The TBoGden Travel Diary - Introduction

As our flight left Salt Lake City around 11:00 AM Tuesday morning, it was 28 degrees. The sky was sunny and clear for the first time in our entire stay. When our flight landed in San Diego 90 minutes later, it was 70 degrees. The sky was sunny and clear for the 350th time this year.

No, no…this isn't another one of those posts where I take Suge Knight's side in his never-ending beef on behalf of California against the other 49 states in the union. In fact, after four days with my in-laws in Ogden, Utah, I've learned that you cold-weather-in-winter states actually enhance some of the same things we have on the West Coast.

In no particular order:

NFL Games on TV: My old man was stationed in North Carolina for a few years in the early '80s and I'd forgotten how awesome the inverse relationship between outdoor temperature and late-season playoff intensity could be. We caught some of the wind-whipped first half of the Bills-Patriots game while a fresh layer of snow fell from Utah's smoke-colored sky above. Later, the nationally televised Chargers-Broncos debacle showed how easy it is to be one of San Diego's know-nothing, fair-weather fans when goddamn weather is always fair.

Mrs. Bootleg's Homemade Chili: A longtime favorite within The Cam Fam household, this is the first time I've ever enjoyed my usual three servings when the temperature actually called for a steaming bowl of something for dinner. And, let me tell you…after 10 minutes of frolicking in my in-law's front yard, I was ready for a hot, hearty meal! Now, I know what you're thinking: "10 minutes, Cam?" My response: "Shut up. It was f*****g cold outside."

Women Who Wear Knee-High Boots with Skirts: Here in California, this fashion combination is worn for entirely superficial reasons. We can all agree that it looks good, no? Well, when it dips into the high 10s/low 20s and women are still walking around in skirts/boots, I've gotta believe that their reasoning is even MORE superficial. For this, they should be applauded. They couldn't possibly be comfortable, but – God bless 'em – they're clearly favoring "fabulous" over frostbite. Work it, ladies!


Anyways, come on back over the next few days as my Utah Travel Diary is still being cobbled together. Highlights include my first time on a sled, the last time I ever share a bed with my son and a confrontation between mild-mannered me and the dog-carrying passenger sitting immediately behind me. Pretty sure Mrs. Bootleg has never been so embarrassed in her life. Good times!