Day 2: 156 pounds of shit (and counting)

 Apparently, we didn't realize it when we packed 4 suitcases, a carry-on, and two personal items.  Still didn't realize it when we weighed our stuff at the airport and realized we had 156 pounds of checked luggage (plus what we were carrying, which wasn't light).  Still didn't hit when we went to three different stores and spent almost $400 on random food.

I was organizing our groceries (yes, I am that ridiculous) when it hit me: we may be camping for 40-some-odd days, but we aren't roughing it.

A bag for canned goods, one for crackers and cookies, one for pretzels and chips, another for granola and granola bars... could this be excessive?

As Mike put it: "We basically found a way to pack our lives into the back of your Mom's SUV.  This is vacation, I'm not trying to rough it!"

Mike contemplates how to organize all his clothes (notice the stack of sleeveless shirts to the right) and our other random stuff.  The four duffel bags are my clothes (already organized!).

Day 1, Pt. 2: Falling Isn't Fun

This day really was two! The morning consisted of the airport, Mom picked us up, ran errands, Mike got a driving tour of downtown Ogden, nap. Everyone likes Mike, no shock there, but really, I think my mom should be on my side!

At night, we went to dinner at Rooster's on Historic 25th Street in Ogden http://www.roostersbrewingco.com/ (Morgan, if you are reading this, I had a super yummy quinoa, lentil, and red rice salad, I know you'll be interested in that part) followed by bowling, where Mike learned a hard lesson.  Falling isn't fun (apparently he did not read the sign before this happened).  While holding Bentley (an adorable 4 mo. old), Mike knocked over a cup of water.  Apparently, he must have had water on his shoes when he went to bowl, because he slipped and basically faceplanted into the lane.  (I also think that this may have been partially caused by nervousness because he was losing the bowling game to me, but he denies this).  He survived the ordeal with only minor bruising, and even though he lost that game (behind David and me) he won the next one with a 183 (and new, dry bowling shoes).  David plans to practice bowling and Mike plans to practice eating large amounts of greasy food (apparently my cooking has put a stop to this) and there will be a rematch in July.  You can check back and see how that goes.

On another note, I may be kidnapping my friends' children in July. Just saying.

Day 1: In Route

Sky Club, LA Airport

 

Text: From the seat by the window, we peer through the viewfinder to all that is visible.  Ascending, we reflect on what was left behind and what is yet ahead.  Far above, our eyes see the world below.  We search for the familiar.  Farms take on the beautiful patterns of hand-stitched quilts, mountains appear as sculpture, and vast bodies of water seem powerfully still.  Clouds sit thick, rich in form, calling to us with familiar shapes of things we believe to recognize.  For a brief time, our thoughts drift.  The earth below, brilliant in every aspect.  Its inhabitants, stewards of such a gift.

We are in quiet awe.

Day 0: Making a List and Checking it Twice (at least)

Mike's list... Multiple colors, highlights, codes, crosses and checks. We're not going to forget anything!

Day -1: A shoe by any other name...

See the hiking shoes on the lower right?  The Merrells arrived!

Leaving tomorrow, packing today.  The shoes finally arrived!

Funny packing convo:

Me: Do I need my Simples and Nikes?

Mike: What?

Me: I'm trying to decide if I need both these shoes.  Maybe if I want to wear real shoes but have something nicer than the Nikes?


Mike: I don't know, I'm taking tennis shoes and my hiking shoes.

Me: Didn't you want to take something like my Tevas?

Mike: What are all these names?  I have hiking shoes, tennis shoes, slippers.

Me: No, they're Tevas, Nikes, Scotts, Merrells, Simples.  Although I have two pairs of Merrells.  That could get confusing.

Mike: Slippers (points to the Tevas & Scotts), Tennis Shoes (Simples and Nikes) and Hiking Shoes.

Me:  What?  My Simples are not in the same category as my Nikes.  And Tevas are NOT slippers...

This conversation continued for a ridiculously long time (as most of our conversations do) so I'll spare you the rest.  The point?  Men and women speak a completely different language.  Here's more proof!

... time to quit procrastinating and finish packing now.  I just want to be on a plane already!

Day -5: The Shoe Drama Continues

Or: Why FedEx is the Devil

So, shopping was productive in that I figured out what shoes would be perfect, but not so helpful in that the store didn't carry them.  Well, obviously, that would be too easy.  So I ordered the shoes on shoes.com with 2 day shipping from FedEx.  Done?

Not quite.  Fedex was supposed to deliver yesterday, but no shoes showed up.  I called this morning, and apparently Fedex had decided that my address was invalid (it wasn't) and that I lived at my old place (I don't).  I called and argued with a woman on the phone who insisted that I live at 308, not 305 (no honey, I do know my address) and then finally assured me the shoes would be delivered.

Well, apparently FedEx still didn't listen, because some other courier decided my address was invalid.  Another call to FedEx, another argument about the address.  I promise you people, I know where I live!  She assured me the shoes would be delivered tomorrow.  Hmm.  I'm leaving relatively soon, these shoes would really be helpful!

Pretty, isn't it?  I really hope it decides to show up :(

When a shoe is more than just a shoe

We leave in just over a week, and I'm a freaking basket case.  Seriously, I'm freaking out over every little aspect of this trip.  And it all started with a goddamned hiking shoe.

I have hiking boots that I love.  They are amazing... and they are about 10 years old.  They're on the verge of death, and so I decided that it would be a good idea to get new hiking boots for this trip.  I had planned to be able to break them in here, take them on the trip, everything would work out.  I mentioned this to Mike and he decided to get boots as well, so we went to Sports Authority and got boots.

Three weeks later, he loves his boots.  I've taken mine back, bought a second pair that I need to take back, and am generally having a panic attack.  Here's the thing, I can't figure out if they fit right.  I NEVER wear shoes, so is this feeling a too tight feeling, or am I just not used to having anything on my feet?  And why the hell do women's shoes and clothes sizes never mean a goddamn thing?!?  I mean, when I buy jeans, depending on the store, I can expect to buy jeans in a range of about 10 sizes (I wish I was exaggerating here) and it seems that this wonderful experience has now been taken to shoes.  Online reviews say to buy a size larger, smaller, half size different than your "normal" size... and I don't even know what my normal size is, because it also varies!

I don't know whether to keep the shoes I have, buy a pair online, or trek to the other side of the island to go to the one decent outdoor store on the island (don't even get me started on the fact that I live in this amazing place with all these amazing things to do outside, where you can't buy any decent outdoor gear). And now this panic has turned into me freaking out about every aspect of the trip.  Are our hotel reservations for the right days?  Is it best to enter Yellowstone from the South or West entrance?  What if one of us gets sick or hurt (likely me, since my klutzy self can't even walk around my apartment without busting my toe open.  Yep, that happened last night.  I'm amazing.)?  I've been slacking on my workouts, is this going to be a problem?  Are we really going to enjoy each other's company for 50 days in a car?  How am I going to find stuff to eat in all these places with my crazy diet?  And the list just continues.

I really don't want this post to sound like I'm not excited for this trip, because really, I can't wait.  On the other hand, I'm really nervous about a million things right now.  This sounds so ridiculously girly it's even making me sick, but I guess shopping is the only thing that will cure what I am feeling right now!  Time to drive to the other side of the island for shoes!