Trip Report The Dry Heat Expedition (Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Disneyland)--UPDATE 6/12 (KSC and DTD)

[Captain_Oblivious]

Well, now that I've fallen sufficiently behind, I might as well just jump in here and hit the ground running. Or stumbling. Or minigolfing left handed while holding a baby. Whatever cliche works for you.

I've been there. It's much harder than it looks.

Mark wants big boom!

Well...yeah. Doesn't everyone?

I knew you'd approve.

How do you get the dam going 88 mph?

See "big boom" comment up above.

We utilized the Capt. Oblivious Meal Plan on our last road trip. Excellent work.

So how long did it take before you never wanted another PB&J sandwich again? It usually takes us about 3-4 days.

Bank robber? Assassian?? Hairdresser to the stars???

All of the above?

Amazing dam pictures and info.
Lake Mead is scary with thr ring showing. So many things I worry I need to see before they just arent there any more

Well, you never know. We keep trying to predict the weather and climate for generations down the road, but if there's one thing human beings are historically terrible at, it's predicting the future.

Well, I've read through your first dam update. Finally. And now I've got to get back to work. I'll be back tomorrow to read part 2 and comment in depth but I've just gotta say that Sarah's shirt is awesome.

That's one of her favorites! I thought you'd like my Kona Brewing Co. shirt, though.

On the amount of sleep you're working with, I'm not sure that we can believe the part in the parentheses.

You probably can't consider any part of this report reliable.

It looks like something that a James Bond villain would use to get to his lair.

It does! Which ups the coolness factor.

Yeah, you're probably right.

They would at least enjoy being with the baby.

And you'd be correct.

Dam right!

Geeze people. Have some respect. Quit walking on the dam art.

Never gets old!

You didn't see any Deloreans parked in the parking lot there did you?

I think I would have noticed...

Great picture. I mean the other is probably the better Christmas card picture in the traditional sense... but this one is probably much more realistic!

Given the choice, I'll always go for the laugh!

Well, you didn't get a boot in the rear when you were doing it, did you?

Ok, did Drew think it was worth it?

He'll let you know when he's finished chewing on my shirt sleeve.

Its like an oasis in the middle of a desert.

One big, man-made oasis.

I wouldn't expect anything different from you.

We might never get back!

Does she have to teach someone something?

Nope. This goes back even further into the History of Julie.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Mark, that was a dam good update on the Hoover dam and the dam history.

IT DOESN'T GET OLD!!!

Baby Drew with his head on his stroller had me

Me too!

Great family picture, my friend.

You mean once Drew woke up?

In all the times I've been to Vegas, we have never gone over to the dam dam. We will have to make a point of it on our next trip.

I don't think you'll regret it.

And with a view like that, even I would eat a PBJ sandwich (and I HATE peanut butter).

Wow, I've never heard of someone who hates peanut butter before (who didn't have an allergy). And you also hate Dole Whips...you don't hate bacon, do you?

Oh and last but not least, THANK GOD Drew was NOT wearing a Packer shirt from that rat in Wisconsin.

I'll let you and Barry fight that one out. We'll get him plenty of Eagles green to wear.

Bambi sent the shirt. I'll pass on your ... compliments?

Oh my God...he's alive!

Hey, I've seen what you make your poor kids wear.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Mission accomplished! I was impressed at how many dam jokes you worked in. A favorite of mine was just your little reference to your dam tour guide. Kinda harsh.

That's my foremost talent--being a jerk.

Shocking efficiency!

Government work CAN be done efficiently!

Great baby photo! And great location! I will not comment on the shirt.

We seem to be stirring up all sorts of Midwest rivalries here.

Love it! Priceless photo! That Drew is a keeper!

I guess we'll keep him, then.

I like this one (below) for a Christmas card also.

There will be more candidates!

Amazing photos. That bathtub ring is cool!

Thanks! It's a little scary to think about how low that water is, though.

 

[KatMark]

Wow, I've never heard of someone who hates peanut butter before (who didn't have an allergy). And you also hate Dole Whips...you don't hate bacon, do you?

