EUREKA!

15.

The number of minutes that make up a quarter of an hour.

The age at which a girl can have her quinceanera. 

The atomic number of phosphorus. 

The representation of the first point scored in a game of tennis.

The age at which you can be tried as an adult in the UK.

The number of days in each of the cycles of the Chinese calendar.

The number of hours it takes--theoretically--to get from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Eureka, California.

Do you know what happens when you spend 15 hours in a car?

This. This happens.

...Yeah.

A few gems to look for (It's like Where's Waldo!)

• Tone deaf "woohoos."
• Screaming.
• Attempts at singing the bass part.
• Excitement over a tunnel.
• ...A roller coaster?
• The state of Naomi's bladder
• Nevada.

But do you know what happens at the end of 15 hours?

15 hours = worth it.

So I'm pretty sure Naomi offered me a spot on this little adventure in the middle of April. I'm also pretty sure I said yes immediately. And then we didn't really think about it until the last few weeks of the semester.

I mean, what was there to think about? Naomi's husband was headed off to the Big Apple for a geek--I mean, economic--conference (just teasing!), and while he was taking New York by storm, Naomi and I would be chilling out in Hippieville, U.S. of A.

Haha.

All right, sure, it wasn't always that easy; there was some arranging and re-arranging of plans, but when all was said and done, Colin was on his way to NYC, and Naomi and I--and Bethany and Isaac--were packed up in my little car, Eurkea-bound.

I wish I would have taken a picture of the car. 

I really do.

Four people + four peoples' stuff all crammed in to my trusty little buddy = a sight that was truly something to behold.

(I'd like to take this moment to acknowledge Isaac and Bethany for cramming themselves in the back, with the stuff, for 15 hours. Props to you, guys)

But, crammed or not, we were on our way.

Nevada.

I don't know why, but this made me laugh. A lot.

The Salt Flats.

Beautiful and strange. Beautiful because they're strange, more likely.

We stopped in Elko to get lunch from the deli at Albertsons, and paid a little visit to the slightly shady bathrooms in the back rooms of the store.

While waiting, I found this little sign:

My question is, what happens when you turn off the light?

Something bad, I'm guessing.

It is, literally, a flower bed!

I pretty much fell in love with Naomi's grandparents' home. Flowers, a greenhouse, a pond, tree-forts, green everywhere, & blackberry jam??

So much win.

Thanks, Grandparents Medley, for being so welcoming and awesome!

....and for having such a great sense of humor.

SLUGS.

with cream cheese and tomato.

Uhmazing.

LOS BAGELS!!!!!!!!!!!

We had to rub it in a little bit :)

Herpes is soft and cuddly.

#LessonsLearned

WE BE IN CALI, Y'ALL.

No. We're not going to San Francisco.

Thanks, Naomi. I think I'll make the introductions from now on.

Wrinkles. Top hat.

#Cuteness

DEVIL DUCK.

My only regret is that I didn't get a pic of the whole, colorful, basket of them.

A must-have for all.

Me and Bethany in ThE CaVe

(...or is it Naomi? The world may never know....)

The other kind of slugs that populate Eureka.

...But these ones you don't want to put cream cheese and tomatoes on.

At least, I don't.

Lieutenant Juan Carlos Charles Walter Thigpen IV.

(ok, but seriously, does anyone know what LTJG stands for??)

 

Oh the things you find during midnight runs to WinCo.

Fern Canyon. They filmed parts of Jurassic Park here. 

        

Gorgeous. Green. Peaceful.

Dangerous.

No worries, guys, I'll go first, no prob--Mud.

Awesome.

And now, my most favorite part of the whole hike.

The world is full of serious deep-thinkers...

Man. You just find the greatest things at thrift stores.

As Naomi so aptly quoted on FB:

"We bought big pillows at Ross, went to the candy store and went to Claires. Hello. We are 12."

Those pillows?

Best decision I've made in a long time.

WIN.

SCARY.

The hike was fun, Los Bagels ROCKED, and the nasty banana slugs were everywhere, but my favorite part about this little journey?

I'm in love.

So gorgeous.

The last night we were there, Naomi's dad took us out to Stinky Beach (no lie) to see the sunset. It was a perfect way to end a seriously awesome trip!

Thanks so much to all the family for making me feel like an honorary Medley for a week. You guys were so great, opening your home to me and being so awesome. I had a blast and am so glad to have met you all :)

When I get more pictures from Naomi I'll try to post them (if I remember...)

15 is the number of hours it takes to drive from SLC to Eureka (EUREKA!!!!) California.

It also happens to be the number this trip scored on the 1-10 AWESOME rating.

Oh, yeah.

I've never smelled so much pot before in my life.

Party on, Humboldt. Party on.