Grand Exploits

It's 2:48 am. I'm typing instead of sleeping. Forgive any confusion, I may be a bit delirious with tiredness. I guess we'll have to see how this turns out.

The Update:

Julia, Marlen, Erin and I got back from our trip to the Grand Canyon last night. We spent yet another night trying to fit the three of us in my one bed. Erin peacefully curled up on the couch.

Now, Erin is sleeping alone in my bed while I seem to be staying awake until our 3:30am wake up call when I'll drive Erin to the airport. I didn't plan it this way, the no sleeping. It just seems to have happened.

Anyway, we had a great trip into the desert. We left semi-early on Saturday and made a halfway stop in Lake Havasu City, Arizona where my London Bridge novelty sightseeing attraction lay.

It was a funny stop, because apparently Lake Havasu City is the Florida on Spring Break of the West. We drove then walked across the London Bridge while Lake Havasu underneath teemed with party boats puttering back and forth, party people everywhere. Not really my scene, much less a scene in which you expect to find a historic British monument. But there it was nonetheless. British flags flying. London Bridge plaque intact. I'm sure it's been remolded but it looked for all intents and purposes like any structure you'd expect to span the Thames.

We pressed on and another four hours brought us to Sedona, Arizona where Mark Rist amazingly found a place for us to stay using his timeshare. The place was too great. It even had a small kitchen. No stove, but microwave enough for Julia to miraculously contrapt Bananas Flambe. We even lit them on fire (don't tell the resort people...) and watched in the dark as the blue flames licked around the bowl.

The Grand Canyon was another couple hours from Sedona and by the time we got there on Sunday we were h.u.n.g.r.y. We brought our food and ate a picnic on the ledge of the grand canyon. It looked like a backdrop, like a painting or a postcard. It's just so big it's hard to believe it's real.

We had another luxurious night at the resort including more banana dessert and a hot tub visit in which a few lonely bats decided to dive bomb us. Then we packed up and drove back to LA yesterday.

The drive was pretty long and uneventful. We took a small detour to try to find a gluten free bakery my mom had looked up and recommended. We totally found it. But it was closed for the holiday.

So that was a bummer, but then I discovered that In-N-Out Burger, that west coast staple of a fast food burger joint, is totally gluten-free-friendly. They serve burgers "Protein Style" in a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. Tons of other people were ordering it (crazy California health consciousness) and it was totally good!

Not only that, and not to rant about a fast food restaurant, but In-N-Out definitely has the most delightful workers. The two people I asked about gluten were two of the nicest and most helpful I've asked that question of. The girl I ordered from was even concerned that I didn't order a drink and was trying to give me a cup for water before I told her I had a water bottle in the car.

So, Tim, you'll be happy to know that In-N-Out has totally won me over!

Today we patronized yet another fast food restaurant of choice, Chipotle. First we slept in S.O. late and went to the Griffith Observatory after an incredibly huge homemade brunch.

We saw the Hollywood sign and LA skyline at the observatory you may or may not recognize from James Dean's intense shootout in Rebel Without a Cause.

Then we drove to the branch of Chipotle that is possible the farthest from my apartment yet still within Los Angeles limits. We thought it would be great to eat on the beach and it totally was...it was also pretty freezing. Totally worth it to watch a beautiful sunset and almost made me forget that my fork-hand was almost completely numb.

And that brings us back to me pulling my first real all-nighter since college. Julia and Marlen made it safely back to San Diego. Erin and I head to the airport in about an hour. I'll come back here and sleep for as long as my body allows. Then I may meet Julia and Marlen in San Diego for dinner Thursday. Marlen comes back to LA Friday night to fly out on Saturday morning.

And then I'll sleep through the month of June.

In conclusion: Thanks, Mr. Rist for finding us that incredible timeshare!!

I'll be sure to keep posting even though the trip is technically over. So keep checking back for more updates.

Good night and good morning.