Summer of Sun Travelogue - Edition 3rd

DISCLAIMER: Ditto.

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August 20th, 2009 - Thursday
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Scout-camp and two kid-dominated days were behind me. That meant it was time to be on the road again for another summer road trip and adventure. This particular adventure introduced us to a new friend, J (hereafter NFJ). We were initially going up for BillyBob's wedding in Boise, but NFJ was going on to Seattle after, and I couldn't turn that down. We got hooked up with him because he was BillyBob's MTC companion; he loved having me and Turtle along for the adventure. We promptly scandalized him I'm pretty sure in the first two minutes by grilling him on kissing, techniques, attributes, and yeah, pretty much everything we could think of about kissing. Quite the lip-locking conversation. Bwahahaha

We made it to Boise in the early evening, and the goal was to meet up with some old friends. But nothing ever goes as planned, does it? Erynn and Sarah formerly P. I don't know the city of Meridian very well, so I voted Erynn would pick the place and we'd just meet up. She gave us a list of options listed in the area, and we picked one: Goodwood BBQ. Because let's be honest. Goodwood BBQ = GOOD EATS. Well, when we got there, we couldn’t find the place, and Sarah was calling me. In the middle of telling her we were arriving at the conclusion that said Goodwood didn't actually exist, my phone DIED. X.x Really? Of all the times. So then I said well here’s Good Thyme, it was also on the list, so let’s go in there. Only when I got closer I realized it wasn’t even open yet. So we went next door to the nail salon where we begged to use an outlet. Only it didn’t work. My phone wouldn’t charge or turn on. Argh. So we tried the strip plug on the floor. Nothing! A third outlet further down the wall. Still nothing. I sent Turtle to the car for her charger, in case it was mine that wasn’t working. Still nothing. Do you feel the urgency of the situation? I haven't seen Sarah in 8+ years, and she thinks I hung up on her, not to mention we have no idea where Erynn is or how to get ahold of her! AHHHHHH.

I wasn't ready to give up, so we walked further along the stripmall. Closed, not open yet, empty, closed, ah! An outlet on the wall. I plugged in both chargers and tried again... NOTHING. Sigh. How is this happening? I grab Turtle's phone and dial my pops and have him start logging into my Facebook to re-look-up their numbers in the hopes I can find them before this is all disaster. Turtle opens the next door and goes in. It’s an AT&T store. Wait, what?! My phone IS AT&T! I dash in after her. The outlets in this store work! It’s not my phone that’s broken! I tell my pops we got it and hang up. He just wasn’t fast enough. I get Sarah on the speakerphone since the AT&T guy is between my phone and where it’s plugged into the wall, and I can’t quite get it to my ear. Awkward? Totally. So while I talk to her, I’m texting Erynn, who comes back to rescue us so we don’t have to get directions from Sarah. Finally, about 20 minutes late, and with the crisis over, we find a different Goodwood for dinner.

Turns out NFJ knew Erynn’s hubby, and boy, did they chat it up! Catching up with Sarah's life is phenom, since I've missed like a decade. We have a wonderful, wonderful meal of bbq with the best conversation I could ask for. This is what “dinner outing” is supposed to mean. Ah yes. Bliss.

Later that night, after getting into my pajamas, I was showing off my HBLL t-shirt to NFJ. When I turned around to show him the back, I realized that I’d forgotten about my pajama bottoms. O.O! See, they have a hole in the left butt check, about the size of a volleyball. And my buttocks was totally hanging out! Talk about MORTIFICATION!!! I don’t know if I’ve ever been redder! ZOMG I just flashed him! It was completely unintentional and I was so incredibly embarrassed. Check out my shirt, but don’t be distracted by my lil' butt cheek there, it’s just for show. EEK!

August 21st, 2009 - Friday
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We were early to the temple and got to see Billy and Hallie arriving. Billy ran out a second later because he left his marriage license in the car. We took some pictures and then were just hanging out when Billy’s Mom realized she’d forgotten her recommend. We searched her purse, but to no avail, and couldn’t get ahold of anyone where she was staying... so we offered to go after it. Only problem was that her house was like 30 minutes one-way and the sealing started in 22 MINUTES. [Insert despairing swear here] Billy’s mom was freaking out the whole time about not being able to find it, or get back on time.

Poor woman had not been in the temple in over 20 years, and got her recommend back just for this event... and then forgot it! Turtle was great reassuring her while I drove like a crazy (but safe) man. She suggested saying a prayer, to which we were all for, and she offered it, thanking the lord for the day and the opportunity to see her son. She asked him to please bless us to get the recommend with no accidents, tickets (yes!), and get back on time. Let’s go faith! Haha.

When we got to the house she just grabbed the whole suitcase and brought it back out since we were so completely out of time. Good thing she did too, because the recommend was not where she thought it was. It was in a totally different part of the suitcase. On the way back to the temple time was running out, and I kept going faster and faster. The adrenaline was definintely pumping. They told me if a cop came and put its lights on to not stop until I got to the temple doors. Billy’s mom told me she’d pay my ticket AND do my driving school. Well! In that case... I was honestly driving 100mph in a 55mph zone in the middle of the capital city of the state of Idaho!! That’s completely reckless driving. I would’ve gotten my license suspended if I got pulled over. We dropped her off at the doors at 10am sharp. Just in time. Pulling into the parking lot there was another car in front of us, going slow, so I just zipped around and kept going and looked at me like I was insane.

