Things I learned on our trip to Utah 2

Wow, two “what I learned” entries within one month. Generally I don’t do much, or learn much, so this is a treat for me to report on “”What I learned from our trip to…Utah Part II” (In case you missed it Part I was last year.) I didn’t look this up I’m just assuming there was a part I.
Our purpose in going to Utah was to kidnap (and daughter nap) Brittany and Maeli while Clay was at Air Force Field Training for a month. Sort of sounds like landscaping school but it’s a mini boot camp for Air Force cadets. He’s gone for a month so we offered Brittany the opportunity to come to Oregon for a few weeks.

Here are a few of the things I learned on our visit to the Beehive state:

When the 4th of July falls on a Sunday Utahans aren’t sure when to celebrate the holiday so the founding fathers are honored for three days; Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Provo’s Freedom Festival is the largest celebration in the state and ranks up with other larger cities.

The main attraction is Stadium of Fire at BYU’s Levell Edwards Stadium. Apparently this year one of the fireworks mortar’s was knocked over and shot a volley toward the crowd. The new name for the event is now “People on Fire.”

Brittany and Clay had bought tickets for the show prior to knowing when he was going to field training. Brittany considered auctioning it off but instead took a good friend of hers, Camille Morris. Carrie Underwood was the main attraction at “SOF”. It would have been nice to see Carrie perform but it would have been way cooler to see the “People on Fire” portion of the program.

Brittany says Carrie sounds in person just like her DVD’s.

Another group in the show was “The Osmonds, Second Generation”. Do you get the feeling that in 200 years we’ll have “ The Osmonds, 20th Generation?”

Another part of the Freedom Festival was a pageant celebrating the beginnings of America. The music was primarily from the patriotic achieves. During the production, as actors swayed back and forth pretending to be on an immigrant ship crossing the Atlantic, they began singing a rousing rendition of Neil Diamond’s “Coming to America.” I thought that was a bit out of place-sort of like singing “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin in the Hill Cumorah pageant.

The fizzer and whizzer store bought fireworks sound like pea shooters compared to the percussion pounding bursting exploding stars shot from the stadium. However, those local bought pyrotechnics pop and crack throughout the night. And in Provo’s instance, all three nights.

Provo has one of the largest Independence Day parades around. So popular the city prevents reserving or camping along the parade route until 5 pm the night before.
People who camp along the parade route the night before are crazy.

The crazy campers had set ups that included tents, overhead tarps strung from trees, flashing Christmas lights and movies and video games shown on white sheets hung from tarp top to floor.
With all the extreme campers one couple simply sat on a blanket, looking out of place. I told them I thought they looked bored. I placed money with Mom that I didn’t think they’d last until morning.

One of my favorite demented parade watch campers was some guy pushing a shopping cart with all his belongings. I think he’d staked his claim along the route weeks ago. I told him he had quite a fancy motor home. Jan informed me she thought he was homeless.

Don’t celebrate in haughty tones toward those who’ve spent the night. It’s inappropriate to mock them because only 30 minutes before the parade starts you’ve been able to toss your blanket in the front row. Then you discover you’re on the sunny side of the street broiling while the campers are shaded and cool. Guess they know what they’re doing.

I learned anyone can be in the parade as long as you do your thing before the parade even starts. There were motorcycles, skaters, a few drill teams that marched down the route prior to the parade starting. Think I’ll do that next time.

Because schools out for the summer, bands are depleted of members. I think the 4th of July parade should be moved to October when all the kids are around.

When jet boat riders on the Rogue River shout, “Spin, spin, spin” at the boat driver it means he reverses the engine and swirls the boat around in an exhilarating maneuver. In the Provo parade when the crowd shouts, “Spin, spin, spin!” they want the holders of the Curious George balloon to run in a circle to spin the balloon around. Not so exhilarating.

Cold milk: $2.50; Two dozen Crispy Cream donuts: $10; seeing those sitting around us drool watching while we eat and drink: you got it-priceless!

No one cheered for the Democrat float entry. Except me, just to be different.

BYU had a float, Utah Valley University had a float. It would be great if the University of Utah had a float. It would probably be right behind the Democrats.

You never know who you will run into while stopped by a flagger due to road construction in the middle of the desert. The couple ahead of us was from Lincoln, Nebraska where Kevin and Nicole live. The four cars waiting behind us were cars I’d passed while I honked the horn and waved good-bye. I avoided making eye contact.

Only in Provo Utah would 12 pedestrians not cross a street against the “Don’t Walk” sign at the traffic signal. There were no vehicles in sight and our group didn’t cross until the “Walk” sign flashed.

BYU’s famous mint brownies are hard to find during the summer.

Eating lasagna and French bread on the 4th of July helps us remember the European immigrants.

Maeli’s already learned to say grandpa on demand. Unfortunately Maeli’s “grandpa” sounds just like her pronunciation of “doggie”.