Utah

[cosmolinguist]

It's funny the things you don't know you know until you have some reason to call up data on a random subject.

A Facebook friend asked "Do any of you know much about Utah?" (Actually I see now that she was specifically directing this question at "'Mericans" but I jumped in long before this...) and when the first couple of comments seemed unhelpful to me -- "Mormons. Salt Lake City." "Utah Saints...duh duh duh" (and I needed Andrew to translate that second one for me) -- I wanted to combat the lazy stereotypes.

And you know, I've never even been to Utah, but without so much as looking anything up, I said "It's got one of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S. (Arches National Park). I hear it's very good for skiing too, though can't vouch for that. Land speed records are set on the salt flats in Utah, and the Mythbusters sometimes blow things up there."

And when she peppered me with more questions in response to that -- "Roughly whereabouts is it? Does it cost a lot to get there? Who's the, the... what do you call them, senator or something? Does it have laws that other states don't? Is it picturesque? What's its National Park like? By which i mean... er... how big? Has it got bears in it?" -- I tried to answer them.

"Utah is in the western bit of America, not far from California in the grand scheme of things. It does indeed have mountains, the lovely Rockies. It is not a hugely populated state other than Salt Lake City so there are lots of breathtaking nature. It probably would cost a lot to go there; I can't get to the US for less than five hundred quid these days and it does tend to get more expensive as you go further west. Utah's senior senator (each state gets two) is a very very conservative, even by US standards, called Orrin Hatch." And I offered up some lovely pictures.

But man. Land speed records in the Bonneville salt flats. Messien. It's crazy the things your brain stashes away, isn't it? No reason to leave it with the lazy stereotypes if you've got stuff like that filling up your mind-tank!

I tried to tell Andrew this but now I can't get him to stop telling me things about Mormons. Oh and he told me Jello is the official snack food of Utah.

Comments

[sfred]

I tried to tell Andrew this but now I can't get him to stop telling me things about Mormons.
This made me smile.
Also, am trying hard not to be earwormed with Utah Saints songs now.

[cosmolinguist]

Andrew played one for me, and if the others are anything like that, I think I should apologize for having done this to you :)

[sfred]

The one I know well (because it's on a compilation I love) is "What Can You Do For Me?" - but if I remember correctly, they're all pretty similar.

[shinydan]

They really are, and I have "Something Good" in my head now. But I like it so it's not a bad thing. 8)

[innerbrat]

The State Paleontologist is a published author in the official Star Trek line. Also he rocks.

Also Utah has lots of awesome dinosaurs.

[cosmolinguist]

I can't believe I didn't think to include dinosaurs! Sure I don't have your extensive knowledge, but who wouldn't think of Utahraptor at least!

[quuf.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. I give thee the Jello Belt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Corridor#.22Jell-O_Belt.22).

Most of the Mormons I grew up with were serious sugar addicts. :)

[cosmolinguist]

I thought you might well have something to contribute (I know California isn't really close to Utah...!) but couldn't have dreamed it'd be the Jello Belt. Thank you.

Especially that they had a fight with Des Moines about this.

[quuf.livejournal.com]

A few years ago, my brother-in-law and I went to open house at the Mormon temple that had recently been built in their town (Temples are open to the public before they're consecrated).

At the end of the tour, we were deposited in a large room where a corps of extremely wholesome-looking young people were on hand to answer any questions we might have about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; near the exit was a very long table groaning with cookies, cakes, and pies.

We didn't have any questions, but were urgently interested in the chocolate-chip cookies. :)

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd've just gone "Saints, YOU-YOU-YOU-UTAH SAINTS beeeep boooop beeeep" too. And guessed at it being Republican hell.

[cosmolinguist]

Yeah, having heard the Utah Saints now, I am sorry for making anyone think of them :)

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

I'm not. But only because they were a one-hit-wonder at exactly the right moment in my life that it's a happy memory. I may even have been to see them "live"...

[auntysarah.livejournal.com]

May I present, "Utah Saints Unplugged", courtesy of the Mary Whitehouse Experience:

[bloodbeauty.livejournal.com]

i knew about the salt flats and the speed record but not some of the other stuff. i know a couple of people from there online. but it always brings me up short when i realise that some people have a worse sense of geography than me. i tend to think i'm pretty bad for knowing where countries are and stuff. but i think i could lable more us states on a map than i could UK counties...

[auntysarah.livejournal.com]

I said "It's got one of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S. (Arches National Park)

IMO, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion and Escalante (the last is a national monument rather than a park) are at least as beautiful as Arches, and in the case of Zion, probably considerably more beautiful, IMO (although I may be biased - Zion is just about my favourite place on Earth).

Can't speak for Capitol Reef - have only ever driven through it.