Leaving California--Eastbound for Home

After saying our goodbyes to everyone in California, we headed east on our journey for home. First, we exposed Chadd to L.A.'s Chinatown--it was his first! But we think mom caught the bird flu. . .
We then caught the bus bound for "Memory Lane" and visited mom and dad's hometowns--Riverside and Rubidoux, CA. We saw their old schools, their old homes, and their old stomping grounds. It was really neat to see what their life was like when they were growing up and dating. I can almost visualize the elementary school principal thumping my mom on the head in front of the school, just like it was yesterday. . .
We decided to skip the World's Tallest Mini-Mart, Frying Pan, and Ball of String, but we did stop at the infamous Hoover Dam and gawked. It is sort of a sad sight to see because the lake has definitely dropped several hundred feet due to the rising demand for water and increasing drought. But a grand feat of engineering nonetheless.
Then on to Vegas, baby! We got into Vegas around 8pm and checked into the Circus, Circus (fitting for our group). We caught a free pirate show, walked the streets until 3am, and I won fifty bucks on the slot machine--woohoo! Five dollar breakfasts are on me! (Because I can't afford it anywhere else)

But I guess us hillbillies did not expect the adult entertainment industry to be so prominent. Chadd enjoys his one and only moment with a Vegas showgirl (^_^)
The next morning, we were off and running to the Grand Canyon (No room for the weary on this trip). And what a beautiful sight it was! Unfortunately, the Grand Canyon is falling victim to smog from the West. It's visibility is diminishing every year as smog seeps in from California, Arizona, and New Mexico. So take your kids while they can still see it.

"Boy, that sure is a big ass crack."
"Do you mean big ASS crack or big ass CRACK?"
"Hey, did you see my spit go all the way to the bottom?"