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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Humming right along ... up I-5

freeway trafficYesterday I spent seven-plus hours participating in that uniquely American ritual known as the post-holiday-freeway-death defying - trek-home.  Before President Eisenhower decided to link the country with a system of inter-connected highways, most people rarely ventured very far from home.  It just wasn't worth the wear and tear on the body, either your own or the automobile's.

Back in the old days, each state had its own unique road system and thus, it was any man's guess as to how to get home, unless he was adept at reading a sextant and a compass.

Ike decided a country as great - and as BIG - as this one needed a unified interstate, transcontinental, road system.  And that is, at least tangentially how I came to be humming north on I-5 yesterday, the day after a national holiday, among all the other motorists of dubious judgment who decided to risk life and limb out on the interstate.

And, of course, that term (interstate) is also a misnomer in this case, as you can drive nearly 1,000 miles on I-5 with out ever leaving the state of California.

Those who are not familiar with California's Central Valley truly have no idea of how vast it is.  It is well over five hundred miles long, and I drove over four hundred miles of its length in a little over seven hours.

I could have done it in six and a half perhaps, but again, it was July 5th and every third person in the state was either on I-5, stopping at one of the rest areas, and always at the same time I was there; or they were at one of the gas stations, where I was attempting to fill up the Buick's tank; or they were in line ahead of me at one of the fast-food establishments which intermittently line I-5, where I was attempting fill up my own tank.  I'm just saying...

It was a zoo, with the occasional gridlock thrown in just for grins and giggles.  I was doing neither.  Besides dead skunks, lazily circling hawks and the odd snake here and there, there is not a lot of wild life on or near I-5.

Unless, of course, you consider the wild-life whizzing by you at approximately 90 mph, between the lanes, with their motor cycle helmets of blackened plastic just daring you to try to make eye contact.

I saw a big rig blow a tire and burn out it's brakes just as we hit the bottom of the Grapevine (the harrowing pass over the mountains that one must traverse before Southern California allows you to leave.)  If you survive the exit-test of the Grapevine, then you are free to mosey (at 75 to 90 miles per hour) on up to Bakersfield, Fresno, etc. until at last you come to little old Cow Town, the less-than-affectionate name which Angelenos call Sacramento.

Buttonwillow, Tulare, Pasa Robles, Los Banos, they roll by like so many snapshots in a view finder.  Andrea Bocelli belted out some beauties on the stereo as I buzzed North.  The temperature outside the Buick varied, although the spectrum yesterday spanned only from 102 to 106.

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Why would any sane person, giving myself the benefit of the doubt, do this?  Well, I believe it has something to do with getting to spend several days with my daughter and the grandchildren, including on July 4th, attending the Laverne annual fireworks display.  The fireworks were so awe-inspiring that I actually saw Parker sit still for five whole minutes at one stretch.  Awesome!

Hope your holiday was a good one, and that you are safe and sound at home. ...Marsha

11 comments:

  1. Seeing that big rig have all those problems must have been very stressful. We always pray before we set out on the highway. A safe trip is nothing I ever take for granted. Glad you had a great holidy with your "kids"!

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  2. I always try to avoid the interstates for the freedom and personality of the state and country roads. Much more enjoyable. Sounds like you had a wonderful 4th!

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  3. I'm glad you made it hom safely! Those big rigs scare me the most when I'm on the road. But I agree with you- it's all worth it to see the people we love.

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  4. I have no idea how many times I hummed right along that same highway... a lot! From Pasadena, to Santa Barbara, to San Francisco, and all points in the middle. Now I live in Texas, and humming along the 600 miles from Dallas to El Paso is not nearly as exciting! I love the California coastline drive... maybe not the weekend of the 4th quite as much as other times. :)

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  5. Ah, if I had any thoughts about moving to California ...

    I just spent 2 weeks in Ft. Worth. The traffic there about drove me crazy coming from the town of 6,000 that I live in. The population of the whole county is only 8,500! There were that many people between traffic lights in F.W.!

    But I agree with Rosslyn: we'll do that to see family. And it's worth it. wb

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  6. Such an amazing post, Marsha. I'm sooo glad you spent the holiday with your beautiful family!

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  7. Yes, the only reason to brave the dreaded interstate driving (especially the grapevine) would be dear children and grandchildren... I'm glad you made it home safely, if not sanely!

    Blessings, Debbie

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  8. After the I-5 Grapevine or 58 east from Tehachapi into BakersField we use the 99 to get North then cut over to the I-5 via the 120 to go through Sac. The 99 has more 3 lane parts and many more places to get gas and eat. As a kid I traveled with my dad from Long Beach to Portland on the old 99( a forever drive). More often he used the 395 which was then faster.

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  9. Oh my goodness, Marsha! I don't think ole Ike had any idea how many cars would be clogging those freeways! I am very familiar with I-5, and it can be a nightmare. The 405 is no picnic either. I remember one Memorial Day weekend I drove my son back to UCLA - a one-hour trip that took 2 1/2 hours. Then drove up the 15 to visit my fiancee - a 1 1/2 hour trip that took 3 1/2 hours. Yes, love/hate our freeway system in California. And DO NOT get me started about the 91 freeway here in Southern California!

    But, family is always worth it, huh?! Glad to hear you had a great time!

    GOD BLESS!

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  10. I decided I what to follow you to see where you go!I LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE ANIMALS ON THE ROAD.OUR FAMILY FACED DEATH IN THE FACE AT THE END OF JUNE. MY SON AND GRANDSONS WENT ON A FISHING TRIP [ INCLUDING COUSINS,BUT ALL BETWEEN THE AGES OF 6&17 AND MY SON ] BUT ON THE WAY HOME A GUARDIAN ANGLE INTERVENED ON OUR FAMILY'S PART AND SPARED THERE LIVES FROM A DRUNKEN DRIVER WHO CAME OUT OF NO WHERE ON A RAIN SLICK ROAD AT MIDNIGHT ON A CURVE-MY SON AVOIDED GETTING HIT HEAD ON BY A WRONG WAY DRTIVER AND NOW I SAY IT IN PRINT THANK YOU GOD--OH I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAPS KEY-MY BRAIN FORGETS TO TURN IT OFF.

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  11. It was just a Fourth of July weekend. You should try the drive on the Sunday night after Thanksgiving. Or on Christmas Day. Now THAT'S fun.

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