Funny thing is I will eat Reese's Peanut Butter cups, but I won't eat peanut butter. I know, odd. But then consider the source. (I thought I'd say that before one of the guys did).

I LOVE bacon. As a matter of fact, we had Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches for dinner last night...I skipped the tomato and had extra bacon.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Funny thing is I will eat Reese's Peanut Butter cups, but I won't eat peanut butter. I know, odd. But then consider the source. (I thought I'd say that before one of the guys did).

You know us too well.

I LOVE bacon. As a matter of fact, we had Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches for dinner last night...I skipped the tomato and had extra bacon.

Ahhhh...there's the Kathy we know and love. My faith in humanity is restored.

 

[Leshaface]

Is it wrong that I literally LOL'ed at the passed out baby Drew?! And is it also wrong that if that were us, I maybe would have used that as our Christmas card too?

I'm not afraid of heights (at least, I didn't think I was!) but some of your pictures made me a little nervous. Dam that's high up!

PB&J is what I would do as well Except DH despises the combination, so he makes it harder on me by prepping cold cuts and veggies for sub sandwiches

The drought is terrible right now. A few coastal towns have been charging for water at restaurants, closing down public restrooms, etc. Aside from hurting our farms, it's hurting the tourist industry too. Some hotels are now only allowed to occupy a set number of rooms, instead of filling it up to conserve water.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Is it wrong that I literally LOL'ed at the passed out baby Drew?! And is it also wrong that if that were us, I maybe would have used that as our Christmas card too?

Of course it's not wrong. If it is, I don't want to be right!

I'm not afraid of heights (at least, I didn't think I was!) but some of your pictures made me a little nervous. Dam that's high up!

I'm not afraid of heights. I just hate falling. Anyway, I didn't feel unsafe here.

PB&J is what I would do as well Except DH despises the combination, so he makes it harder on me by prepping cold cuts and veggies for sub sandwiches

He hates PB&J together? Does he also hate America?

The drought is terrible right now. A few coastal towns have been charging for water at restaurants, closing down public restrooms, etc. Aside from hurting our farms, it's hurting the tourist industry too. Some hotels are now only allowed to occupy a set number of rooms, instead of filling it up to conserve water.

Wow. It sounded bad to me, but until I saw how low the water was I didn't really understand it. Hope it turns around soon.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

I'm not afraid of heights. I just hate falling.

It's not the falling that you have to worry about. It's that sudden stop at the end.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

It's not the falling that you have to worry about. It's that sudden stop at the end.

And creepy clowns. I fear them, too.

 

[KatMark]

And creepy clowns. I fear them, too.

Me too...and I won't be going down one's mouth in three weeks when I get to DW either.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Captain’s Log: Sunday, 20 July 2014.

1:22 p.m.—We’ve left the Lake Mead views behind and my keen observational skills tell me we may be entering Red Rock country.

1:35 p.m.—Our next stop is Valley of Fire State Park, still in Nevada. This is more of a “get out of the car and stretch” stop than anything. This particular area of the Southwest (parts of Nevada, Utah and Arizona) are famous for rock formations with a deep red-brown color, one you don’t find it too many other areas of the world. The color is due to a high iron content in the rock—over the years, the elements cause the iron to rust, which gives the rock that distinctive color.

We pull into the first parking lot to stretch our legs. There’s a display showing a map of various hiking trails, but with a temperature over 100 degrees and no shade available, we’re about at eager to hike as we are to have a root canal on the spot. However, there is a rock formation close by with various nooks and crannies to explore. Our kids are drawn to it like a DISDad to bacon.

Meanwhile, I hang out in the shade with my Li’l Buddy. Here you can see what he thinks of flying all the way across the country just to look at rocks.

Dave decides he needs to use the restroom. The restroom is exactly as nice as you would expect a pit toilet with no ventilation in a hot desert environment to be. Meanwhile, Scotty decides to demonstrate his “Lewis & Clark” impersonation. For those of you unfamiliar with previous Oblivious Trip Reports, this is a phenomenon known as “when Scotty happens”.