No sooner had we dropped her and parked, and were walking up to the temple doors, I smelled blood. Not good! Cue bloody nose 3,435,987. Sometimes I hate my life. I leaned forward so that I would be sure not to get any on my bright blue shirt. No dice. Somehow I STILL managed to get some on me. Curse it all. So we walked over the mission office and borrowed a stain stick they luckily had (they didn’t have any peroxide, dang-it-all). So now I had faded bloodstains AND giant wet spots all over me, ugh. Once the sealing was all over, and my blood was under control, the bride and groom came out and we did pictures. Then it was off to the luncheon. Billy’s Mission President and wife decided to follow us because we (supposedly) knew the way (I didn’t completely). So the crossroad I was looking for happened to be under construction and had ZERO identifications aka street signs, so I passed it. I was feeling like I went too far, so I called my mom for a google map. When she confirmed my suspicions I accidentally swore into the phone! TO MY MOM! OOPS! I was so embarrassed because she got so mad at me. I had Turtle text her and say she’s working on helping me be better (partially true :P).

When I agreed to be Best Man I didn’t realize I was getting myself into a wedding line, or I might have reconsidered (just kidding BillyBob!) but I got to stand next to Frankie (BillyBob’s Best friend since childhood) and Jarom (Hallie’s little brother) and we made it super entertaining. Jarom was getting ready to go to college and we convinced him that every time someone asked him when he was leaving for school to answer one day later. “Sept 9th.” “Sept. 10th” “Sept. 11th.” Etc. Frankie and I mixed it up by saying something different every time. “Former roommate” (true) “Lifelong friend.” “Brother.” “From Karate Class.” “He just gave me the suit and $20 to stand here.”

Another highlight was razzing the “kidlets.” There was a group of cute little 18-year olds who thought they were old and cool, and took offense at being called little. Except they were. One of them was 16, making him SEVEN when I graduated from High School. We were teasing one of the girls who was insistent that she was not a player because she just flirted. Wait, what? Bwahaha. Some of them were going to BYU-I, and so we made fun of them for having a Wal-mart that closed at 9pm. It was pretty much one of the funnest nights ever.

The best part of the night was definitely decorating the car. We got silly string and sprayed it all over, put handcuffs on the rearview mirror, attached streamers and TP, wrote in bright, bright red lipstick all over the windows. And of course, what wedding vehicle is complete without condoms. Everywhere. We also even got the photographer to come out and take pictures of a bunch of us pretending to (ahem ahem cough cough) you know (wink wink) in the front seat. Those are going to be a riot when they are going through the wedding photos – because they totally don’t know we took them. Are we evil? Possibly yes. But let me tell you that wedding was FUN, FUN, FUN.



Public Pics - Billy's Wedding (WARNING: Some of the Car pics are closer to NC-17)

August 22nd, 2009 - Saturday
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The morning started off with rafting. We weren't even in the water prolly five minutes before Turtle and I were trying to push each other in. I finally succeeded in getting her in, but only for about 5 seconds before Tobias pushed me in. It’s okay though because about a minute later, we got NFJ to push HIM in. Bwahaha.

Turtle asked Tobias if there were any rapids we could float down in person, and he said, oh yeah, any of ‘em, these rapids aren’t bad. So we decided to float one together. I swam over to her, we had our feet out, could see the rapid up ahead, and were having a lovely little conversation to ourselves about should we hold hands, why not, they did when they were little, when we suddenly heard Tobias and NFJ frantically at us to get back in the boat. They sounded pretty freaked so we turned tail and swam to the boat as they got there as fast as they could. Soon as we were in the boat, we saw the rapid ahead of us. Holy bleep! That was NOT a class 1 rapid! We would have died! Well, because of the rush to get us back in the boat we didn’t get positioned very well, so when we went down the first rapid was insane. By the time we crested the second, Tobias was underwater, and under the raft. He fell out for the first time in 12 years rafting this river.

I, too, being on the same side as Tobias, also landed in the water, facing the wrong way, and knowing that there was still much more rapid to get through. I struggled to turn myself around, and my ankle smashed hard on a rock. Then I was swallowing water because my head went under the next rapid. I came up spitting, trying not to lose my hat or sunglasses, and as soon as I could breathe, my mouth was full of water again.

This happened 3 consecutive times. I was so scared! I thought I was going to die. Like, really. Tobias told us once we were all safely back in the boat, and I’d scraped my other leg on a rock, that that rapid was definitely a class 4. And we almost went over it WITHOUT A RAFT?!?! Zounds.

But the rest of the trip was nice, relaxing, and enjoyable. There are even some pictures (I'm the one in the orange hat :P).

