Getting a taste of Provo, with Ginger

Drove out to Provo to meet up with e-pal Ginger. Was going to spend some time with Bork over at BYU, but he was going to be busy all day and head to leave early. Anyway, in this case, Yahoo directions were poo, and I spent 25 minutes trying to right myself and get going in the correct direction.

Finally arrived at Ginger's apartment. It's always interesting to meet someone after having traded substantial )or even unsubstantial) emails. I sometimes wonder if people are over or underwhelmed when they meet me in person for the first time. Or if, like the girl in "10 Things I Hate About You" they're just simply and even-keeled-ly whelmed. Also met Rufus, Ginger's tall roommate, with an impressive collection of superhero figures. I thought if anyone would know the name of the movie I posted about in "Rebel Without a Cause?" it would be Rufus, but to no avail. Maybe I'm on the wrong track, and it's a graphic novel?

Decided to go hiking near the Y ... on the mountain, not the university (besides, what is it about putting letters on perfectly harmless mountain sides anyways?). Waited a little for Ginger to fortify himself with toast and butter and marmelade. Funny that, while I love oranges, I'm not particularly taken with marmelade. Could it be like jelly beans, an overdose sometime in my childhood that's put me off of it for (mostly) ever?

Drove out to the trailhead, which we were unable to find. The area where it was has been developed, and they are planning on moving on up the mountain, though not in the area under the Y. Finally started on a dirt road just before the tract houses started, and made our way across. Must say that Provo in the space between winter and spring is particularly unlovely. The mountain is gray and naked, except for beaten down long grass which makes the hillside look like a shaggy animal. The redeeming qualities of the landscape were in the distant snow-covered mountains. I'm impressed at how much snow remains at the start of April. Not impressed enough to want to live that close to that much snow, but impressed nonetheless.

Talked not so much about cabbages, but a lot of kings, or would-be kings. Mostly serious things about the world state of affairs. Wished I was more politically literate. However, I just continue to read "The Week" and listen to NPR and call it good. Ginger and Cogie do seem to have a better understanding of world politics than their American counterparts. Is it because they are European and have a better view, or just that it's a different view?

After hiking we were both hungry. Ginger was of the mind that Provo doesn't have good food, so we went over to Orem. If I told you he had me eat a rock, I wouldn't be lying. However, the rock is a mixed fajita dish that had lots of yummy things in it. Most interesting was the cactus, which I've never tasted. It was spicy, but I didn't know if it is intrinsically spicy, or that it just absorbed more of the spices from the sauce.

Tried to see a movie, but 1630-1700 is apparently the worst time to view anything of substance in Provo. Dropped Ginger off at his apartment, with plans to get together on Monday, then headed into the worst traffic I have ever been in ... which is saying a lot, given that I live in Los Angeles. By the time I saw how bad and far the traffic was, it was too late to exit. I toyed with the idea of getting off and going back to Ginger's, but it took me half an hour to make it to the next exit, and I decided that that ground was too hard won to give up. Pulled off, parked in front of a closed paint store and took a nap to wait out the worst of the traffic. Forty five minutes later, I was ready for another go, having been awakened from my nap by a call from JLITH. But to no avail. Traffic was still absolutely horrendous. Got off again, and tried to nap in front of a Wal-Mart, but it was a no-go. Played with dusk-dreams (because it wasn't really "day" anymore, was it?) for another forty five, and perservered on the freeway for the rest of the way back to SLC.