Don’t tell the boys I said so, but they really look up to their big sister. They will follow her anywhere.

See?

2:34 p.m.—New state! We blast our way on I-15 through the very upper-left corner of Arizona…

2:47 p.m.—…and then into yet another new state. My keen observational skills tell me we are now in Utah.

We make a stop in the town of St. George at a McDonald’s for milkshakes. Dave needs to use the facilities. Again.

3:03 p.m.—I like Utah. (Photo borrowed from interwebs)

3:40 p.m.—We’ve arrived at the Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park. This is the upper northwest corner of the park, reachable only by a short road just off the interstate. There’s a small visitor center and a 5-mile road that leads to an overlook of the mountains. The entrance fee for Zion National Park is $25 (good for 7 days). So, if you’re scoring at home (or even if you’re alone), that’s $35 against the cost of the National Park annual pass thus far.

3:41 p.m.—Dave needs to use the restroom. I’m starting to attribute this to a primal need to mark his territory on our travels.

3:53 p.m.—We’re heading up the road to the overlook. Rounding the first bend, we are greeted with:

Yeah, I like Utah. I like it a lot.

Baby photobomb:

We take the drive slowly, savoring the view. It doesn’t take long before we reach the end of the line at the overlook.

Before our trip, Sarah had bought her very own iPod. She’d saved for a couple of years, and it was nice to see her diligence pay off. What is the primary use of this iPod? To take selfies, of course.

Confession: I don’t “get” selfies. Why would you want an oversized photo of my head obscuring whatever interesting sight is in the background?

“Hey, check me out! Here’s my forehead with a little piece of the Eiffel Tower behind me…”

However, Sarah did download an app that lets her do panoramic shots. Here’s one she got at Kolob Canyons:

We found a nice couple (husband from Scotland, wife from Australia—now there’s a story!) who took our picture, once again giving us a perfect pose for a Christmas card. Except the sun was a little bright.

We stayed a little while, just enjoying the clear air and gorgeous scenery.

4:30 p.m.—We make our way back down the road and drive into Cedar City, our destination for the night. It’s a little early for dinner, but we’re feeling hungry since PB&J sandwiches aren’t terribly filling. So before we head to the hotel to check in, I take the exit for our dinner choice for the evening.

In researching my dinner options in Cedar City, I’d found a number of enticing options. The #1-ranked restaurant was a wood-fired pizzeria right downtown, not far from our hotel. The #2 eatery was a trailer in an Ace Hardware parking lot, also specializing in wood-fired pizzas. How beautifully would that have fit into this TR? I mean, that chapter practically writes itself.

However, I learned to my dismay that both of these places were closed on Sundays. In fact, going down the list of local favorites, it appears Utah itself is closed on Sundays. Utah has a heavy Mormon population, and it appeared that most folks took their Sundays seriously. And I can respect that. My own Christian faith calls for a Sabbath day of rest. It just wasn’t very convenient for us to be traveling through.

So, I’d started checking out the chain restaurants and found a promising possibility: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. This place promised that KIDS EAT FREE ON SUNDAYS, and also promised FREE ICE CREAM EVERY DAY. So, even if the food was lousy, it would at least be cheap.

4:33 p.m.—I turn into town, having already researched the location of the restaurant.

4:34 p.m.—I can’t find the stupid restaurant.

4:35 p.m.—Neither can anyone else in the car.

4:38 p.m.—We decided to go check into the hotel.

4:58 p.m.—At least I can find the hotel. We’re staying at the Best Western Town & Country right on the main drag in Cedar City. This is one of the places where we (ahem) officially only have 2 kids, so the family waits in the car while I check in. I ask the clerk about places to eat in town, and he confirms that all of the local joints are closed. He produces a map of restaurants—this hotel is prepared for tourists! I see Dickey’s listed and ask about it—he says it’s new in town and he hasn’t tried it, but he has a 10%-off coupon he can give me. Woohoo!

