California or Bust

Mileage 198341

Monday morning and I don't have to go to work… I am really beginning to like this concept. Today we are driving Barstow to Santa Monica… our final day on Route 66. *sigh* We found the signs painted on the road and were able to take a few pictures. I am pleased. We grab breakfast at this little place called the Palms Café. In honor of it being my last breakfast on Route 66 I have the biscuits and gravy. I shall miss it. The land here is again pretty desolate. I was reading one of my Route 66 books and they talked about how disheartened many of the people that were traveling out here during the dust bowl must have been when they crossed the Colorado River into California and discovered, not the land of milk and honey they had been told about, but hundreds of more miles of desert. There is so much history in these little patches of pavement. So many people with so many dreams travelled along this route. That is the one main theme in all of the Route 66 materials I have read. People with dreams of settling in CA to make a home or dreams of vacations or dreams of just a better place then where they were coming from.

We have finally arrived in the LA area. We drive down Route 66 and it is pretty updated. There is less Kitsch but it is nice to see what Route 66 would look like if it were built today. The car is telling us we need to change the oil so we stop for a quick oil change and then continue our path. I noticed that along our route lies San Dimas. Now for you Bill and Ted fans out there this is a little geekfest for me. I beg Bill to drive us down by the High School so that I can get a picture of the sign. When we get there guess what… There is NO sign. Now knowing that there are a lot of Keanu Reeve haters out there it disappoints me but does not surprise me. So I take a picture of the building and sadly move on. Goodbye San Dimas, thanks for the memories.

So far I am not impressed with California. I have been to California for conventions and have never much liked the people or places I have seen. It's too expensive and for the same things I can get at home. Only time will tell if California can win me over.

Check Flickr for more pictures... off to see if I can find a Chik'fil'a breakfast. LOL