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

[glennbo123]

Nice chapter.

"I like it a lot" -- Dumb & Dumber reference?

Loved Sarah's panoramic!

Hey um, did you happen to see this little mix-up that occurred recently at a Dickey's in Utah? Actually, I think this is the second time I've seen this happening in the last couple of weeks...I forget the other restaurant.

 

[Leshaface]

"I like it a lot" -- Dumb & Dumber reference?

Hopefully Dumb & Dumber 2 will have lots more fun lines to quote!

Hey um, did you happen to see this little mix-up that occurred recently at a Dickey's in Utah? Actually, I think this is the second time I've seen this happening in the last couple of weeks...I forget the other restaurant.

Was wondering when someone would bring this up! THe other incident was at Dairy Queen with a milkshake.

80 MPH!? Woah, I likey too

Gorgeous photos of the overlook in Utah.

The ice cream shot: Scotty is the man!

 

[Flossbolna]

I love the Dinoco gas station!!!!

All your pictures of the scenery are just stunning! And your dinner looks good to me as well. Free soft serve ice cream is a great treat!

 

[franandaj]

That panoramic shot that Sarah took was fantastic! I couldn't get one shot with all those peaks in it!

Cute family pictures there.

Julie knows how to make a nice soft serve! Not so sure about Scotty's technique!

 

[glennbo123]

Hopefully Dumb & Dumber 2 will have lots more fun lines to quote!

They could just show a clip of the scene where they're pulling into Aspen on a minibike and I'd be happy.

Was wondering when someone would bring this up! THe other incident was at Dairy Queen with a milkshake.

Yeah, that would be me , bringing up unsavory topics.

Ah yes, Dairy Queen it was. Thank you Leshaface.

 

[MEK]

So, I may have missed an update while I was in Williamsburg - the one place your kids HAVENT visited.

But I got this one.

OMG - that red rock is gorgeous. BEAUTIFUL scenery! LOVE it! That Christmas card photo was SO close!

Leave it to you to come in below budget for dinner. Hmmmmm- I wonder why I just got the worst craving for soft serve.

So I gotta go back and see if I missed something else, but right now I've got to go to marching band practice because, you know, its 92 degrees outside. Fun stuff!

 

[MEK]

So you did get a Christmas card photo at the Hoover dam. You didn't need the Red Rocks Zion National park picture after all.

Poor baby Drew all passed out like that? I guess just another family member tired of your dam jokes.

On a serious note - the Hoover dam tour sounds interesting. I am sure the actual dam tour was wonderful. All this education and engineering halfway across the country and you STILL haven't been to Williamsburg yet?

Awesome pictures of the dam via the aerial view from your hike! Very cool. I am going to show Denny all your pics cause he really wants to go there. I guess we might have to!

A national park pass is $80? That seems like a lot, but I'm sure it paid for itself easily. Did I mention you can use that at the Yorktown battlefield - which is near Williamsburg. In case you were wondering!

 

[Leshaface]

They could just show a clip of the scene where they're pulling into Aspen on a minibike and I'd be happy.

Yeah, that would be me , bringing up unsavory topics.

Ah yes, Dairy Queen it was. Thank you Leshaface.

Oops! Sorry I forgot to edit my sentence, so that just looks rude. I meant to say, "Was wondering when someone would bring this up! That was so shocking and sad"

I actually encourage unsavory topics

 

[franandaj]

Oops! Sorry I forgot to edit my sentence, so that just looks rude. I meant to say, "Was wondering when someone would bring this up! That was so shocking and sad"

I actually encourage unsavory topics

Wow! I had to google this to find out what happened!


Hey Mark! I forgot to ask this in my previous post. Did you mean to title this TR like an episode of the Big Bang Theory or is that just my imagination?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

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.

You just can't follow that up. He is an entity unto himself.

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

I have to put the baby in the pictures with me so people will actually look at them.

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.

It doesn't feel as impressive to call them rusty rocks.

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

That's ok. I think we have a winner later on. You may have noticed that once again, our guest photographer failed to capture the full background in the shot.

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

She worked a long time to earn it!

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.

Ask away! I love to talk vacation planning.

But then, you lie about the size of your family when checking into hotels, so not sure how much I can trust you.

I'm sure all of you would rent a 2nd hotel room for your 8-year-old, right?

Have a great Labor Day weekend.

We did! Hope you did too.

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

It STILL hasn't gotten old!

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.

Good to know! We were happy with it. Someday we'll get a chance to sample some real KC BBQ. Is Arthur Bryant's the place to go? That's the one that makes all the TV shows.

