Sunday, September 19, 2021

I have no (good) words for LA...

Tuesday, September 14, 2021 THE LAST DAY OF OUR ROUTE 66 DRIVE

We spent the last night of our trip, before ending in Santa Monica, in Hesperia, CA, which is just down the road from Victorville, CA, neither of which you have probably heard of. I only know of Victorville because my next oldest sibling (sister) Valerie lives and works there. I haven't seen her for about three years (Aside: How do I know that? Because I did a search on my phone for where Victorville was, and Google maps, in its infinite wisdom and memory [and you're worried about implanted microchips???] told me I had visited Victorville three years ago.) so I called and asked if we could get together for dinner. Nothing like a last minute request! We had a very nice dinner together. But we didn't take any pictures!

Moving on, literally, we headed for the Santa Monica Pier the next morning. According to Google maps it would normally take a little over two hours for the drive. But we are doing Route 66 so no shortcuts allowed. It took us a bit more than six hours. Randy drove the whole way (normally we switch off every hour or hour and a half) so I could navigate. I have a slightly (!) better grasp of Google maps, Waze, Gas Buddy, and the phone in general so Randy nominated me for full-time navigator. Gee, thanks, Randy.

The first part was largely on I15 from Hesperia until a turnoff to Cleghorn Rd. It was all downhill (in all senses of the word) from there on.

This is the app we used to navigate Route 66.
This is the second Madonna of the Trail that we saw (the other, one of 12, was in Albuquerque), this one  is in Upland, CA.
Words pretty much fail me for describing the experience of driving on "surface" roads in Los Angeles so I'll show you some of the photos I took while this "experience" was happening to us. I'm (Randy says he's glad, too, not sure I believe him about the six hour drive through the greater LA area) glad we did it, but the last day is not one I want to repeat (and I KNOW Randy agrees with me on that statement!).

Note that the speed limit is 50!!!
One of the grittier parts, just after we got off I15 on Cleghorn Rd.
And one of the prettier parts of Route 66 through Los Angeles (the towns all run together so it's impossible for me to know exactly which town this is in).
Old motel...
...with some beautiful art built-in.
The Pasadena Rose Parade goes down this road.
It's not all old stuff!
You may think this is a saguaro garden on Route 66 in LA but there is nary a saguaro there. Can't survive the LA weather!
I will say one positive thing for the LA area: They really love to put up Route 66 signs! These are just a sampling of what we saw on our drive down to the Santa Monica Pier.




And my favorite Route 66 sign of all times:
LA's version of the Wigwam Motel. Not nearly as interesting as the one in Holbrook: No old cars that I could see!
And so it ends.
Santa Monica Pier. We kept making wrong turns but finally got to a place where there was a parking garage.


We wanted to eat here but Randy realized he had forgotten his wallet in the car. Wrong. He had forgotten his wallet ON the car. It was still there when he went back. Phew!

This is Randy trudging back from going back to the garage to get his wallet. That was sitting, in plain sight, ON the car. Did I mention he left his wallet in plain sight ON the car?

Well, yes, this is the sign on the Santa Monica Pier for the End of the Trail but it isn't the REAL, original end of Route 66.    

This is the original end of Route 66, the intersection of Olympic and Lincoln in Santa Monica.

And so it ends. Until the next time we go on the road! Thanks for "listening" to me these past few weeks.

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