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Yosemite morning

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Mr. Magoo

I left Fallbrook this morning after a hearty breakfast at the Fallbrook Cafe. The sweet owner, Helena, gave me cookies for the ride and wanted to make me a hot sandwich for lunch. Gratis. What a great town.

My back is locked up again, only the sacral pain has now transferred to the left side. Have a variety of lumbar pillows but seven hours in the car driving north was bound to not help things much. Stopped at the Whole Foods on Michillinda in Pasadena for a pee and bought some Cal Mag citrate, which helped last time. Popped a couple ibuprofen and torched a medicinal bowl in the Sears parking lot.

I drove through Santa Clarita and thought about how interesting the land formations are there, with all the evidence of seismic upthrust. Would be such a great area if we could get rid of all evidence of people. All was uneventful until it started to pour buckets over the Grapevine. Passed the gorgeous Vista del Lago at Pyramid Lake. All the hills were green and there was a nice sprinkling of snow near Gorman. My gas gauge was near empty and with minutes to spare pulled off at a Valero Gas Station instead of my normal Flying J at Frazer Park.  Paid exorbitant prices when I realized that I ponied up an extra 25 cents a gallon for gas while I attended to my bladder.

I got back on the freeway and braved the rain which was now coming down even harder when I realized that I was now passing a beautiful lake on my right. Well that's curious. I've been driving this road for years and I don't remember another lake?  I suddenly had the realization that I had been traveling the wrong way and had actually taken the south onramp. So I got to travel the Grapevine not once but three times for a total of an extra 46 miles. In the blinding rain.

Drove up Highway 5 until the Lost Hills exit, where James Dean met his eventual maker. Gorgeous clouds and rainbows all day, only stopped once for a picture and missed some stunning shots because I couldn't pull over. I made it to my inebriated friend Cam's shop in Salinas and will camp out here for the night.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

any further wrong turns? :.(

shawnintland said...
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Blue Heron said...

It was Honey Nuggets mixed with a pinch of Purple Wheelchair. Good Housekeeping approved!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sanoguy said...

You naughty, naughty boy!! Toking a bowl and then driving !!!!

Blue Heron said...

The herb had nothing to do with my lack of orientation!

Sanoguy said...

Just your usual disorientation, I presume???!!!!