Great pics of the fam and the scenery.

Thanks!

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

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

I might have to get him checked out if this keeps up. It could also be a Murphy's Law thing.

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

Looks like you got all the states that are close together! When is the big Hawaii trip?

At least she's not making a duck face.

Adding to the list of things I don't "get"...

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.

The Force is strong in this one.

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!

We really enjoyed the scenery too. And we haven't really seen anything yet!

 

[jedijill]

KC BBQ

Arthur Bryant's is great and is a classic but my favorite in town is Oklahoma Joe's BBQ although they are renaming themselves Joe's KC BBQ. Go to the original location in the gas station in Mission, KS. You'll wait in line but it is fantastic! Now I just drooled a little.

Jill in CO

 

[glennbo123]

Oops! Sorry I forgot to edit my sentence, so that just looks rude. I meant to say, "Was wondering when someone would bring this up! That was so shocking and sad"

I actually encourage unsavory topics

No worries! I'm tough to offend.

 

[Dugette]

Another great update. Love all that scenery! Utah is really beautiful. Way back when, when I had a National Park Pass (that I thought was $50, so a long time ago!), I remember being blown away by the parks in Utah. Such breathtaking scenery all around you.

Good for Sarah for saving up for her own iPod! I didn't really think that much of selfies until recently, traveling alone with a toddler. It suddenly becomes necessary if you want any pictures, especially of their reactions (given I'm often holding her). So, serves some purpose, at least! And, of course, the "I was there!" is covered too.

We had a Dickey's BBQ here for a while (I think it closed?) We went once and enjoyed it. Not a bad option, especially when all the top options are closed. And a great deal for you too!

Seeing Julie's cone-filling skills reminds me of the semester I spent working in food service at college. One of the rotations was to run the soft-serve machine. Nobody trained me on it, so I just figured I'd make the cones like I would want them...as big as possible! After a while, I started noticing that people would come in, see me, and decide they were having ice cream - guess I was more generous than the other workers. It was fun, though!

Looking forward to more!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

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.

We'd been driving for almost 2 hours on a 2-lane road in the middle of nowhere, so you take what you can get.

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.]

I wonder if there's a market for rock formation futures?

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?

Well, it has to do with oxidation and the reaction of...Oh, who am I kidding, nobody wants to read this.

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.

Quick! Name the last time you really, really wanted to go to the dentist.

Mmmmmmmmm…. Bacon…


Wait, what… did you say something?

Huh? You weren't listening, either?

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.

At this stage, I'm guessing he only has eyes for Mommy. Or "the Milk Lady", as he seems to think of her.

And he has quit the knack for “happening”

Mum’s the word Gov’nor

Gonna be interesting now that she's going to be a teen.

Excellent picture by the way.

A regular Kit Carson, you are.

Who are you again?

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.

Don't worry, I won't tell anybody. Most of the highway was a long straightaway, so it was fun to go up to that speed legally.

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.

We'll try and keep the tally as accurate as possible.

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

That and also people from Delaware. We don't get to see stuff like this very often.

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

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.

Yeah, the "look at me" aspect can be off-putting. I just think it works better if someone else wants to record the moment with you.

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.

We have GOT to make this happen.

Yep… that would have been perfectly Oblivious.

You wouldn't believe our disappointment when we learned we wouldn't be able to eat artisanal wood-fired pizza in the Ace Hardware parking lot. Sigh.

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.

Wisdom is useless if it's not passed on, right?

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

Even Google Earth and my GPS failed me this time. The restaurant was fairly new and not listed by address yet.

A win on several levels.

We take those when we can get them.

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

True, but bbq beef can be a home run if done properly.

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

Um...I'll have to get back to you.

Careful there…


Good save.
Now, you know better than that.

Well, nobody's perfect. She's close, though.

The force is strong with this one.

In time, he will become more powerful than his father.

Perfect future DisDad material right there…

I think that's definitely coming.

Jenga on a monumental scale.
Cool!

Just have to get these pictures uploaded...

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

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

Now why didn't we think of that?

Just as excited as his dad.

We flew thousands of miles to see rocks and a big hole in the ground.

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

Don't worry, I'll get him trained quickly.

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

You'd think this kid would understand road trip etiquette by now.

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

As it turned out, the problem was over-hydration. We'll get to that.

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

Not even 40 yet and I'm already a grumpy old man.

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

He did have sunglasses. They did a great job shading his car seat.

Looks like a winner.

