Cool, dark forests lead to baking hot dunes marked with shifting footprints, the temperature begins to drop as we hike continually upward and find feet of snow on the trail, the just-audible sound of swallows swoop overhead as the sun sets red behind distant mountains, and blue shadows creep across a deep canyon. Gas stations with the same salty snacks, drive-thru espresso shacks, street signs and open maps, a double yellow line that leads forward and people who make me smile. Around 3,800 miles and it was awesome.