No trips for the last couple of weekends.
The most exciting thing that has happened is that my good friend Joe Lin has purchased a condominium in Tarzana. That moves him 30 minutes away to another city instead of the usual 3 minutes away to another block so I will have to get used to that change.
My friend Elena in Russia has secured a great job with a consulting company that uses the Hubbard Administrative Technologies that I helped train her on at Hubbard college. She stays in regular communication with me vie email which is a real joy.
Things are very busy at the college and I'm staying later each night to help the Quality Control Executive with some specialized study actions.
My youngest New Zealand nephew, Ben, is in a band which is competing for top place in a national contest and I'm waiting to hear the results of that.
First day of fall and the weather is exceedingly hot.
More next time.
Love,
Barry
Monday, September 21, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Labor weekend 2009 - Big Adventure
Phew! Just over 1,330 miles driven there and back!!!
I had some concern about my friend Sue Z this week and almost didn't go away but she assured me I should go.
Friday night I had a great meal at Suesan W's place with her, her daughter Wendy and grandson Logan.
(I unexpectedly had to supervise students at the College on Saturday so didn't get away Friday night as planned. However I was on the road heading north by 4:30 Saturday afternoon.)
I headed north on the 101 freeway and decided to get as close to San Francisco as I could on the first night to make up for the lost day. I drove 333 miles to the city of Salinas and arrived at about 10:45pm, drove around a bit to get the layout of the city, got a meal and found a good place to park and sleep in the back of my wagon. I dropped off to sleep about 1:30am parked safely in the well-lit parking lot of a large strip mall next to a Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds.
Next morning I cleaned up and was on my way north on the 101 towards San Francisco arriving there after 45 miles at about 9:45am and having done a total of 378 miles since leaving home. I drove down Mission street and by the wonderful harbor waterfront with all its attractions - then drove over the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge for the first time and continued on north. - Yes! I had decided to go further north even than San Francisco - to a special destination.
I stopped at a tiny place called Petaluma for gas for the car, went past Napa and many vineyards, through Santa Rosa and finally arrived at Leggett 182 miles north of San Francisco where the Pacific Coast Highway (#1) ends. I left the 101 freeway and headed south-west to the coast on the fabulous Coast Highway.
However, right there as I was leaving Leggett and heading southward again, was an item of great interest. The giant living Redwood tree that has an arch through its trunk big enough to drive a car through - so of course I paid the $5 and drove on through and got a photograph of my wagon going into the tree-arch! Cool!
The drive south-west to the coast on the #1 was through a beautiful forest of magnificent Redwoods and other great California trees. It wound up and down the mountains as it made its way to the coast that gave it its famous name and reputation.
Suddenly there it was! The magnificent northern California coast! The first view was breathtaking! I made very slow progress on my way down the coast to San Francisco again as I kept stopping every few miles to take more photographs. There were dramatic shots shrouded in mist and bright sunny shots and exciting powerful shots of angry seas. Unfortunately I took so long that it got dark and I didn't see the last 30 miles of the cost immediately north of San Francisco.
Having done a total of 880 miles I arrived back at San Francisco and had a good look around the city. Beautiful buildings, quaint cute houses, incredibly hilly streets. However it is a terribly frustrating city for a stranger to drive in as there is no clearly discernible patten to the way one can easily get around - so many "no left turns", one-way streets and dead-end streets without needed "no outlet" signs.
I found a safe place to park my wagon and sleep in the well-lit parking lot of a huge "Best Buy" electronics outlet and got to sleep about 1:30am again. In the morning I found a gas station to refill the car, got a drive-through breakfast, had more of a look around the city and then back to the "Best Buy" when it opened - to fully clean up for the new day and buy additional camera batteries.
I made my way to the San Francisco Pacific coast and headed south marveling at the beautiful unique coastal views and enjoying the cities and towns I passed through. Fort Bragg / Mendo was delightful with its old-world look and arty buildings in bright colors. Then Mendocino was equally bright, unique and colorful. Traffic (which had been light my entire trip) suddenly became heavy as I approached Mendocino. Everyone from anywhere around was headed there to enjoy Sunday in the friendly, arty, family atmosphere. I had a nice walk around the place before continuing south along the coast. I didn't stay on the #1 Coast Highway where it went inland and where there were smaller streets at the water's edge. I chose those streets instead and saw every bit of the coast that I could.
However, occasionally the #1 Highway left the coast for a bit and there were no other streets at the coast. At these times I drove through miles and miles of pumpkin farms, cabbage farms, strawberry farms and farms of every green vegetable imaginable. Quite amazing!
Then the road wound back to the very edge of the coast again and here was a really exciting and alive view - a beautiful long beach with huge surf and dozens of wind-surfers with the clear sails on their surf boards whisking them along the surf at high speed - and dozens more para-surfers with their bright para-sails, on long chords like kites, pulling them along at a screaming pace. I got great photographs.
I continued on and what a delight I discovered - the city of Santa Cruz! This beach-front city is a joyful playground with a delightful drive past all manner of beach-front restaurants, fun stores and permanent fair-attractions including a number of great roller-coasters. There was such an air of fun about the place and it felt so good to be there.
Continuing on I reached Monterey - the furthermost point north I had been on my previous trips. It was starting to get dark by now so I made my way back Salinas (where I'd slept the first night) and got a great meal then back to the 101 freeway and headed for home past San Luis Obispo where I'd stayed overnight on the last trip (I didn't yet get to see the coast between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara but can do that on a normal 2 day weekend).
