Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

California

No Hat Rack

No Hat Rack

When we come to California, we find several cultural differences from those in Arizona. One example is that when we go to a restaurant or even to the dentist, they have a rack for us cowboy types to hang our hats. Not so much in California, where sun worship and skin cancer reign.

The only hotel in this area where we can take our dogs is an antiquated property which, by all rights, should have a hat rack in the rooms, has none. Thus, I have to improvise with where I hang my hat when not in use. Click on the image to enlarge.

14 Jul 2014 by California Culture

Mammoth on the Hill

Mammoth

While we were driving along SR 60 going through California on Monday, we passed this metallic mammoth adorning one of the Jarupa Hills near Riverside.

We see a lot of metallic sculpture when we’re in Arizona, some of it around town and some in the Arizona Outback between Wickenburg and Brenda just before getting on I-10 from US 60. We have seen dinosaurs, horses, a stagecoach and various other sculptures during our travels. Always entertaining. Click on the image to enlarge.

20 Jun 2014 by Arts California Photography Travel

Home Sweet Home

Welcome

We are safely back home after our productive trip to California. Just across the state line, we pass this welcome sign that energizes us for the next 100+ miles to home. After a four and a half hour drive from the old house, we are always happy to be back in the jurisdiction of a free state.

At this point of our trip, we have a few miles to Quartzsite where we refuel for the rest of the trip with more-reasonably-priced gas (than California’s outrageous $4 per gallon prices) and after refueling, we have just about 12 miles or so until we can get off of Idiot Interstate-10 to join US 60 the rest of the way across the Arizona Outback before entering the Hassayampa River Valley and home.

18 Jun 2014 by Arizona California

HOV Lane

HOV Lane

HOV or High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on California’s Freeways are supposed to be reserved for vehicles with occupancy of 2 or more. When we travel to our former state, we meet their criterion for HOV lane occupancy. Using those lanes gets us around some of the congestion which is rampant throughout urban areas. It cuts our travel time by, perhaps, a half hour out of six hours total travel time.

Some of our fellow travelers seem to equate the so-called Diamond Lane, not with High Occupancy, but with High Speed. While We might be a couple of MPH over the posted speed limit, some of the drivers get right up on our tailgate trying to get us to go faster. Of course, it does them little good, since I have the cruise control set to maintain a speed such as to not attract undue attention to law enforcement.

Some of the drivers get it, and fall back to match our speed. Others, however, have a road rage incident where they pull out to the right and pass us, cutting us off as they pull in ahead of us and speed on down the road. Of course, when we’re on the road, we drive defensively and slow down to let the idiots kill themselves and not get us involved.

We’re in K-stan tonight and tomorrow and Damsel and I look forward to heading back to Free Arizona on Wednesday.

16 Jun 2014 by California Degenerates Travel

California Agriculture Checkpoint

California Agriculture Checkpoint

When we crossed over the Colorado River last week, we drove through California’s Agriculture Station, as usual on I-10 going into Blythe. The interesting thing about this encounter is that there were NO checkpoint agents waving us through as is the norm. We crossed through at a little after eleven AM and saw no agents manning any of the open lanes. Nada. On our return trip passing eastbound across from the station we again did not observe any agents – cars were just passing through.

I nosed around on the CDFA website a bit and could not find any reference to budget cuts having to do with lack of personnel. Moreover, these stations have been and continue to be a complete waste of taxpayer money.

Many times we have gone through this checkpoint and the most the agent ever did was ask where we were coming from. How that keeps agricultural pests out of Cali is beyond me. Until this time where no agents were present, we would usually get a wave through with no questions asked. Talk about a useless job and waste of travelers’ time.

What gripes me, is that I still pay property tax on the old house that supports this sort of nonsense. Within a year, I think that we well be out of that property altogether.

Damsel took the photo of the station on Tuesday last. Click on the image to enlarge.

02 Jun 2014 by California Travel Whacko Politics

Guarding the Big House

Guarding the big houseThis is a photo of the front window in the big California house with the dogs standing guard to potentially bark at whatever might come down the semi-busy street. Beethoven, the little red dog by the window looked back to see what I was doing as I took the photo; Cabela the little blue dog camped on the couch cushion, waits until the little red dog sees something before springing into action.

There is considerably more activity here than at the little desert house and the dogs get busy making sure that every “threat” gets barked away. Events include others in the neighborhood walking their dogs or baby strollers and all that “dangerous” stuff.

Other attributes of the big house is that it is BIG; our little desert home is around 1300 square feet while this place is over 2600 square feet, upstairs and downstairs. It is twice the romping room and both dogs enjoy bounding up and down the staircase.

All that activity concludes tomorrow as we pack up and head back to Arizona as early in the morning as we are able. Don’t worry about the dogs, though, they have plenty of entertainment in the desert barking at cottontails, jackrabbits, javelina and the occasional coyote.

We’re all looking forward to heading back in the morning now that our business is finished here. Click on the image to enlarge.

19 Oct 2013 by California Critters Photography

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