Tomorrow I start the long drive back to Socal. Louisville to OK City, then to Gallup NM, and then to Fallbrook on Day 3. Another road trip, another three days to keep the wheels between the lines and think about things. It was anticipation all the way here; returning thoughts will be more retrospective and as I cross into the great Southwest, definitely anticipation about getting home.

It’s been great – I got tons of time with Em, Greg, Hudson and Jesse, which was the whole point. I probably spent more time with them than if I were living here full time – that’s natural, knowing that we had a limited time together. But it was sure better than just a weekend. Qualitatively and quantitatively better.

I got lucky with the AirBnB, this was a really good setup. Love the location – I didn’t realize how central the Frankfort Avenue area is to everything.

Here are some of the better pictures I took on the trip, culled from hundreds taken.

Sunrise in Oklahoma, 6am.

A beautiful trail at Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve.

A tired but loving Mom.

Great Blue Heron at Taylorsville Lake.

The water boys at the lake.

Me and Jesse.

Hudson feeding horses at an historic community farm whose name I will have to find.

And there were some great memories that I unfortunately didn’t get pictures of:

• Golf with Greg and cousins Donnie and Chris at Hunting Creek.
• Dinner at Le Relais with Mike.
• All the great scenery on the drive east.
• A nice impromptu lunch with cousins Chris and Marcie at a restaurant on the Ohio River.
• Seeing Jesse’s weird little baby smiles.
• The amazing, powerful thunderstorms that regularly blow through here. I miss these so much in Socal.

Next post…either in route or at home. Three time zones, 2100 miles and a world away.