Trip to Elko

Alyssa turns 16 soon.

She really, really, really wants her license ON her birthday.

Unfortunately she only has 29 hours toward the 40 hour requirement by the state to get your license.

I have mulled this problem over and over in my head and asked for various opinions as to what I should do.

I thought that a good, long drive would be the answer. But where?

St. George? Too many mountain passes and the speed limit is 80.

Rexburg? Too many twists and turns in the road, lava rock everywhere if you go off the road, etc, etc.

Kevin suggested that we drive to Elko. He said that it is a pretty straightforward drive without a lot of twists, turns and mountain passes.

We set the date for Friday, pulled Alyssa out of school and set out for the great adventure that was awaiting us.

We invited Alyssa's friend, Tony, to come with us. I thought that maybe he could help make the trip more bearable.

If you have or haven't been to Elko may I forewarn you that the drive is BORING.

There are few things to look forward to. I did remember a couple of things to keep the enthusiasm building. One: the TREE, and two: Sergio's.

We finally made it to the TREE and I made Alyssa and Tony get out for a picture, just to prove that we actually did this drive.


We reluctantly got back into the car for the remainder of the drive to Elko. I kept reminding the kids that Sergio's was waiting for us. Good food, rest, seeing the sites of a new city...

Finally, after 4 hours we drove into Elko. Elko is just kind of...old. Run down. A bit disappointing.

However, we had the directions to Sergio's and we drove there with anticipation. After all, Kalie told us their burgers were to die for.

We walked into Sergio's and looked at the menu. There was a picture of a burger right in front of us. To the side of us was a lunch special that said chili burger with fries and a drink.

I asked the man who took our order, is the lunch menu the same as that burger? He said, "Yes".

I ordered the chili burger thinking that the chili was going to be green chilies on top. Tony ordered taquitos.

This is what came out from the kitchen for Alyssa and I to share:


A burger covered in chili, not chilies.

It was disturbing.

I was sure that they had brought the wrong thing. Then the light bulb came on. It was CHILI like the soup, not CHILI like the pepper.

Alyssa was a little freaked out.

I tried to be positive. I took several bites to show Alyssa that it wasn't really that bad. Tony even ate half of it.

Alyssa took two bites and refused to eat one more bite of anything. She was done. Her stomach was VERY unhappy. And she was mad. Mad that she had driven 4 hours and had 4 more hours to drive, mad that her lunch was disturbingly awful and mad at me that I ordered it.

So what does a sympathetic mother do in that situation? I got the giggles. I laughed and laughed until tears came out of my eyes.

Between being highly irritated at me for laughing and then attempting to find humor in the situation herself, Alyssa began laughing.

We still had 4 hours to drive home but it was OK. Even though Sergio's chili burgers are disturbingly awful, it was OK.

Alyssa drove those 4 hours like a champion and we made it home safely.

The best part of the day? When Alyssa said, "I am so sick of driving, I don't care if I never drive again."

HA!