Naturally, according to the map it’s on the one side street we didn’t explore earlier.

5:20 p.m.—We finally find Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Yes, it’s a chain. But it’s cheap. And it’s open. And as it turns out, it’s not bad. I go with a 2-meat platter (beef brisket and pulled pork) while Julie gets a loaded baked potato stuffed with beef brisket. Here’s a blurry picture:

For me, the pork is the star of the meal. Very tender and flavorful. The beef is slightly tough.

There’s a soft-serve ice cream machine in the back that is the source of free dessert. This is now Julie’s time to shine. Way, way, way, way, way back…

Um, I mean, not too terribly long ago, Julie worked a summer job at a frozen yogurt place. So she has a lot of experience in creating the perfect soft-serve cone. Here she is demonstrating her award-winning form:

Of course, Scotty figured it was better to just cut out the middle man.

So, the upshot is that we salvaged a decent meal and came in well under budget. Considering the destinations still to come, saving money is only going to help.

6:00 p.m.—We’re about to embark into the Utah wilderness, so it’s a good idea to gas up the car whenever you can. I had my choice of places to fill up in Cedar City, but in the end, I made the only choice a true DISboard member could make: Dinoco.

Coming Up Next: Hoodoos!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Me too...and I won't be going down one's mouth in three weeks when I get to DW either.

That's a relief. Try not to post pictures of that dude, either.

 

[KatMark]

Of course, Scotty figured it was better to just cut out the middle man.

And how am I supposed to be able to respond to this update when Scotty happened? This just made my day...and it is so Scotty.

Coming Up Next: Hoodoos!

Wonderful update, Mark. The picture of you and Drew with his tongue sticking out is a classic.

Thank you for explaining why the rock is that color. I always wondered about that and leave it to our engineer to let us know.

Too bad the sun was so bright and you couldn't get everyone with open eyes for the family Christmas card.

Way to go Sarah on saving your money and getting your own Ipod!

I wondered if Utah shut down on Sundays and you answered that too. I guess from now on I will just come to you when I need an answer to a question that I don't know and don't want to bother researching. But then, you lie about the size of your family when checking into hotels, so not sure how much I can trust you.

Have a great Labor Day weekend.

 

[jedijill]

Another dam good update...oh wait, no water in this one.

Dickey's BBQ isn't bad in a pinch...this is coming from a Kansas City BBQ snob...I have a lovely collection of the large yellow plastic cups at home.

Great pics of the fam and the scenery.

Jill in CO

 

[FreezinRafiki]

1:35 p.m.—Our next stop is Valley of Fire State Park

There's a post-Taco Bell meal joke in somewhere, I can just feel it.

3:41 p.m.—Dave needs to use the restroom. I’m starting to attribute this to a primal need to mark his territory on our travels.

I'd attribute it to him having the bladder like a cocker spaniel, but you're the dad.

Yeah, I like Utah. I like it a lot.

It's on our list! (Well, technically, all 50 states are, but it is on there!)

Before our trip, Sarah had bought her very own iPod. She’d saved for a couple of years, and it was nice to see her diligence pay off. What is the primary use of this iPod? To take selfies, of course.

At least she's not making a duck face.

Um, I mean, not too terribly long ago, Julie worked a summer job at a frozen yogurt place.

Oooo....she even has cross-over skills. Filling a cone with ice cream and filling a cone with frozen yogurt take completely different skill sets. You truly have a master of the frozen confection arts there, Mark.

 

[KelleyK75]

Gorgeous scenery pictures! Love the picture of Drew with his tongue out. Great picture of the kids on top of the rocks. What a great panoramic shot Sarah took with her iPod!

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Our next stop is Valley of Fire State Park, still in Nevada. This is more of a “get out of the car and stretch” stop than anything.

An important reason to stop.
Might as well have something good to look at beyond a parking lot and a couple of porta pots, or worse…
a McDonalds and a Walmart.

This particular area of the Southwest (parts of Nevada, Utah and Arizona) are famous for rock formations with a deep red-brown color, one you don’t find it too many other areas of the world.