I made one stop for gas at the 76 Gonzales Food Mart. The traffic home was amazingly fast up and down hills and round amazing bends that seemed to turn forever. I eventually made it home at 1:45am this morning.
After a great nights sleep in my own comfortable bed and a wonderful shower I was ready for another day with all my staff and student friends at Hubbard College of Administration.
Whew! What a weekend! Exciting! Strenuous! An unforgettable 1,330 miles!
Love,
Barry
I had some concern about my friend Sue Z this week and almost didn't go away but she assured me I should go.
Friday night I had a great meal at Suesan W's place with her, her daughter Wendy and grandson Logan.
(I unexpectedly had to supervise students at the College on Saturday so didn't get away Friday night as planned. However I was on the road heading north by 4:30 Saturday afternoon.)
I headed north on the 101 freeway and decided to get as close to San Francisco as I could on the first night to make up for the lost day. I drove 333 miles to the city of Salinas and arrived at about 10:45pm, drove around a bit to get the layout of the city, got a meal and found a good place to park and sleep in the back of my wagon. I dropped off to sleep about 1:30am parked safely in the well-lit parking lot of a large strip mall next to a Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds.
Next morning I cleaned up and was on my way north on the 101 towards San Francisco arriving there after 45 miles at about 9:45am and having done a total of 378 miles since leaving home. I drove down Mission street and by the wonderful harbor waterfront with all its attractions - then drove over the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge for the first time and continued on north. - Yes! I had decided to go further north even than San Francisco - to a special destination.
I stopped at a tiny place called Petaluma for gas for the car, went past Napa and many vineyards, through Santa Rosa and finally arrived at Leggett 182 miles north of San Francisco where the Pacific Coast Highway (#1) ends. I left the 101 freeway and headed south-west to the coast on the fabulous Coast Highway.
However, right there as I was leaving Leggett and heading southward again, was an item of great interest. The giant living Redwood tree that has an arch through its trunk big enough to drive a car through - so of course I paid the $5 and drove on through and got a photograph of my wagon going into the tree-arch! Cool!
The drive south-west to the coast on the #1 was through a beautiful forest of magnificent Redwoods and other great California trees. It wound up and down the mountains as it made its way to the coast that gave it its famous name and reputation.
Suddenly there it was! The magnificent northern California coast! The first view was breathtaking! I made very slow progress on my way down the coast to San Francisco again as I kept stopping every few miles to take more photographs. There were dramatic shots shrouded in mist and bright sunny shots and exciting powerful shots of angry seas. Unfortunately I took so long that it got dark and I didn't see the last 30 miles of the cost immediately north of San Francisco.
Having done a total of 880 miles I arrived back at San Francisco and had a good look around the city. Beautiful buildings, quaint cute houses, incredibly hilly streets. However it is a terribly frustrating city for a stranger to drive in as there is no clearly discernible patten to the way one can easily get around - so many "no left turns", one-way streets and dead-end streets without needed "no outlet" signs.
I found a safe place to park my wagon and sleep in the well-lit parking lot of a huge "Best Buy" electronics outlet and got to sleep about 1:30am again. In the morning I found a gas station to refill the car, got a drive-through breakfast, had more of a look around the city and then back to the "Best Buy" when it opened - to fully clean up for the new day and buy additional camera batteries.
I made my way to the San Francisco Pacific coast and headed south marveling at the beautiful unique coastal views and enjoying the cities and towns I passed through. Fort Bragg / Mendo was delightful with its old-world look and arty buildings in bright colors. Then Mendocino was equally bright, unique and colorful. Traffic (which had been light my entire trip) suddenly became heavy as I approached Mendocino. Everyone from anywhere around was headed there to enjoy Sunday in the friendly, arty, family atmosphere. I had a nice walk around the place before continuing south along the coast. I didn't stay on the #1 Coast Highway where it went inland and where there were smaller streets at the water's edge. I chose those streets instead and saw every bit of the coast that I could.
However, occasionally the #1 Highway left the coast for a bit and there were no other streets at the coast. At these times I drove through miles and miles of pumpkin farms, cabbage farms, strawberry farms and farms of every green vegetable imaginable. Quite amazing!
Then the road wound back to the very edge of the coast again and here was a really exciting and alive view - a beautiful long beach with huge surf and dozens of wind-surfers with the clear sails on their surf boards whisking them along the surf at high speed - and dozens more para-surfers with their bright para-sails, on long chords like kites, pulling them along at a screaming pace. I got great photographs.
I continued on and what a delight I discovered - the city of Santa Cruz! This beach-front city is a joyful playground with a delightful drive past all manner of beach-front restaurants, fun stores and permanent fair-attractions including a number of great roller-coasters. There was such an air of fun about the place and it felt so good to be there.
Continuing on I reached Monterey - the furthermost point north I had been on my previous trips. It was starting to get dark by now so I made my way back Salinas (where I'd slept the first night) and got a great meal then back to the 101 freeway and headed for home past San Luis Obispo where I'd stayed overnight on the last trip (I didn't yet get to see the coast between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara but can do that on a normal 2 day weekend).
I made one stop for gas at the 76 Gonzales Food Mart. The traffic home was amazingly fast up and down hills and round amazing bends that seemed to turn forever. I eventually made it home at 1:45am this morning.
After a great nights sleep in my own comfortable bed and a wonderful shower I was ready for another day with all my staff and student friends at Hubbard College of Administration.
Whew! What a weekend! Exciting! Strenuous! An unforgettable 1,330 miles!
Love,
Barry
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