Wanted to visit a lifelong friend about an hour northeast of San Diego. I'm on the central coast, that means the center of CA. So, I knew it was going to a 5-hour drive, and at least a couple of heart attacks and near life and death misses.
So, I turned on my Google GPS....
Take the 101 south, the 154 north, reconnect to the 101 south towards Pasadena (don't stop for the Rose Bowl), keep straight on the 210 east, right on the CA 57, left on the CA 91 east (oh boy, all you folks down-under know what a stall that one is), right on the I-15 towards Barstow heading towards San Diego. Yakity-yak!
Somewhere along one of those interchanges was what appeared to be cars driving up from out of the ground. Dark green mountains on both sides were pretty, but you better not look! I had to keep my eyes on the horizon not to get vertigo looking over the guard rails and the spaghetti knots of interchanges far beneath us.
Except for the 101 parts of the drive, there is absolutely nowhere to exit without sling-shotting out of the solar system and never getting back on. Seriously, no gas stations, no service or food signs, no potty breaks! You better not drink coffee before taking this drive.
I told my life-long friend, "Nice knowing ya", then spent the first night dreaming and twitching about the return drive. Mrs. Bear navigated with her pad, I had my phone directing me, and absolutely no radio or conversation beyond "Stay in your left two lanes next two 2 miles ahead". Gotta cross over 5 lanes between relentless convoys of trucks. White-knuckling, heart-pounding, air-gasping hour upon hour of sheer near death.
My friend and I have known each other since HS. His wife and I since Jr High. They also knew Mrs. Bear when she was just a cubby. We spent three full days laughing it up and then preparing to die on our return trip. Ugh! |
