Day One: Wake up at 515 to get ready for a 13 hour car ride with my buddy. This friend decided that we didn't spend enough time together in grad school and a more epic adventure was needed. The highlight? Listening to the most random college mix ever invented. Ludarcis, followed by old school Madonna, Baby Got Back, with a little bit of country. It was so good we listened twice. At some point on a trip I ran across four lanes of highway and back to try to rescue a dog that wandered into the grassy median. It was more scared of me than of the cars and made it safely to farm land. At least I got some exercise. If someone had come up to me at the beginning of school last September and said, "you are going to be stuck in a car all day with one of these people over spring break," I wouldn't have believed them. But...I would have been excited. Road trips are a good test of a friendship, and I think we passed.
Day Two: I was on my own during the day, in a city that I have only been to once, nine years ago. Luckily I am quite resourceful and not afraid to go out on my own. I had to remember that my body was not used to elevation...and this was brought home as I sucked air while walking down the sidewalk. Or when my heart was pounding when I finally stopped walking. No, Syd, you're not old, just acclimating. After successfully figuring out the Salt Lake public transit system, I made my way downtown to...Temple Square! I'm not going to lie, I was expecting to burst into flames by walking
on the property to eat my lunch under the watchful eyes of the Angel
Moroni. As confused as I am about the Mormon religion in general, I have to admit that they know how to build a beautiful temple. They are also very easy to talk to...as long as religion doesn't come into the picture. They offered to have two missionaries show me around the grounds and give me a history lesson. As interested as I was in meeting new people, I had to politely decline. Maybe I would be shown some golden tablets, telling me the new direction of the church! A girl can dream.Next mission of the day? An SLC scavenger hunt. This would not have been possible without the wonderful invention of GPS. Ok, that's a lie. I could have asked strangers for directions and actually had face to face conversation...but I enjoyed my solo mission. First stop, Oasis Cafe for the best damn zucchini bread I've ever had in my life! Seriously. I would have savored each bite just a little bit longer if I wasn't in a hurry to get to my next stop before my transfer slip expired. Lucky for me, the public library was just a few blocks away. And holy crap. Its awesome! My mission was to get to the roof top, and I have never been so excited to go to the roof of a library before. I could tell the views would be amazing. I could sense it. So I hurried to that elevator and pressed the button with all my might, hoping to get there just a little bit faster...only to be denied access because the entrance was closed. Instead, I stared longingly out the window like a sad little kid outside a closed candy store. Oh well, two down!
Day Three: Another glorious day of sleeping in. I woke up feeling lazy and unaccomplished. Why was I not utilizing every minute of this day to look for adventure? Well here's the thing...I just finished my second quarter of grad school...and dammit I have earned a lazy day! So, I settled into my couch bed, watched a history of Coca-Cola, and called the nearest Jimmy John's
For those of you who have never been to SLC, the street names (or numbers, rather) make you feel like you're reading map coordinates all the time. And these coordinates are centered around...you guessed it...the temple. Which is confusing at first, but pretty helpful when you get the hang of it. So even though 100 S is technically running East to West, its South of the temple. Crazy Mormons. Why is this important? Because when I called to order Jimmy John's and they asked me, "Do you know what the East is on that?" I could proudly say, "Hells yes I do!" Ok, not really. I just gave him my SLC coordinates and sent him on his way. It was a proud moment.
My buddy came home early, giving us time to drink some Utah beer in the sunshine and plan our ski adventure for the following day. I forget how deprived I am of vitamin D from living in Washington. Not to say we don't get sun...but it just feels different at 4,200 feet. Beer also has a slightly different effect on the body at this height. Which I noticed after a 4% beverage on my first night in Mormon Land. Luckily, I was pretty well acclimated at this point and able to hold my own. After the sunshine decided to hide behind the trees, we went to check another destination off my scavenger hunt. To the Lone Star Taquria! And the best fish burrito I've ever had in my life! I know, I'm just as surprised as you are to learn that Utah has good fish. I have decided that a scavenger hunt must exist for every city I go to from now on. Because, not only does it create more adventures...it also brings me delicious food. Three down!Day Four: Ski Day. This day was so epic that it warrants its own blog entry. Stay tuned!
Day Five: For those of you who are not familiar with CouchSurfing...get with the program. I have utilized the community every time I travel somewhere and always come away with new friends or good stories...or good both...usually both. This one at least gave me a good story. My ski adventure ended with a trip to Layton and one of the worst night's sleep I've ever had. Me and recliners were not meant to be together for more than a few hours. For those of you who have hosted travelers, I really hope you have more to offer than one blanket and a chair. This guy tried and had the best intentions, but after a day of skiing, my body needed more comfort. At 5am my body told me enough was enough. I blew up my camping pad and woke up a few hours later drooling on my jacket (because I also was lacking a pillow). I shouldn't complain too much. Until two days before, I didn't know where I was going to sleep. My host was a kind fellow and very well traveled. After lunch, he was able to give me ride back in SLC. His driving was an adventure in and of itself. As he complained about Utah drivers, I was just hoping I would make it to my next destination.
I was greeted by my next host with a room full of boisterous people and a birthday brunch. This is where I was meant to be. And a real bed to boot! Some people may be uncomfortable in a room full of strangers, and I don't blame them. Will they talk to me? What do they think of me? Am I cool enough to be here? What do I say? Screw it! Sure, some of these thoughts were floating around, but who cares? I just enjoy sitting around with new people. These experiences are adventures in creating friendships. So, I jumped right in and did what I do best...I was myself.
And guess what. I created some new bonds and allowed me to laugh and eventually be pulled out on the town. I am happy to report that yes...gay bars do exist in Mormon Land! There was dancing, there may have been a few drinks, and good times were had. I was even able to knock another mission off my scavenger hunt. Four down!
Ok, back to the brunch. Delicious and just what I needed after a night at an SLC gay bar. The day was sunny, the coffee was good, the conversation was splendid. And I kept finding myself staring off into the mountains. Salt Lake is a city I could find myself living in because the great outdoors is...right there. I thought Bellingham had it good. We got nothing! I will say that I am a little sad I did not find myself exploring Utah's back yard a little more. This just means I need to come back. Sorry Mormons!
My last day in SLC was spent reading a good book in the sunshine and being perfectly content. After a home made dinner with my new friends, I was ready to try and sleep for a few hours before taking a cab to the Amtrak station. Two hours is enough, right? No choice...my train awaits!
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