San Diego to Santa Monica

Trip Start Jul 28, 2006
1
5
20
Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of United States  , California,
Monday, July 31, 2006

Time to head north and east. I divide Monday into parts because I can only post one map pin per listing. Therefore, I need a couple of listings to map my true course.

Here is the beginning of Monday's timeline.

6:00 AM
Muffins for breakfast in the Quality Inn breakfast bar.

7:00
Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral a couple of blocks from the hotel.

7:45
Depart hotel 20_SMSign
20_SMSign
 .

8:45
Only traveled sixteen miles due to a tractor trailer dumping its load on I-5.

9:15
Finally driving free!

9:45
Pass San Onofre and San Clemente.

To calm my aggravated nerves, I decide to head to Route 1 - Beach Cities. Great decision. The beach villages are quite funky and cool: Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, etc.

10:45
Gas stop in Huntington Beach.

11:15
Drive through Long Beach. Quite ugly. Decide to bail out and head for Santa Monica via I-710 to I-405 to I-10 21_BubbaGump
21_BubbaGump
 .

Noon - 1:30
Arrival at Santa Monica Pier. Eat the worst hamburger and worst fries ever at the Harbor Grill on the pier.

1:50
I-405 merges into I-5.

2:00
Pass Magic Mountain.

2:10
Start climbing mountain pass. Angeles National Forest. Elevation 2,000 feet. Mostly sand colored rocks.

2:25
Elevation 3,000 feet.

2:30
Tejon Pass, elevation 4,144 feet.

2:40
Level off and start descent 22_SMBeach
22_SMBeach
 . Stay clear of runaway truck lane. Sacramento 300 miles away.

4:00
200 miles to Sacramento.

4:45 - 5:00
Gas and bathroom break

6:00
Highway splits for San Francisco or Sacramento.

6:25
Pass through Stockton.

7:10
Now in Sacramento looping NW towards I-80. I glimpse at the compass and start yelling, "Give me an E!" Finally, the "E" appears. I'm heading east. I'm heading towards home. Shouts of joy; great emotional boost.

7:30 - 8:00
Dinner at the Denny's Diner in Newcastle, CA 23_SMPier
23_SMPier
 . Interesting concept. They have all the usual Denny's breakfast items, but only offer sandwiches and burgers; no entrees.

Reno is 100 miles away, elevation 1,000 feet.

6:20
Elevation 2,000 feet. Here we go again. Another mountain climb. My ears are getting tired of popping.

8:30
Elevation 3,000 feet.

8:45
Elevation 5,000 feet. I am now driving the Donner Pass in the dark. Cool, but scary. Start to descend.

9:30
Out of the mountains. See the neon lights of Reno. Awesome. Very cool.

9:45
Arrival at Eldorado Hotel & Casino

Total miles: 668.

10:30
First twenty dollars lost to a slot machine.

11:00
Pass out in the comfy bed.
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