I started September on one of the most memorable mini vacations I've taken.

On August 31, my best friend and I headed east on a road trip that spanned more than a thousand miles. Leave it up to two weirdos to make a road trip surrounded by nothing be filled with so many memories. My travels revealed that growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area led me to live a life in a bubble. Here is a compilation of some of my revelations.

1. You can't just say you're from "The Bay"

People gave me the most confused look when I said I was from The Bay, especially if they were originally from the east coast. I then proceeded to say "The Bay" again, making myself look narcissistic.

2. Sunsets can make the most boring landscapes seem beautiful

The route we took is not the most aesthetic, but the sunset at the end of the day made the tedious drive worth it. (Photo credits: Christina Richardson)

3. There is such a thing as "wild bunnies"

Wild. Bunnies. Enough said.

4. Basements are an actual thing

People who figured out that basements aren't common in The Bay were just as confused as I was figuring out basements exist.

P.S: They don't all look like the ones displayed in movies.

5. Rush hour is actually an hour in most places

Commute traffic in The Bay last about five hours and consists of stop and go traffic. I never went 0 mph in "traffic" when I was out of the area unless it was due to a stoplight or stop sign.

6. There is a difference between state freeways and national freeways.

There is no distinction in The Bay, a freeway is a freeway. It was sort of cool seeing the state flag over state freeways though!

7. What other people consider a "huge city" you consider a small town

I grew up in a city that had around 75,000 people. Even then, it is considered a small town in The Bay. It was weird talking to people who came from towns that had a population of only a couple hundred.

8. You get offended when people don't care if they visit a beach in their lifetime

How can you not want to visit a place with warm sand beneath your toes, the sun on your face, and the sound of waves crashing in the background? (Photo credits: Christina Richardson)

9. Carpool lanes are not a thing everywhere

If you are The Bay, you know everything there is to know about carpool lanes: fines, hours, days, and where they start and stop. It is crazy to realize that something that is so important to you is nonexistent elsewhere.

10. Everything is so spread out, even in cities

In The Bay, you can drive less than ten minutes and be in a different city. In other areas, you drive ten minutes and can still be in the same neighborhood.

11. Tolls in The Bay are overpriced

Yes, everything is overpriced in The Bay, but the tolls are especially. In The Bay, tolls cost about $6 while they cost $0.25 in Denver.

12. People actually drive the speed limit

The rule of thumb in The Bay is to go with the flow of traffic, of which is typically 15 mph over the posted limit. It's sad that I got annoyed when people went the speed limit.

13. Moring commutes can be beautiful

The Bay: too many cars and angry drivers. Utah: beautiful sunrises with mountains in the background. (Photo credits: Daina Laughton)