What's a "Utahn"?

It is actually more than just someone who lives in the state of Utah.  Not everyone who lives in the state of Utah can claim the name of "Utahn".  I didn't even know there was this distinction until last week when we officially became "Utahn's".  Apparently so many people in Utah love to use recreational vehicles and own many.  It's not hard to see why, we have so many fun places to use them here in this state.  I didn't know though that owning some type of recreational vehicle put you in a different class.  I also didn't think that we would own one so soon.  I wanted some kind of  "toy" to get the family outside more but it wasn't on my priority list right now.

I was surprised one day when CJ came up to me and said that he wanted to use the money from his bonus to buy a go-kart.  He had apparently been looking at them on the classifieds for a while and just didn't say anything. I'm thinking that's not so bad.  Go-karts are small, rectangle boxes with four wheels and a steering wheel.  Simple, but enough to get the family outside.  He had found one though that was too good of a deal to pass up if the go-kart was as described (you know, people will make their items sound like gold just to get them sold and then you get it home and realize why they were selling it.)  He showed it to me and it was not what I had pictured at all.  It was not this little box on wheels, it looked more like a mini dune buggy with roll bars and everything.  I have to admit that I did like it from the first time I saw it but I was very skeptical, thinking through what was "really" wrong with it.  I really wanted to go and look at it but it was all the way in West Point, just west of Roy which is where I grew up, an hour and a half north of here.  It wasn't like we could just make that big trip for something that may not be worth it.  I had CJ show me the other go-karts that he was looking at so that we could compare them.  It didn't take long for me to see that if this was as good as it sounded that we needed to jump on it right away before someone else got it.  I called the man selling it and asked some questions.  I told him that it was a long trip for us and he assured me that it was worth the drive and that we would not be disappointed.  I got very excited but not as excited as CJ.  We packed up the kids and headed out.

We got to the man's house and saw the go-kart and it looked even better than in the pictures.  Even though it was a 2004 he said that it had only been used a handful of times (that is why I was so skeptical.)  I have heard stories though of someone having an item sit in the garage for a long time and then selling it at a steel just to get their space back so I thought we would take a chance that this would be that kind of deal.  It turns out that that is exactly what it was.  The man's father-in-law bought it and only used it 3 times.  He got tired of it sitting in his garage so he gave it to his daughter's family.  They used it 2 times but just weren't interested in it because they prefer to hike, not ride.  They let it sit for a while.  They finally decided it was time to sell it so they put it in the classifieds.  Originally it was just the go-kart for sale but after a week he decided to add the practically brand new trailer that it sat in for free because he realized he didn't have a use for it either.  I knew the moment I saw it that it was meant for us.  It had been on the classifieds for a little over a month and about a week before then he had decided that he would just keep it and let the neighborhood kids use it but he felt that he needed to leave it on sale for just a little longer.  Just a week before was when CJ found it and was trying to find the courage to ask me if we should buy it.  The man said that now he knew why he felt that he was supposed to wait a little longer.  He knew that it was meant for us as well and was very happy that it was going to a family that would really enjoy it.  He didn't need the money so he was practically giving it away and that is the only reason we could afford to buy it.  It is virtually brand new and came with the trailer, seat covers, gas cans, and a custom cover (which was $400 alone) all for the price of just the trailer.  All we have needed to do was replace the battery.  I still can't believe it.

Anyway, we don't have a tow hitch on the van so I was curious as to how in the world we were going to get this back home.  Since I grew up in that area I have friends up there who own several recreational vehicles so I knew they had a tow hitch.  They have been wanting to see our home since the remodeling so they were more then happy to drive it down for us, we just had to wait another day.  I told CJ that coming home without it was like having a new baby but having to leave the hospital and the baby is still there.  As my friends were rolling it in to the garage that is when we were informed that we were officially "Utahn's" now.  I must admit that I like that status and we couldn't wait to get outside and tear up the neighborhood with it.

CJ in front of his new toy.  Can you see his excitement?

Not your father's go-kart.

I love this utility rack that it has on it.  CJ and I can put a lunch on it and go on a really fun date one of these days.

It's a little deceiving but it really is roomy.  CJ and I both fit in there together comfortably.

Megan enjoying her first ride with Dad.

Alexander was mad because Megan got to ride before he did.

Unfortunately he was not sure about the go-kart and cried the whole time he was in it.  One day he will be the one tearing up the neighborhood with it though.