observations from the road

after a 12 hour road trip, i am now safely at my parents home in surprise, arizona (part of the outrageously sprawl-ific greater phoenix metro area). i am here for the week, and i plan on doing the following:

some half-assed golf with dad (half-assed not because i don't enjoy it, but because i suck), tennis with mom, hang out with robbie dudie, learn some new songs for big pants, shop for a laptop computer and some new trail shoes for this summer.

oh, and i'll be doing a whole lot of nothing, too.

and now, some observations from the drive:

*the cisco cutoff into moab is up there with the most beautiful drives i've ever been on (these drives include oak creek canyon, az; yellowstone national park in the summertime; and highway 1 north of san diego, among others). ridiculous red stone walls shoot up from the big and muddy colorado river with a righteous purpose.

*sometimes, clouds in arizona look like they should be on "the simpsons."

*gas station bathroom keys are all unique and often oddly artistic.

*good AM radio is truly rare; it's all sports, left- or right-wing idiots, religious zealots or really, really, really bad and maudlin country music (the one good station i found? through the navajo nation, 600 AM played drum chants and the announcer spoke the amazing and musical navajo language).

*there are mountain towns with more and bigger mountains, but they don't have as much mountain soul as flagstaff, az - i just love that place; when you move there, they give you a dreadlock starter kit in your welcome packet for new residents.

*moab has been aspenized. it's sickening.

all right, folks. it's time for bed. as poot, would say... guten nacht(sp?)!!