Pacific Coast Roadtrip

I think my car has spiders.

Morning coffee on the porch, planning the route to Santa Clarita. Google Navigation apparently has no good way to “take the scenic route.” Haven’t used paper maps in quite some time.

George brought some light reading. I wonder if I should find one for the Nissan…

Seriously, how is my truck new enough to even have a Service Engine light?

I’ve never seen so many people trying to have a private romantic moment simultaneously in such a small space.

Thanks for a great start San Diego, but it’s time to head out. Next stop, Santa Clarita!

Highway 1, the Pacific Coastal Highway, starts at Dana Point.

Likely because of last night’s christening, or possibly the Bourbon that followed, today started slowly. We woke up and went about cleaning up the condo, doing basic fixes, and preparing to actually start the journey northward. George and I went back to the airport to return the thankless rental that no one liked. Now that we have old, broken cars, we had no use for that spotless rental and its terrible transmission.

Our last San Diego sight-seeing adventure took us to Balboa Park and the grounds around the Botanical Building. The drive over was beautiful because I got lost an took us through the Balboa golf course. When we finally found the park area I was looking for, George got stuck because he couldn’t get his key out of the door. So, on the side of the road just outside the park, he slowly disassembled the doorknob and filled it with the WD40 that was left in my truck’s toolbox by the previous owner.

After touring the grounds, we headed back to the condo, finished cleaning and packing, and hit the road. We followed Interstate 5 out of San Diego up to Dana Point, where Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, begins. We made a brief stop to walk along the breakwater and have dinner at the Harbor Grille. Then we hopped back on the PCH all the way to Long Beach. From there, we jumped the 405 back to the 5 to head up to George’s aunt’s home in Santa Clarita.

Honestly (and please don’t tell my mother), that was properly terrifying. My truck was definitely never designed to approach the speeds expected of motorists on the 405 through LA. And that gauntlet is a sixteen lane expressway that goes over a mountain. I learned today that if you travel at merely the posted speed limit, you can easily be killed. Add the complication of truly abysmal headlights and, well, I earned this evening’s serving of boozes.

Thankfully, we made it to Aunt Heidi’s alive (although I may have a clutch issue) and are excited to have two days in Los Angeles. Tomorrow will likely include some vehicle repairs for Evan and trying to track down some of our friends who live in the area. I officially declare Driving Day #1 a success. Sleep well, friends.

Wait, three cars?! You guys are fuckin’ nutters.