Down here we’ve got dirt the same color, and lots of it.
So I guess in a few hundred million years the effects of natural geology should create similar stone formations in the US Southeast.
I wonder just what kind of critters will be looking in awe at those.

The color is due to a high iron content in the rock—over the years, the elements cause the iron to rust, which gives the rock that distinctive color.

Making the name of the park even more appropriate, being as rust basically just really, really slow fire. Or is fire really, really fast rust? I know it’s one of the two but that’s a story from a rather different TR so it doesn’t really, really mater right now… do it?

There’s a display showing a map of various hiking trails, but with a temperature over 100 degrees and no shade available, we’re about at eager to hike as we are to have a root canal on the spot.

Ahhh Dentistry…
One of the few skilled professions that receives even more abject grief then highway engineering.

Good call on staying out of the heat though.

However, there is a rock formation close by with various nooks and crannies to explore. Our kids are drawn to it like a DISDad to bacon.

Mmmmmmmmm…. Bacon…


Wait, what… did you say something?

Meanwhile, I hang out in the shade with my Li’l Buddy. Here you can see what he thinks of flying all the way across the country just to look at rocks.

The tongue may be implying “yuck” but the glimmer in the eyes says: this is pretty cool.
Either that or just seeing Mommy makes him smile and he’s completely ignoring everything else.

Meanwhile, Scotty decides to demonstrate his “Lewis & Clark” impersonation. For those of you unfamiliar with previous Oblivious Trip Reports, this is a phenomenon known as “when Scotty happens”.

And he has quit the knack for “happening”

Don’t tell the boys I said so, but they really look up to their big sister.

Mum’s the word Gov’nor

Excellent picture by the way.

My keen observational skills tell me we are now in Utah.

A regular Kit Carson, you are.

I like Utah. (Photo borrowed from interwebs)

80-MPH huh? Better keep the gas tank topped off.

Actually, I average that driving through the Smokey Mountains hauling my son to and from school.
Probably shouldn’t admit that out loud should I?
But imagine the speeds I’d be tempted to push if 80 were the base-line suggested retail speed out this way.

The entrance fee for Zion National Park is $25 (good for 7 days). So, if you’re scoring at home (or even if you’re alone), that’s $35 against the cost of the National Park annual pass thus far.

Actually I am keeping score, so I’ve already concluded that one of those bad boys will be a necessity if… I mean when… I get to travel out that-a-way.

Dave needs to use the restroom. I’m starting to attribute this to a primal need to mark his territory on our travels.

We’re heading up the road to the overlook. Rounding the first bend, we are greeted with…

…Yeah, I like Utah. I like it a lot.

Certainly some gorgeous and imagination inspiring sights.
Geologists must simply pass out from sensory overload when they first head out there.

Baby photobomb:

Better photo bomb then some other types of bombs…
He was at the perfect angle to achieve maximum coverage had that occurred.

Confession: I don’t “get” selfies. Why would you want an oversized photo of my head obscuring whatever interesting sight is in the background?

Nope… they don’t make much sense to me either apart from sayin’: “Look at me…Look at me”.
Don’t much like lookin’ an myself. Besides my mug is so ugly that it’d be criminal to impose it very often upon pictures of something as magnificent as the natural wonders y’all were encountering.

We found a nice couple (husband from Scotland, wife from Australia—now there’s a story!) who took our picture, once again giving us a perfect pose for a Christmas card. Except the sun was a little bright.

Two more pairs of sunglasses and y’all would have been good to go.
Not to mention, Drew would have looked quite Bad-a** wearing official highway trooper aviators.

The #2 eatery was a trailer in an Ace Hardware parking lot, also specializing in wood-fired pizzas. How beautifully would that have fit into this TR? I mean, that chapter practically writes itself.

Yep… that would have been perfectly Oblivious.

However, I learned to my dismay that both of these places were closed on Sundays. In fact, going down the list of local favorites, it appears Utah itself is closed on Sundays.

