When we go on road trips, Tom does all the driving. He says it is because he loves to drive, but maybe he just hates the way I drive? Either way, it is a win-win situation because I can read the whole time. I brought four books with me (
Bossypants,
What Happened to Goodbye,
Something Borrowed,
Before I Go To Sleep) and I was able to read them all in drive time alone. Of course, Tom kept wanting me to look at and discuss the scenery with him. This is a hidden side of Tom, he really appreciates beauty (which is why he married me, heh heh). He could even find beauty in the West Texas landscape. Every rest stop, he would make me take a picture of the kids with his chosen backdrop.
As we got closer to Arizona, the terrain became more hilly. Tom kept referring to the hills as mountains, but, as someone who lived in Utah for a few years, I am an expert on mountains and I set him straight. We had a lively discussion going about the difference between hills and mountains (I know, we are so fun to hang out with) when suddenly a mountain sprang up from nowhere. According to my brother-in-law, Jason, it is the second largest mountain in Arizona. Tom wanted to go up this mountain, and as luck would have it, my brother-in-law had some ashes that he needed to scatter from the top of that very mountain. [Quick explanation: Jason is a mortician and owns his own funeral home. Apparently, the deceased family did not want to scatter the ashes themselves, but knew where they wanted them scattered.] So, we joined Jason and the deceased for the trip. Once we reached a good scattering place, we hiked around a bit while Jason did his thing (apparently, you have to make a map of where you scatter ashes, GPS coordinates and all. Just a fun fact for ya).
Because of the dry weather, the forest rangers had gathered all the branches and brush into piles. My niece explained to Ellie that "the Indians used to live in them a long time ago. Like in the 1970s." I didn't bother correcting her.
On our way back down the mountain, the winding roads were getting to everyone. I have never been carsick in my life and even I was feeling it. Tom ended up vomiting and thus ended his obsession with the mountain.
As we got closer to Arizona, the terrain became more hilly. Tom kept referring to the hills as mountains, but, as someone who lived in Utah for a few years, I am an expert on mountains and I set him straight. We had a lively discussion going about the difference between hills and mountains (I know, we are so fun to hang out with) when suddenly a mountain sprang up from nowhere. According to my brother-in-law, Jason, it is the second largest mountain in Arizona. Tom wanted to go up this mountain, and as luck would have it, my brother-in-law had some ashes that he needed to scatter from the top of that very mountain. [Quick explanation: Jason is a mortician and owns his own funeral home. Apparently, the deceased family did not want to scatter the ashes themselves, but knew where they wanted them scattered.] So, we joined Jason and the deceased for the trip. Once we reached a good scattering place, we hiked around a bit while Jason did his thing (apparently, you have to make a map of where you scatter ashes, GPS coordinates and all. Just a fun fact for ya). 
Because of the dry weather, the forest rangers had gathered all the branches and brush into piles. My niece explained to Ellie that "the Indians used to live in them a long time ago. Like in the 1970s." I didn't bother correcting her.
On our way back down the mountain, the winding roads were getting to everyone. I have never been carsick in my life and even I was feeling it. Tom ended up vomiting and thus ended his obsession with the mountain.
3 comments:
I'd be happy to take Tom up a few MOUNTAINS if you guys want to come to Utah!
What a fun ride. Yeah I would have agreed with Tom before I moved to Idaho and lived there for a few years. But he wants to see scenery go to California and drive hwy 1.....That will give you enough scenery to last a life time.
Tom thought west texas was beautiful? oh dear me. Y'all have got to get out more!
love the 1970s indians:)
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