Day 6: Stalking San Francisco

Miles: 430
Drive time: 7:42
Number of times we complained about California Drivers: 17
Number of times they complained about us: We think zero. Clearly.

This was our last day of real driving.  We are both kind of surprised (we made it? How?) and kind of ok (it hurts to sit down).  We started off in historic (just kidding!) Barstow CA, and did hard driving across California through some serious desert and mountains (note: CA is a big state that is primarily desert and mountains. Apparently everyone lives in SF, which is why I could not get an apartment), finally arriving on the BEAUTIFUL pacific coast highway. Wow.  Just wow.  Because CA is so big, we decided to stop about 45 minutes outside of SF, where we have a hotel on the half moon bay and can smell the water.  It smells like new car!

I kid. It smells like my new home :).

But I digress.  On this particular day we talked about the many mysteries we have observed on our cross-country trek.  And because we care, we recorded these mysteries for you, our lovely readers, to enjoy and ponder with us.  You are welcome!

1. When did Elvis get fat? And why are there no photos/jumpsuits of Fat Elvis at Graceland anymore (there were when my mom's bridge ladies visited years ago).  Behold: Thin and Fat Elvis -

2. Why are the clouds out west flat and smeary, versus light and puffy (eastern clouds)?

3. Why are there no restaurant chains called "Local Side of the Road BBQ - Right On The Highway!" so that you can easily find BBQ when you need it? Yes, this is a genius business idea. Just wait till mom and I get going!

4. What's up with all of the oversized load trucks? Send stuff by train!

5. Why do all of the trucks get into the left lane, when clearly there is no one to pass.  Do they hate us?

6. What does AZ seem to have several state lines? With equally bad signs?

7. Where were all of the Texas Rangers and Arizona cactus? We feel cheated.

8. Why is California so big? And why does it seem to always have gas issues? You never hear about Virginia having pipeline problems.

9. Are we there yet?

10. Where do truckers go at night? When do they sleep?

11. Does Arizona not actually understand what the word "forest" means? (See the petrified forest for details)

12. What's up with all of the road work?

13. Why do lottery/ATM/liquor always seem to go together?

14. Why does the road to nowhere (every highway through the desert in CA) not have a speed limit of at least 75? Dude - NO ONE IS DRIVING SLOWER THAN 80 BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING OUT HERE.
(except windmill farms)

15. How long are trains?

16. Is mom really southern? (Cousin Jenny from Georgia pointed out that good BBQ places will use a fire pit and real wood to produce said good BBQ, and if they don't have those, it ain't real.  I asked Mom why she didn't know that and she dodged the question. Also, her teeth seem real so...no scurvy as a child. It holds up that maybe she isn't really southern!)

So, with that we will roll into San Francisco tomorrow to pick up the keys to my apartment and officially arrive "home."  It will be nice not to drive so far anymore (we have averaged 500 miles a day - and some of it was very hard driving through Tennessee storms and Arkansas darkness), and also nice to finally have a place to call my own after over three months of being essentially homeless. 

There will be more to come before I shut this blog down again...so stay tuned! Photos, an update on PringleGate 2012, all of these things and so much more!