How Many Hours?!!?!?!?

So Jon, Kati (one of my BF's, also Jon's cousin), Heathbar (Kati's husband) and I decided to head down to California for a quick weekend trip and boy was it a quick trip (Thursday PM to Sunday PM). The running joke is that we spent more time the car than anything and it might actually be true. Here is the recap we had in the car on the way home to Utah.

Drive to California (Thursday)
Drive time: 9 hours
Arrive at Jon's parents @ 4:30 am MST Friday

Magic Mountain (Friday)
Drive time: 2 hours each way
Time in park: 7.5 hours
Roller coasters rode: 5 (Riddler's Revenge, Goliath, Tatsu, X2 & Viper)
We were all pretty much torn between our two favorites: Tatsu and X2, they were both awesome and well worth the wait!
Pro's: Riding the coasters, people watching (blue underwear), adrenaline rush, the awesome warm weather during the day & Chipotle's on the way back.
Con's: People cutting in line (I mean like 20 people one ride, wanted to have them kicked out of the park), Stupid Flash Passes, really cold temps after the sun went down and forgetting a jacket.




By the end of the night we were freezing and had really tired feet but all and all it was a really fun day. On the way home, we had my favorite to eat.....Chipotle's. I dream about their steak burrito....SO YUMMY!

Little side note, can I tell you how much I HATE "Flash Passes" at Magic Mountain. This a pass purchased in addition to your park admission that allows you to go to the front of any ride line. Now the reason I hate them so much is because we decided not to purchase the pass. This is how things go down at Magic Mountain on a Friday.....You wait in line for an hour and half or MORE. With relief in sight, excitement finally coming back and the whoosh of the ride brewing in your bones you finally reach the front of the line. Then out of now where....bam, a group of kids walk up, flash their stupid passes and get on the ride in front of you. You consider screaming at the top of your lungs or throwing a tantrum like a 3 year old but then you realize a little green monster has kept up and bit you with the jealously bug. Next time I don't care how much that freakin pass costs (Anywhere from $30 for the basic one, which really doesn't get you on anything up to $70 per person), I'm getting it! Wow my little side note was really long :) Oh well, hopefully it was little entertaining because it was not so much in the park.

Hunnington Beach (Saturday)
Drive time: 1.5 hours each way
Time at the beach: 3 hours
Pro's: Fast Pass, people watching at the beach, laying out :)
Con's: Breeze made it a little chilly, I know shut up....it's snowing in Utah and me being the only one to not get color (stupid SPF 30).





Okay I know I just got done venting about the Flash Pass but I am such a hypocrite :). So in California on their highways they have a Fast Pass which allows you to avoid massive amounts of traffic by going in a special lane. Jon's friend, Troy, was amazing and let us borrow his electronic pass that charges you based on traffic for going in the "amazing lane" and I say amazing because it saved our sanity of sitting in more traffic. Now the cost is way minimal (like $3) compared to the stupid Flash Pass, so I have justified loving this pass and hating the Flash Pass.

Friends & Family
We got to spend time with our friends Troy and Garrett watching Deadliest Catch and Hoaders (that is crazy interesting show)..... it was like the good old days. It's always so fun and good to see them. Also Jon's parents had a BBQ at their house so we were able to see Jon's two sisters and their families, including Jeff and Janae's newest addition, our little niece Lauren, who is almost 3 weeks. Always great to sit around the table with family and have a good meal and laugh.

Drive to Utah (Sunday)
Drive time: 9 hours
Arrive home @ 6:00 pm MST Sunday
Last leg of our trip was the drive home.....no one was excited about getting back in the car. We pulled our already achey backs out of bed and made the long trek home. Once home, life began.....unpacked, did laundry and started to get ready for the work week.

Total time spent in the car: 25+ hours
Pro's: Spending time with friends and family, warm weather, fun adventures at the beach and amusement park and of course the CAR (thanks so much to Kati and Jon for driving their hybrid done).
Con's: TRAFFIC!!! (hate CA traffic, it's horrible)
Trip to California: Priceless