1,500 MILES LATER...

Wow, I guess my estimates were a little off. I figured, with Texas being the second largest state in the union only to Alaska (which can't be travelled from one end to the other), that when you got out of Texas, the states just flew by. I thought it would only take about 10 hours to travel to the Bronx. Crap was I wrong.

I departed at 1pm on Friday from the Yellow for Jeff City, MO. I arrived at 2:45am. The biggest problem was Oklahoma. The biggest problem is always Oklahoma. Purchased in the Louisiana Purchase from France for roughly $1,200,000 (whatta rip off) as a percentage of the total $15,000,000 which included Louisiana, the Dakotas, Kansas and Nebraska amongst other territories, Oklahoma still has the road system of 1803. It's like the little state that could but didn't because Texas did it first and better. The little stepchild of the union. And if you're not poking your way across the back highways (which will slow you down to an astounding 25 mph in some towns), you're having to pay for access to their crappy highways through the toll system. Unacceptable. At least the people were nice. Toll booth employees included.

Finally got into Missouri around midnight. The humidity was so thick that I had to run my wipers when it wasn't even raining. Now that's some thick air. Passed through Lebanon (Missouri, that is). Talk about a community on the fringe of society (and reality, for that matter). I stopped in a convenience store and it seemed like everyone was scowling and, even more peculiarly, limping. Not sure what was going on there, but I didn't want to end up with a bum leg so I bolted.

Saturday, we travelled from Jeff City to Sedalia for the reunion. Here are a few highlights. First my lovely cousins and my even lovelier Grandma (sorry, cousins).

Oh yeah, no party's complete without you know what! The road had worn me out and it took me about five attempts to produce this beauty.

That night, we went even further down the road to Warrensburg (passing up a chance to stay a night in a town called "Knob Noster"). We ordered in pizza, chowed and then I supervised my cousins to the tattoo parlor. The Nardis all jumped right in, but the solo Nordby and myself didn't get tatted. Carrie claimed, "I want to know my artist." I just don't like needles.

Here's a pic of my Angela and Giovanna, their father Tony (in the back), yours truly stuntin' hard and my father Boyce (Magnum P.I.).

At 9 am the next morning, I made the long haul back home. Kansas was a much prettier drive than Oklahoma. At least it was greener. When you're from the Yellow, green counts for something. Met with Kris and his girlfriend Heather in Wichita. Quite a treat, indeed. We talked hip hop and Heather just listened politely.

I figure I did 1,500 miles in about 36 hours total which means even when I was asleep, I was travelling about 41.5 mph. That's pretty fast for a hotel room.

Crap, I gotta get. Going back to Lubbock this morning on business and we're leaving in under an hour. People, be easy. We'll catch up later.