In the afternoon we went to my Aunt's house to drop off Turtle. My Aunt was headed down to SLC that weekend and Turtle was catching a plane to Cali on Monday. Then NFJ and I headed to Seattle. On the way there my phone died again. Just cut out with no prior warning. I tried to plug it in at a gas station, but nothing. Just like the time before! I think my phone is broken! So I went next door to a casino where I had to show I.D. just to get inside and unplug a lamp, and have my phone still not work.

NFJ’s phone was dying also, so it was a frantic few minutes to get directions to my brother’s house before we were completely dead in the water with no way to get ahold of anyone. But we made it okay.

NFJ dropped me off, and then I found my bro who had been across the street listening to people signing. After my stuff was safe in the apt., we went to the mall where they were having board game night and wiled away the hours playing Pandemic (a team game racing against an infection) and Puerto Rico (a building/trading game). There also happened to be a library in his mall, so we stopped in and I checked out a couple of Comic books. Hee.

August 23rd, 2009 - Sunday
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Went to church, slept, ate and read. More sleep, more eating, some time playing on the internet, with a game of RoboRally to cap off the evening. Nice and restful day.

August 24th, 2009 - Monday
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Went to work with BigBro, nothing crazy. Got to have lunch with Troy and Chris (and baby Sam). We couldn’t find the Indian place, so we just had Chinese, where the cool owner gave us free sushi. Score! But Troy wouldn’t eat it because he’s scared of the word RAW. It’s all mental, my good man, all mental. After that we went to Marymoor park where we played on the playground with the little man, and I helped him swing. It was so good to hang out with them! They are so fun! Then Bigbro came and we got a cache, said bye to TnC, then went caching some more while I ate blackberries off the vine. Yummmm! They were delicious! And everywhere in Seattle. A weed to the people there, a repository of delicious juiciness for me.

Then I was invited to go to a surprise birthday party. The person who invited me was a little late, so I just socialized it up with the people who were there, no worries. Since I’m not afraid to wear shorts, the subject of my leg came up and I told the story, as I always do. SIGH. Then the real surprise was on me when I found that I *DID* know the birthday boy. From my freshman ward at BYU like 8 years ago. And two of his friends I also know, from Utah. So I ended up knowing at least 25% of the attendees. The world is simply too small. And I love it. Wholeheartedly and unabashedly.

August 25th, 2009 - Tuesday
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Woke up at 6:30 because we were going to go wakeboarding, only it ended up being too windy to go, so I tried to go back to sleep. Didn’t wholly work out, but I cuddled with a kitty while drifting in and out, so meh. Then I got bored once we were at work, so I walked 5 blocks to get some food. But Applebee’s wasn’t open yet! Oops. Good thing there was a Safeway. I just got some food.

Walked back and spent most of the workday playing on the internet. Hee. And even worked on my novel some. Applied for a bunch of jobs too.

Once the workday was done, we went out caching again, because I love caching with my bro. He's the one who got me into it in the first place. Once we got back we went over to their friend's house where we played another game of Puerto Rico (I'd horribly lost the first game... we'd run out of time so I felt my strategy simply hadn't had enough time to adequately pan out, I wanted a re-try). It was pretty fun, but I again got completely trounced. At this point I gave up all desire to ever play the game again, simply accepting that I didn't understand it enough, and therefore, would lose in subsequent attempts. Bah.

August 26th, 2009 - Wednesday
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This time we got up again at 6:30 and actually went out on the water. Bigbro's business partner's lil bro was going back to school, and he wanted one more time on the lake with him. Well, turns out that I know his little bro, because he dated one of my friends for a time, and went with us on some of our summer adventures in 2006. Holy smallest world ever, Batman! Loves it. So wakeboarding was a tough learning experience for me. The other 4 people were all SO good at it! They did flips, and spins, and twists, and try as I might (and I did) I couldn't even get standing up. I was utterly crushed by my inability. :/

Ready to go!


Almost... :(


We did that super early, so we could still get Bro on time to work. Then I played online for the majority of the workday. There was a party going on downstairs for one of the dentists and we got invited to go get drinks of some variety... that were flavored... but I don't remember what kind, oops.

That night I was going to read one more big graphic novel anthology, but wakeboarding (attempting) and the rest of my whirlwind trip must have taken alot out of me, and I crashed at like 7pm and didn't wake up until it was time to go to the airport.

Yup, I said airport. When NFJ and I were driving to Seattle from Boise his car had been having some unexpected problems. When he took it into the shop, they pretty told him it was a goner. He tried to get a new car in time, but he couldn't so I ended up flying back to Utah.

In a matter of 7 measly weeks I'd managed to travel over 6,700 MILES without even owning a car (and I didn't hitchhike once). I'd spent quality time in 9 states, and seen so many people! And done so many amazing things! What a SUMMER!!!

But my summer didn't end with my glorious trips. There was more excitement ahead of me, though now it would mainly take place in Utah. But that'll be next time...

Comments

Becca said…
Wow! Awesome. You're a great friend to drive all crazy with the wedding craziness. Also, I'm kind of jealous of your summer. It sounds WAY more fun than mine.

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