Oct 1-3 - On driving in California

On Driving in California

In a word..."traffic."

Can we talk? Really...this is not our first Rodeo Dr. in California. We've been to California almost every year for the past six (6). So navigating the treacherous trails and travails of the Golden State is not something new. We have also ridden every inch of Highway 1...but...never contiguously. That still holds true, but we did ride it pretty much straight through from Sonoma to San Diego over these past three days. So, now that's completed, there's good news and bad news. Would we do it again? Give us about 5-10 years rest and ask us again. LOL

Some quick stats from the three day excursion:

• 876,932,103 vehicles counted
• 526,394,215 Mercedes
• 204,136,784 Toyotas
• 101,264,832 Bentleys, Teslas, Maseratis, Ferraris
•   45,136,271 Various SUVs and Minis
• and Jethro
• 6,342,017 traffic signals - 13 were green as we approached
• Three (3) types of Pacific Coast Hwy drivers
• Type 1 - travel at 25-28 mph and brake at every bend or corner in the road (aka "tourist")
• Type 2 - travel at the posted speed limit (geek, nerd, yours truly)
• Type 3 - travel at the highest speed possible with no regard for the posted speed limit (locals)
• The positioning of any given group of vehicles
• Type 1 in the lead
• Type 2 following
• Type 3 bringing up the rear
• Thought process of the drivers
• Type 1 - Oblivion, no regard for multiple posted signage - "Slower Vehicles Must Use Pullouts"
• Type 2 - Give me a break!
• Type 3 - Maximum Intimidation. Make the slower drivers regret ever slipping behind the wheel!!!
• Headlamps during dawn, dusk or foggy conditions - Optional
• Maximum following or tailgating distance - less than one (1) car length
• Fast lane - any partially open or temporarily unoccupied lane
• Signaling before changing lanes - Forget that!

So what do people do that have to face this insanity day in and day out, year after year? 

Invent games, of course. 

Here's an example of one of the Golden State Highway games:

Objective: Change lanes as many times as possible while ultimately giving yourself only a 10 yard or one car advantage. 

Emphasis of the game: persistently weave from lane to lane fully realizing the entire freeway is packed solid and there is no possible way of materially reducing your transit time.

Points are awarded as follows:

• Maximum lane changes with minimal ground gained - 100 points
• Three (3) lane change - 25 bonus points
• Reverse direction change(s) - right then left or left then right - 25 bonus points
• Faking a left lane change and making a right lane change - 40 point bonus
• Frightening/intimidating another motorist - 75 point bonus

Points deductions are as follows:

• Signalling - 50 point deduction
• Passing because there are open lanes ahead and an opportunity for material advancement - 50 point deduction 
• Clearing the car you're passing by more than 3 feet - 25 point deduction
• Making any sensible maneuver or any move that might be easily mistaken for a sensible maneuver - 100 point deduction
• Following another vehicle at any speed by more that 1/2 car length - 100 point deduction
• Yielding to any other motorist for any reason - 500 point deduction
• Acknowledging there is a posted speed limit - 500 point deduction
• Driving a Mercedes, Bently, Maserati or the equivalent without participating in the game - suspension of your license for 3 months.

Game Over: 

Your score is monitored by satellite and you receive perpetual updates on your cellular device. You are obliged to constantly monitor your phone at all times while driving during the game. The game ends when you exit the freeway or highway. A final, one-time, daily 1000 point bonus can salvage an, otherwise, poor performance if you can wait until the last possible millisecond and cross at least three (3), occupied lanes as you whip onto the exit ramp.

As you can tell, these are serious games for serious players. All we had to do was survive roughly 650 miles of this sport over the course of three (3) consecutive days. Why three days, you ask? Because it takes 8-9 hours to travel 200+ miles along the Pacific Coast Highway. Of course, included in that time is meals, mental health breaks and the opportunity in invest in the ever spiraling gasoline economy of California. That' right, folks...drive up to any pump you choose and take out a loan. Your $4.00++ gasoline is ready and waiting for you. 

So why subject yourself to such debauchery, you might ask? Well, for one thing the drive is spectacular! Right now, especially, the ice plant is red and the wildflowers are in bloom. I guess September is just a special time here; every road side pullout is packed. You can't even find a place to pull over and enjoy the view. Perhaps you've noticed I have no snaps to share. You've got to go this one on your own.

We did stop at another of your favorite haunts, Morro Bay. I don't know what it is all about any more than I know what Bandon Oregon is about. I suppose tourism is the main income source followed by some commercial fishing. The town is only somewhere around 10K and shrinking in population. That said, it is a totally cool spot to stop, visit and eat along the wharf. It is named after a huge hill-shaped rock formation in the harbor; morro in Spanish.

The morro in the distance is the namesake

Some fishing and tourist boating fills the coffers

Hey...a gals gotta eat somewhere...

...here's where we choose!

We pulled into Goleta with the intention of kicking around Santa Barbara, one of our fav spots. For starters...we were beat up from the trip down the coast. Thus, we decided to head into Santa Barbara for breakfast the next morning. Of course, it decided to rain the following AM, so we got an entirely different perspective of the city than we had before; morning rush hour. It truly is a gorgeous area and well worth spending some quality time just kicking around.

The last day of the trip took us along the coast from Santa Barbara to San Diego. We skirted LA while traveling through almost every household named romantic Cali-Seaside town: Malibu, Venice Beach, Ventura, Oxnard, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Hermosa Beach, Topanga, Sunset, Huntington, Newport, Long Beach and the list goes on...

...exhausted, we did an early dinner and crashed in San Diego.

Stay tuned...