After pulling out of Hollister we took the #46 to Fresno and ended up on the #5 to L.A. There were some interesting sights along the way, but perhaps the most impressive was the highway. Awesome! There was very little traffic, and it was four lanes of changing countryside all the way. Farming, oil rigs, pistachio and almond farms, horse facilities, vineyards… just about anything you can imagine you will see along this stretch of road. Except the ocean of course. 🙂
A few miles out of L.A. We went over the Taejon Pass. To begin with it did not look like much, but the elevation is 4,100′. We had to pull over and let the air out of the sleep number so it didn’t go “BANG” with the altitude changes. We learned about that on an earlier trip over the Salmo when it almost popped. Read the instruction manual kids! Lol.
Well I had no idea what to expect when we came into the L.A area. After we passed Six Flags and Magic Mountain, it was getting dark and the freeways were starting to back up. Did you know the L.A area has a population of over 18,000,000????? Seriously? I guess they must really enjoy bumper to bumper traffic, because I think they all hit every freeway at the same time. Welcome to L.A. “How Do You Like Me So Far?”
Thanks to Google Maps…. (YEAH FOR GOOGLE….), it basically walked us right up to the doorway of where we were headed. My very dear friend from FB, MaryAlice. We have been talking for years and I had no idea what she looked like. Her profile pic, as most of you know is a purple flower or something. So TA DA …. I now know what she looks like now 😉
She had given us directions to park in a compound behind her office. Perfect! Doug had just backed in when MaryAlice and her husband Terry arrived. When she got out of the car… my heart stopped, as did Doug’s. (I will explain in a moment).
The minute we met, it was so neat! I wasn’t meeting a stranger… I was hugging a friend I have known for years. Oh I can not tell you how wonderful it was to meet the two of them.
It was getting late, so we quickly set up and they took us to one of their favorite haunts for dinner. I’ve never had pulled pork before….and I have to tell you it was so good I could have eaten there every night for a month.
(The night before we left actually, we returned with her sister Lois, son Curtis and Grand kids. What a great family!!!! The portions of meals at this place was off the chain. As you can tell from MaryAlice’s prime rib and Doug’s side order of Chilly Cheese Fries)!
These souls have the most fantastic sense of humor. At one point I spit my coffee all over the table for fear of choking. All kidding aside, Terry needs to be on some game show like Jeopardy. He knows everything about everything, and hardly takes a breath telling you one did ya know from the next did ya know……… We roared!
Terry is “THE” walking breathing Human GOOGLE! ( I checked… I really did).
MaryAlice is feisty, intelligent and extremely hilarious! Listening to the two of them felt like being home. Our sides hurt from laughing so much! Best of all… we immediately felt like family!!!!!
MaryAlice and Terry had made a lot of plans to show us around L.A. For the next few days and we were told that tomorrow night we were to dress semi formal as they were taking me someplace special for my birthday. Anticipation! We said good night, and made plans to set out the following day.
When we were alone in the unit… Doug said he felt so bad for me. He too had seen what I did. How could you miss it. This beautiful vibrant witty woman, looked just like my mom! She dresses the same, laughs the same, has the same mannerisms and is a loving and tenacious woman. Everyone has a twin somewhere they say. I guess I just met my moms. Fascinating!
Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings when I can see where we are when it is light out 🙂
Farming, oil rigs, pistachio and almond farms, horse facilities, vineyards… just about anything you can imagine you will see along this stretch of road. Except the ocean of course. 🙂
After we passed Six Flags and Magic Mountain, it was getting dark and the freeways were starting to back up. Did you know the L.A area has a population of over 18,000,000????? Seriously? I guess they must really enjoy bumper to bumper traffic, because I think they all hit every freeway at the same time. Welcome to L.A. “How Do You Like Me So Far?”
I’ve never had pulled pork before….and I have to tell you it was so good I could have eaten there every night for a month. 
The portions of meals at this place was off the chain. As you can tell from MaryAlice’s prime rib and Doug’s side order of Chilly Cheese Fries)!