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Thursday, May 25, 2023
"Then straight out Wilshire Boulevard to the La Brea Tar Pits.."
San Bernardino to Santa Monica, California
Just 75 miles as the Google Map flies, but it's a real test of endurance when
you do the whole thing WITHOUT using any freeways! 5 hours of stop and go to be
exact.
Woo, cloudy day here in not-so-sunny Southern California; I love the wooden
Indian pointing towards the office; Mark slaps a sticker onto the reception
window just seconds before the manager jerks open the door to invite us inside.
We didn't do nothin'! ;p
Finally anticipating the one-meal-a-day policy, I have a famous breakfast place
picked out to break up our long slog from stoplight to stoplight: "Stacks
on 66 a.k.a. Flappy Jacks". It's a waffle and coffee for Mark and an omelet
and pancakes for me. OK, now I can face the day.
Our route took us past the
extremely funky
Aztec Hotel in Monrovia. Do they sacrifice every 10th hotel guest?
Corner of Lotus and Colorado Boulevard coming into Pasadena along
palm-tree-lined streets. Looks like the prevailing winds come from the north.
After a few missed turns, we finally find ourselves on the 110, the fabled 1940
Arroyo Seco Parkway - the first "freeway" built west of the Mississippi.
Intended for the slower speeds of the day, the Seco features narrow lanes,
impossibly-slow off ramps and swooping overhead arch bridges. Uh-oh. The 101 or
the 5. Which way? Finally, our exit for Sunset Blvd.
The Chairman of the Welcoming Committee is out to greet us as we pass Beverly
Hills at Doheny; Beverly Hills put up their own swank version of the Route 66
sign here on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Now from the Department of Redundancy Department, a caution
sign. Finally. The Pacific Ocean. Santa Monica Pier. 2,448 miles covered. Great
Lakes to the Pacific. Two Brothers. We DID it!
Grab the selfie-stick, park somewhere, and let's get some pictures.
Journey's end. With our backs to the ocean. Doesn't my brother look a little
like Stewart Copeland?
Walking down to the pier; nice sandy beaches; florescent confusion; just
touristing. OK, back to the car.
Mark is so thrilled to find our Ford Edge not stolen or stripped, he celebrates
by slapping a sticker on the parking meter!
It's 1 pm. Way too early to check in. Did I mention
La Brea tar pits
earlier? Well, I want to go there and Mark wants to visit the
Petersen, so let's hop on the 10 and get
moving.
Mark finds a free parking spot just around the corner! Atta boy. We arrive just
as a docent is interpreting the Lake Pit for a group of people. We listen and
watch. And it's free! (we don't bother to visit the nearby museum).
Next is Mark's de rigueur visit to the Petersen Car Museum just a few blocks
away. Pay parking for that, but great entertainment as our slot is right next to
the Tesla charging station. Kinda fun watching all those glum people standing
around -- electric car not so sexy now, is it?? Enjoy your 45 minute fill
up!!
Lots of COLOR in the TV/Movie section of the museum including a Starsky & Hutch
Gran Torino, Scooby Doo Mystery Machine, Lightning McQueen and this crazy
striped Porsche -- WOW!
And THAT my friends concludes my Route 66 trip marathon. Nothing left but an
overnight stay at La Quinta Inn and flying home the next day -- all mostly
uneventful.
Thanks for your patience digesting all of this and Happy Trails from two, old
road warriors who got their kicks on Route 66!
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