Road trip part 1: Freeways, bookstore, museum and family

The drive down to Pasadena was nerve rattling at both ends but the long middle part was placid if boring. My freeway defensive driving skills came back very quickly and the drive went well and I made great time.

All that was new on the drive from a year and a half ago was that in the alternate universe part of Kern County along I-5 there are now Trump Vance signs to go with the fading signs that say things like “Build more dams - Stop manmade droughts”. Those type of signs are in the arid areas where some landowners want to continue to grow very thirsty almond trees, etc. and continue to have lots of water supplied to them - at least as I understand the long standing water wars. Then the gas station I stopped at had several cases of rifles and other guns plus a wide range of hunting knives prominently displayed on the way to the restroom. All I can say is “I definitely wasn’t in Berkeley anymore.” 

Got to Pasadena mid afternoon and had a nice long catch up with my son before my DIL came home and then a good visit with both. Today as they are both busy I walked to the ultra nice Target close by to by a couple of random kitchen things on my list plus Halloween cards for the Grandgirls. 

I guess that means I’m a mystery!

My vacation souvenir. Overpriced as all good souvenirs are lol.

Then I walked to Vromans bookstore which wasn’t open yet but there coffee shop was so I got some and then (ad a nice chat with a woman sitting next to me who was also on a road trip by herself but started from Portland, OR. I also chatted with a man who had his 2 year old Belgian Shepherd/Husky mix dog with him and got some dog pets in. After an hour in Vromans I only walked put with an overpriced candle for myself and photos of books to request from the library (see the covers below). That store gets an A++ for merchandising and I could spend a lot there. I didn’t even go to the 2nd floor.

After lunch I’m going to walk to the Pacific Asian Museum and get an art museum fix while I’m in the big city. My road trip mini-vacation is good so far.