Vegas to Cali

Vegas. What can I say about Vegas. I have been here enough that the novelty has worn off. Vegas is an old hag who has had a few too many plastic surgeries. At first she seems attractive and seductive. Then one day you wake up and she her for the ugly bitch she is! I’m not putting her down. I’m just keeping it real. I mean, at $29 a night, she is one cheap comforting whore.

I checked out the entertainment on the strip. I had seen the Treasure Island show in 2002. It was a good pirate battle as I recall. Now they have jazzed it up with showgirls and a script filled with sexual innuendo. 

Hey, I have no problem checking out hot babes. But really, the show was stupid.

I really stayed in Vegas for some necessary R&R. 

So I decided it was a good idea to get out of Vegas. I looked at the map. Weekend rates in LA were twice the price so I had a reservation for Sunday and Monday at the Safari Inn. I had two nights to waste. Barstow was a town on the map between Vegas and LA with a significantly large font. So I hit up Travelocity and made a reservation for 2 nights in Barstow. WOW! I had no idea Barstow was such a dead town. In retrospect, I found out LA people know. Mention Barstow to a person from La and the first thing you will hear out of their mouth is “meth”. Apparently Barstow is considered the town most likely for you neighbor to be a Crystal Meth dealer. What did I know? Not only that, one of the other reasons I chose Barstow is because, while looking at the map, I saw there was a ghost town nearby.

Calico was an old silver mining town. After checking out a hole in the cliff, I rode into town. 

 Right away I realized this was no ghost town, this was a fabrication. The Brady Bunch had been here (or something like it). I am pretty sure I saw photos of the Smiths here. (The Smiths were the family I was most envious of as a child. They went on lots of road trips, and took photos. My family…not so much.) 

 

Seeing this building confirmed to me that the town was bogus. It’s a copy of a house in a real ghost town in Nevada.

 

I asked the girl in the “saloon” what he deal was. She said only 4 of the buldings in the town were original. Well, it ain’t all fake. The real ghost town was in the surrounding area.

The next day I awoke wondering, “What am I gong to do? I’m in Barstow!” I decided I should go for a day trip to LA. I rode up Hollywood Blvd. I road down the Sunset strip. On Mullhalland Drive I think Bonnie fell in love.

I took a quick trip to the Ocean, then it was back to Barstow.

Finally I was ready to check into to LA. Being a huge fan of the movie ‘True Romance’ I was psyched to stay at the Safari Inn. If you don’t know what am talking about, see the movie!

 

That same day I had plans to meet up with an old college buddy. Before meeting JB, I did some laundry and hung out by the pool.

I had to work on my raccoon. What I mean by that is my facial tan. I am sporting the best pair of goggles I have ever owned (and I rip through goggles). However, this pair leaves you with a large untanned patch around the eyes. I worked ’em a bit in Vegas but the job was unfinished. I met up with Jeff in Santa Monica. We had dinner at some corner joint and I learned what an Arnold Palmer was. I thought Jeff was having some fancy drink. Turns out an Arnold Palmer is Lemonade and Iced Tea. Who knew? Apparently, everyone but me.

 

The next day I was meeting up with more friends. First Diana.

 

I went to meet Diana where she lives with her boyfriend Tim. They are in the Valley, or, “Over the Hill” (another new term for me). I left Bonnie at their place and we drove to Venice Beach. Well, Diana drove and Tim rode his bike cause he had to split to play multi-player war games later.

 I like Venice Beach. Maybe growing up in the Village during the 70’s helps. I am comfortable with the freaks of the world.

I had never looked around the canal area of Venice. I have seen it in movies. It is actually much nicer than any movie ever made it to be.

Then we went to see another old college buddy. The difference being, this guy is a Denton8tor! We lived on the same floor of a high rise dorm that, well, let’s say it had a well deserved hardcore reputation. This is me and Matt.

I thought for sure Matt would become a Sports Commentator. Surprise! Matt is a working actor in Los Angeles!

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to LA. I really enjoyed my stay but I had to move on. It can be difficult meeting friends when you are on these types of road trips. Firstly, because it takes time, and secondly because it throws you off. I like hanging with my friends a lot. I could hang out endlessly, but there are miles to cover.

I rode north on the Pacific Coast Highway. I was going to visit the Hearst Castle, but there was not enough time and I didn’t feel comfortable abandoning all my gear for that period of time.

So I continued up the coast. It’s a nice ride. It seems however that the coast is having a bit of a cold front. The high was in the low 50’s. I stopped to check out the elephant seals where this little fat guy was begging for my last piece of chicken.

The those elephant seals. I have a feeling George Lucas had a good look at these guys before creating his aliens for the bar scene in Star Wars.

This guy was moaning and groaning, begging for someone to come out and play in the water. He was getting no takers.

The sun ripped through a sliver between two sets of clouds before retiring. It was quite a site.

Campsites were filled up the coast so I stayed at a shit hole motel in Monterey. But at $35 a night for a California State Park camp site, hotels are a bargain. It is funny how you meet people on the road. I was riding through Monterey when I hear, “Hey Pat!” It was bikers from Maryland I had met the day before.

Up the coast there was this fine looking lighthouse. Pigeon Cove or something like that.

Then into San Francisco. It was definitely Frisco. A I road along the Bay I saw 6 men walking down the street totally naked. I decided not to take a picture.

I planned on just riding through, but decided to give my good old friend Nicky B a call. After riding around the city a bit I met up with Nick. Nick offered me a place to stay for the night. His wife and kids were at the ball game and I didn’t want to impose so I booked a room further north. Then the wife and kids came home. They were delightful. A real nice family. I probably should have stayed, especially as I watched her prepare a delicious home cooked meal. But the deal was done and I had a reservation to keep.

Now I am headed up the coast to the magnificent redwoods. Love those trees!