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

Google Earth AND the GPS were no help this time. So it wasn't just me. Really.

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

Woohoo! Cheap meat!

Well done, Julie!

She can serve me free ice cream anytime.

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.

WHO TOLD Y--uh, what makes you say that?

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

I wonder if there's a market for rock formation futures?

Heck, now there’s even a thriving (and might I add soul crushing) market for restaurant reservations.
Given that, I doubt there’s anything that someone wouldn’t exploit for a profit.

Well, it has to do with oxidation and the reaction of...Oh, who am I kidding, nobody wants to read this.

Nope. That’s why no one bothered with it when I foolishly went into detail on the subject in an older TR.
Now the follow up entry on Dragon’s Berth was more of a hit, but I digress.

Who are you again?

Ummmmm…
I… don’t rightly know.

We have GOT to make this happen.

Yes… yes you do.

You wouldn't believe our disappointment when we learned we wouldn't be able to eat artisanal wood-fired pizza in the Ace Hardware parking lot. Sigh.

Well now you just have to go back and correct that egregious error.

Wisdom is useless if it's not passed on, right?

Wisdom…
Oh, is that what it is then?

True, but bbq beef can be a home run if done properly.

Very true, but it’s also more easily done wrong.
As such, gambling on pulled pork tends to be a better bet than gambling on “smoked brisket”; especially as that’s gotten to be quite the fashion. I mean, even Arby’s pushing the stuff now.

Scary…

In time, he will become more powerful than his father.

Setting the bar a might low there aren’t ya’?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

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.

aboard! Glad you found me here.

And yeah, that air really is dry. But it was worth it to see the Grand Canyon, wasn't it?

Nice chapter.

"I like it a lot" -- Dumb & Dumber reference?

Um...sure. +1

Loved Sarah's panoramic!

I will pass on your compliments!

Hey um, did you happen to see this little mix-up that occurred recently at a Dickey's in Utah? Actually, I think this is the second time I've seen this happening in the last couple of weeks...I forget the other restaurant.

No, and I'm glad I didn't until after we ate there! I even had the sweet tea with dinner.

Hopefully Dumb & Dumber 2 will have lots more fun lines to quote!

I just hope it doesn't suck. PLEASE be as funny as the original!

Was wondering when someone would bring this up! THe other incident was at Dairy Queen with a milkshake.

Man, that's scary.

80 MPH!? Woah, I likey too

I'm sure we were the envy of the rest of the drivers, flying along in our minivan.

Gorgeous photos of the overlook in Utah.

The ice cream shot: Scotty is the man!

He certainly is an original!

I love the Dinoco gas station!!!!

I was hoping I wasn't the only person to get a kick out of that!

All your pictures of the scenery are just stunning! And your dinner looks good to me as well. Free soft serve ice cream is a great treat!

This is just the warm-up as far as scenery goes. We got spoiled on this trip!

That panoramic shot that Sarah took was fantastic! I couldn't get one shot with all those peaks in it!

It gets a little funky with the fisheye effect, but it's nice to fit it all in!

Cute family pictures there.

Julie knows how to make a nice soft serve! Not so sure about Scotty's technique!

Scotty agrees with me that presentation is overrated.

They could just show a clip of the scene where they're pulling into Aspen on a minibike and I'd be happy.

Just when I think you can't possibly get any dumber, you go and do something like this.












....AND TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF!!!

Yeah, that would be me , bringing up unsavory topics.

There's one in every crowd. I thought it was usually Marv, though.

Ah yes, Dairy Queen it was. Thank you Leshaface.

Everybody have their horrifying restaurant stories straight?

 

[Leshaface]

Just when I think you can't possibly get any dumber, you go and do something like this.












....AND TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF!!!

Everybody have their horrifying restaurant stories straight?

 

[Steppesister]

Why yes. Yes, I did make it here to harass you- hopefully more than once. So far, so funny. And excellent fodder for taking a walk down Memory Lane for me. So many familiar places.

Seeing the pix of the Hoover made my stomach do a little flip-flop- at least I remember my tummy doing that standing a zillion feet up? It was scary!

And the red rock country is so beautiful!! I don't think it's even possible to take a bad picture. Well, unless you put baby photobombers in them. (Which was cute, don't get me wrong.) Or the sun is shining like it tends to do there... and you put people in them. But hey, you got some sweet Christmas card fodder, right?

 

[franandaj]

OK and I forgot to put in my two cents regarding the National Park Pass. I'm sure that you are going to make out with the overall pass. The number of parks that you plan on visiting it's a no brainer!