Two weekends ago my involvement in Toyota Women’s Influencer Network landed me Toyota Camry Hybrid for the weekend. I named her Peggy Sue. She was blue.

That Saturday, after I wrote half a research paper, Andrew and I loaded up the car with snacks and supplies and headed toward Harborton, Virginia, a teeny, tiny little town on the Eastern Shore of Virgina, home to my cousin, her husband and their teeny, tiny little baby girl.

To get to Harborton we had to drive in a V because Harborton’s placement on the Eastern Shore means it’s basically stuck on a little strip of land that dangles into the Atlantic Ocean. Getting there also required me to drive across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, my nemesis. I’m not a fan of bridges or tunnels, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel covers a whooping 23 miles, which includes two 1-mile tunnels, is one of only 8 bridge-tunnel systems in the whole entire world, and was formerly listed as one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world. This bridge-tunnel does not play. It is serious. Like a honey badger.

It didn’t hit me that I’d have to drive across the Bridge-Tunnel until we’d already started our trip, and I had a small moment of panic when I realized I’d be driving in an unfamiliar car across a Bridge-Tunnel I absolutely despise. Obviously, I got over it. Like a honey badger.

The worst part about crossing the bridge was realizing I’d have to cross it again the very next day. That’s just too much bridge for me, y’all.

After winding up the shore, down a few twisty roads past a few horses and farms, we finally arrived in Harborton at my cousin’s house. Harborton is tiny. There is a church. And the post office is connected to the postmaster’s house. That’s pretty much it, plus a few goats. For reals. But it’s beautiful.

We also got in a hefty dose of baby holding time with my second cousin. She’s adorable. The most adorable, really. My people really know how to make cute babies.

Also, there were cats. Two – Penelope and Gus, the one-eyed cat.

It was a brief trip, but a needed one. I’ve been swamped with school projects and work lately and have said no to a lot of things. This month is the final push for me, the final rush to the finish line toward a graduation I thought would never, ever come. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get my undergraduate degree, but I guess the important thing is that I’m finally getting it. And maybe grad school is next, because why not? And because the thought of not spending my time in a classroom anymore makes me sad.

We stopped at the start of the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel at a pull-off area to take in the view on the way back. It was beautiful and so peaceful. For someone who can’t swim, I’m pretty addicted to the thought of living closer to the water.

By my estimation we drove something like 400 miles in that Camry and there was still over a quarter tank of gas left in it when it was picked up Monday morning. I missed it immediately. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did, being that I’ve been a RAV4 driver my whole life and since I’m way more comfortable driving SUVs than driving cars, but that Camry was a dream. I’m under absolutely no obligation to wax poetic about Peggy Sue, but I want to because she was a fantastic car that took us on a much needed weekend adventure.

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Disclosure: I was selected for participation in the TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post, or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of Toyota.