydney…..making Kanye West and i do wind sprints up and down at the opera house stairs.”
2. Australia here I come…..
3. Heroes Milo Ventimiglia moment: “I did get out for a 6 mile run around sydney harbor at 6am one morning (woulda been the afternoon back home so I was awake).”