Something I’ll also keep in mind when we get to travel out that-a-way.
Thanks for doing all the trail blazing for us.

I can’t find the stupid restaurant…
…Naturally, according to the map it’s on the one side street we didn’t explore earlier.

I’m seeing a nasty side street trend developing here.

We finally find Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Yes, it’s a chain. But it’s cheap. And it’s open. And as it turns out, it’s not bad.

A win on several levels.

For me, the pork is the star of the meal.

Well, everything else was starting off at a supreme disadvantage from the get go…
Those other things ain’t pork.

There’s a soft-serve ice cream machine in the back that is the source of free dessert. This is now Julie’s time to shine.

OK, so exactly when is it that she doesn’t shine?

Way, way, way, way, way back…

Careful there…

Um, I mean, not too terribly long ago,

Good save.
Now, you know better than that.

Julie worked a summer job at a frozen yogurt place. So she has a lot of experience in creating the perfect soft-serve cone. Here she is demonstrating her award-winning form:

The force is strong with this one.

Of course, Scotty figured it was better to just cut out the middle man.

Perfect future DisDad material right there…

Coming Up Next: Hoodoos!

Jenga on a monumental scale.
Cool!

 

[afwdwfan]

Our kids are drawn to it like a DISDad to bacon.

Coincidentally, you could also fry bacon on one of those exposed rocks.

Here you can see what he thinks of flying all the way across the country just to look at rocks.

Just as excited as his dad.

Dave decides he needs to use the restroom. The restroom is exactly as nice as you would expect a pit toilet with no ventilation in a hot desert environment to be.

Dave... come on, find a big rock and go behind it.

We make a stop in the town of St. George at a McDonald’s for milkshakes. Dave needs to use the facilities. Again.

Aren't you glad you didn't drive all the way out there from Delaware?

3:41 p.m.—Dave needs to use the restroom. I’m starting to attribute this to a primal need to mark his territory on our travels.

Ok, how long can he go without drinking before dehydration becomes a serious concern?

Confession: I don’t “get” selfies. Why would you want an oversized photo of my head obscuring whatever interesting sight is in the background?

Mark, I think I'd be more concerned if you did "get" selfies.

We found a nice couple (husband from Scotland, wife from Australia—now there’s a story!) who took our picture, once again giving us a perfect pose for a Christmas card. Except the sun was a little bright.

You'd never even know it if Scotty would have had sunglasses.

This place promised that KIDS EAT FREE ON SUNDAYS, and also promised FREE ICE CREAM EVERY DAY. So, even if the food was lousy, it would at least be cheap.

Looks like a winner.

4:33 p.m.—I turn into town, having already researched the location of the restaurant.

4:34 p.m.—I can’t find the stupid restaurant.

4:35 p.m.—Neither can anyone else in the car.

4:38 p.m.—We decided to go check into the hotel.

Well it sure didn't take long for Mr. Google Earth to give up on the hunt.

I see Dickey’s listed and ask about it—he says it’s new in town and he hasn’t tried it, but he has a 10%-off coupon he can give me. Woohoo!

Kids eat free and adults are 10% off. Score!

So she has a lot of experience in creating the perfect soft-serve cone. Here she is demonstrating her award-winning form

Well done, Julie!

Of course, Scotty figured it was better to just cut out the middle man.

This would be an "and then Scotty happened" moment, but something tells me he might have learned this one from you at the Dole Whip machine at Captain Cooks.

 

[KatMark]

This would be an "and then Scotty happened" moment, but something tells me he might have learned this one from you at the Dole Whip machine at Captain Cooks.

Nice one, Andy.

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

WOOHOO!!!! Another Captain Oblivious TR. Not gonna lie, my day was sort of made by finding this. I was lucky enough to go to Arizona last October (on work, which meant it was totally paid for) and see the Grand Canyon. I'd love to go back out and hit Vegas as well. But in spring or fall. It was weird coming from NC to be standing in 80 degree weather and not feel any moisture at all. I actually had to buy nose spray because mine got so dried out. I never thought I'd miss humidity.