It's Always Better on Holiday IV, pt. V

I bet you think I flew back to New York. Nope! Just having a layover in Las Vegas on my way to LA.


Right after getting into Burbank Grandma took me to lunch at Houston's and then I went to Grandpa's barber for a haircut.


Then I drove by where I lived back in the day.


Mom: Please explain what has happened to the Kim's house because this is not what it used to look like. Did they win the lottery?


I was lucky enough to arrive in California on Tanner's birthday. Sweet! If you don't know Tanner in real life, maybe you've read his well-behaved and intelligent comments on this blog from time to time. It was an honor to be at the party of someone so beloved by his sister's friends. And his own friends.


The birthday guy and myself.


If you didn't know, Tanner is Broek's brother and that's Broek on the left. (Broek: Note that I opted to use the picture without the cake for hottness reasons)


Tanner's party was full of people I know, used to know, have seen on the internet, or have met before, but only once. For example: Keith Paugh was there, and, although it's even hard for me to believe, this was the second time in my life I had ever been in his presence.


Other examples: Christina (I had met her 1 1/2 times before) and Dave (I had only heardtell). Here they share a completely candid moment.


I'll admit I've gone through an internal debate about the ethics of posting these next two pictures and I've decided to just do it. Ahem. As you can see here, back in the kitchen "strike anywhere" matches were being put to the test. (Also: Look how last halloween someone in New York dressed up as mustache-guy from Tanner's party. Weird.)


Success!


The whole situation had everyone feeling a little like this:


Also at the party: Chaz, from way back in the day.


As Chaz was a key member of Provo's Shriners of Ska (back in 1995), a skanking photo was in order. PS: How come there's no shrine to the Shriners anywhere on the internet? Am I wrong about this?


There was an immense amount of dancing at the party, dancing that these over-flashy photos from a darkroom do no justice to at all. Also, maybe you're looking at Dave's face in this picture and thinking "Pffft, I bet he isn't dancing well." Well, you're wrong. He's dancing really well, but don't take my word for it. Look at the girl in the background. What is she doing? Clapping. Clapping because the dancing is so good.




If you think this will be the only birthday party or dancing documented on Steady Mobbin' this week, you're so wrong.

It's Always Better on Holiday IV, pt. IV

Things took a turn for the adventurous last Friday when I rented a car and headed down to Navajo Mountain to visit Andrew.


The starting mileage . . .


I hope you like landscape photos from the driver's seat, because that's what you're getting.






On my drive I saw things I hadn't seen for about 22 years









There's nothing depressing about gas station dogs


Nothing at all


My rental car was a Chevy HHR. I don't think I had even seen an HHR before this trip, but suddenly I was noticing them everywhere I looked. It was a trustworthy vehicle and well-suited for the trip, but a little too distinctive for me if I were shopping for an auto. Also, why call it the HHR when you could call it, I don't know, the Razorback?


Around 10 miles of dirt road? At least I knew I was on the right track.


And then I saw a sign I was beginning to doubt I'd ever see.


I brought Andrew gifts from the civilized world. (Don't get the wrong impression, I didn't buy them for him)


The neighborhood at the end of the day



What's Andrew doing down there at Navajo Mountain? Why, he's the schoolteacher!


The street where Andrew lives, at night.


Andrew taught me how to play Gin, but I taught myself how to beat him at it. HA!


By the end of Friday night we were already running out of things to do around the res', so we decided to take a trip the next day . . .


(these were the worst gas station sunglasses I ever got, they pressed right up against my face)


Where did we go? Phoenix, of course!


Our first stop? To pay a visit to old London chum, Mr. Ryan Ricks!


I know you were worried about if Ryan and Vicki had cute kids. Don't worry. Look at this picture. They totally do.


Additional evidence in the affirmative.


A little bro-talk outside about drug dealers before heading off to our next stop . . .


The Mall! (as you can see, feelings were mixed about the place)


THEN we went to Gilber to visit my Aunt Afton and my cousins Scotty . . .


And Stuart!


Back at Afton's house we played in the pool. Sometimes you have fun in real life and forget about taking super many photos to overdocument the thing.


Parting shot early Sunday morning.


Sabu!


Afton's Arizona home and my only picture of part of her head.


Arizona politics are vicious!


Flagstaff hotels are welcoming!


We made it back to Navajo Mountain safe and sound and the next morning it was time to say goodbye.



Andrew's place of employment.


I'm went way easier on the road-photos on my way back.


On the way back to Salt Lake I stopped in Provo to see Jessi Gleason from way-back when, but here's a picture of me eating a torta cubana at El Gallo Giro. Word. (if you're wondering why there's a slice of hot dog on my plate, it's because it fell out of my sandwich, and if you're wondering why my sandwich included sliced up hotdog, then you've never lived in Mexico City)

End, unceremoniously, I here present to you my ending mileage. What a trip I had to Navajo Mountain and back!