The best part of a long road trip is the end. Back home.

Any of you that think SpanaGrahamRoy is a shitty place - try Yuma, Arizona. That's a shithole. A gritty, nasty shithole.

I left Vegas for Yuma. And didn't go back to Vegas.

I left Vegas, drove seven hours, and got out of the truck in 101 degree Yuma. Fuck. It was 85 in Sin City the whole time. Get to the lovely burg that is Yuma, and it's above 100 for two days. Then, it's cooler. Cooler, because it was a fucking sandstorm. Now, I don't mean wind that moves a little sand. Fuck no. I mean a fucking sandstorm. 60 mile-an-hour fucking sand. Can't see 300 feet. Hurts like hell on any exposed skin. Which is most of it, because it had been over 100 degrees for two days (a week for the locals).

Sorry to say, jEFF, but California is the nicest state I was in all week. They know how to manage traffic, the people were super nice (not just the friends and family I was there to see). And the best part: I discovered the greatest city on earth, right there in Cali. Hands down. Makes Seattle's U district look like a skankfest. Plus, it's 85 degrees, so they're not wearing much. College town. Lots of trees. Away from the I-5 corridor.

But I'm not going to tell you all where. No, no. Not going to give up the secret of that little honey-hole.

Oh, and liquor is much cheaper in Cali as well. Plus, you can buy it at any damn grocery store. Albertson's has their own house brand. I almost bought a bottle of Albertson's gin just to see how nasty it is.

3114.8 miles.

One [very] strained family relationship completely repaired. Amazing what 18 years will do for brothers. I now have an Uncle, Aunt and Cousin again. Been a while. Kinda strange. My family overnight went from 6 people to 9. I never gave it much thought, only hearing one side. Funny thing, you surprise someone at 6:30 on a Saturday morning and things suddenly seem more petty than people remember.

It's about time for a night's sleep in my own bed. Feels like a lot more than eight days since the last one.