The reason I went was because I had to pick up my passport at the Federal Building in a swanky part of LA sandwiched between Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. The reason I could go was because it's finals week at my high school, and we only had a single final to give.
I needed a rush job on my passport because it expired after we'd return from our winter holiday, but not far enough after to get the visa we needed.
But, seeing as how driving is novel for me as of right now, I drove the entirety of the day, and, seeing as how I'm getting better at playing with components of the computer, I made a map-picture to explain the day's route, fully travelling into four of the five counties that comprise the Southland (or, LA Metropolitan Area if you, like my blog text editor, don;t appreciate the whole "Southland" title).
So, first, the graphic:
Now the explanation: above, Numbers 1 and 6 are the same, our place in Long Beach, in LA County. We started off the day at home, where I drove down the Pacific Coast Highway to Corrie's office, in Newport Beach, Number 2, a drive that took an hour. Corrie's been driving down the coast into Orange County for some time now; even with all the stoplights, it's still more sane than taking the 405.
After about an hour at the office in Newport, we headed out to Glendale, taking CA Rt 55 to I-5. Glendale it nestled up there at Number 3. Corrie had an appointment at the Glendale city hall that we weren't sure how long would take, so I dropped her off and took surface streets to Wilshire and Veteran Ave, the site of the Federal Building, Number 4 above.
From Number 3 to Number 4, on surface streets, both ways, took an hour each way. Guess how long the novelty took to wear off...
After picking up Corrie we headed off to Chino, Number 5 above, a town known for being a great place to raise kids, a suburban enclave surrounded by desert and bordered by a freeway on one side and the prison on the other. I guess relatively inexpensive housing and mostly white neighbors make folks clamor for that sweet suburban life. It seemed pretty boring to me, but what do I know? Another trip to a city hall...
On the way to Chino, while driving along I-210, which turns into CA Rt 210, we passed into San Bernadino County, and on the way home, from Number 5 above to Number 6, which is our place, we passed into Riverside County. That drive took us along Rt 71 to CA Rt 91--AKA the Artesia Freeway--one of the main arterials in the Southland. From there it was an easy drive against traffic through the outskirts of Riverside County and all the way across tiny Orange County, before catching the 710 south, getting home after dusk.
I'd spent the majority of the day driving around greater Los Angeles, seeing many different facets of the beast, and visiting LA, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties--sorry Ventura, we missed you (LA Metro is generally considered comprised of five counties, Ventura and the ones I visited today).
Figure 8s through the brain, folks...driving all day and barely getting anywhere...but somehow seeing so much...
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