I'm Half Geologist...

...and half a pansy.  Well probably more than half.  But I have a story to tell you.  It's good and involves me walking from Lindon to Provo. 

Actually that was the short short version of my story.  Here's the long version.

I had an interview up in Lindon today, barely in Lindon but still there none the less.  I took the bus there and ended up there an hour early.  Which is way better than an hour late.  But then I didn't end up going into the interview until a half hour after my scheduled time so you know I ended up being there for two hours.

I started walking back to the bus and I realized that it was such a nice day and I wanted to walk for as long as I could.  So first I stopped at Del Taco because they have these 49 cent tacos and I was starving.

Dear Del Taco,  Good thing I like lettuce and cheese because your tacos suck and they only have like a teaspoon of meat on them. Thanks.  Alicia

Yeah I was really less than thrilled with them about that but whatevs.  It was only 49cents though right?

Anyways so then I just kept walking down State Street.  and things are just fine I have a lot of time to think about things and ponder life.  And I have 3 hours before I need to be anywhere so things are good...or so I think. 

DUN DUN DUN

I got to 800N in Orem and I think oh I should go this way because I think it will be faster.  (I'm not sure why I bet it's all the same but whatever).

So I'm like walk walk walk, think think think.

And this guy rolls down his window and he says "Hey do you need a ride anywhere?"  I suppose I did look like I might because I'm dressed all nice in a dress and defs not wearing walking shoes.  But I said "No thank you."  and kept walking. 

He could have just been trying to be nice but really strannger danger people.  I defs could not have taken that guy on.  He was pretty built.  He seemed well meaning but I can't take any chances.

So i'm like walk walk walk think think think.

And I get to Harmons and I'm like "oh well I need to go to the bathroom so I better stop here and go.  And buy some cookies and candy."    

So I did.

And then I'm like walk walk walk think think think.

And then the sidewalk ended.  No warning or anything, just ends.  What the?

All there is, is this tiny space between a canal (fenced with barbed wire) and the road (lined with those concrete baby wall things).  I think to myself... "Well I'm half geologist I'll just walk along that little space, it's hiking with a purpose."  

No it's frightening and gross.  Frightening because all these cars are wizzing past you and your coat gets stuck on barbed wire and you almost trip into grossness.  Which is a decomposing body of a deer.

Yeah a deer.  Gross. 

I thought it was an abandoned rug at first but then I saw the hoof and then the bones and the skull sticking our from under the fur.  Sick.  Gross.  Heebby Jeebies. 

I found a spot to step that was just loose fur and then hopped over the rest.  Oh my it was sick.  

During this time I wondered why Utah hates pedestrians, as they often just randomly end sidewalks.  And try to run them (them being pedestrians, not sidewalks) over.

Ok so I decide once I get out of that place to turn onto this residential area because even the sidewalk ends there, it's not likely any decomposing animals will be in my way.

The sidewalk didn't end.  In fact I took Palisades Dr (?) all the way to Center Street of Orem.  At which point I wanted to be all arms because I thought I was defs closer to Provo than that and it was a bit past 5 which meant I had only an hour and half to get to the Hinkley Center on campus for dinner. 

Well before I got to Center Street I saw down into the valley (because I was on a hill where all the rich people in fancy houses with moats and really nice cars live) a building I recognized to be APX (which is called vivant now I think).  I thought "oh maybe I could just go down this hill and then I would know where I am exactly.  I am half geologist."  But then I looked at the hill and I though "No I think my bigger half is city girl in a nice outfit."  This hill was steep and full of pokey plants and animals I could hear them all over the hill.  So I stuck with good ole Palisades.  

I kept singing Palisades Park in my head.

So anyways I'm walk walk walking think think thinking down center street.  And then I see the Welcome to Provo sign and I don't think I've ever been happier to be in Provo.  Well I don't know that I've ever been super happy to be in Provo but I love BYU for sure.  That's a post for another day ... or not.

Anyways so I decide to walk along the Provo River Trail.  Which is like a serious NO NO for girls when they are by themselves because have you heard all those stories?  But don't worry that was all by the Branbury so I think I was a bit safer walking along this busy street.

So I'm walking walking walking thinking thinking thinking.  And the time is going so fast I get to Wyview at like 5:50.  And I'm like dang I need to book it to get the Hinkley Center on time.  SO I'm walking so fast and I notice that the light is going to change so I can cross so I start to run to get there which was so hard to do in a dress and then my phone flew out of my pocket (But luckily blessings did not fly apart as it normally does).  So I had to run back and get it and then make it to the corner.  I made it just in time but the race is not over yet because I only have this half hour to make it there.  I decide that cutting through Helaman is the best choice so I'm walking all fast and it's 6:15 and I can't find a way to the road.  I can see the Hinkley Center straight in front of me but there's this hill full of bushes in the way.  And I'm afraid if I got to the top there would be no sidewalk.  But I went up anyways and there was a sidewalk.  But then guess what?  You can't cross to the Hinkley center from that side of the road.  You have to cross to the other street across from it and then cross again and then walk down the road where you can finally cross to get to the Hinkley Center.  That's sounds confusing because it is.  

But I made it.  And you were all worried.  Just as I was crossing the last street Come Come Ye Saints started playing on the carillon.  I love that it plays that I'm always like "Yes I will wend my way with JOY!"  Woohoo.

And I made it to dinner and it was awesome.

The moral of this story is:  Walking is great but maybe do it when you don't have somewhere to be.  And that Utah should care more about cleaning up roadkill and about their pedestrians.