from so cal

i guess the best thing i can say is that the weather has been fabulous, great driving weather, not hot, just right. since the last post, we went from sedona's red rocks, SW across arizona and crossed into california at I10. Highway Country 101.5 FM helping us along. quite a few flowers out in the deserts, which don't at all look like the sahara desert, lots of different plants, flowers, joshua trees. it might look a lot different by the middle of the summer, but right now it's real pretty. and BIG. the spaces out here are so BIG, compared to what we have in the NY metropolitan area, it's mind-boggling.


Welcome to California, On the Road, Joshua Tree N.P.

on saturday the 9th, we drove up to death valley junction, through joshua tree NP. very unusual looking trees, like something out of an ancient geological age. sorry, no pix. this computer won't let me do it. lots of wild flowers there too. the scenery driving through the desert with big mountains on your sides and in front of you was spectacular.


Amargosa Hotel & Opera House video

so then we arrive at the amargosa opera house and hotel in death valley junction. this is an entire story in itself. the only thing happening out there is the weather. the "opera" on sat nite was the most fellini-esque event i have ever personally attended in my life; and don't forget, we were young and crazy in the 70's...

Marta Becket's Masquerade
About this video: It is pretty long, almost 13 minutes.

i was able to video the show, and you'll see for yourselves what i mean. so after the show, we were starving, but all there was at the amargosa hotel was a vending machine with fritos. fritos and whiskey, in our dumpy room, weren't going to cut it. we asked around where was the nearest place to get something to eat at 930 pm, and we found out that 7-8 miles down the road in nevada, there was a casino. so we set off. when we got there, it was saturday night in amargosa valley, so there were lots of cowboy hats, and the women were in their best bluejeans. there was also musical entertainment at the bar: a guy about our age, and his female singing companion, 50-ish. he played an electric keyboard, actually 2 of them. they had some other instrumental parts in their laptop. it was exactly like the will ferrell SNL routine. it was worth a laugh, and at least we ate. miguel won a few dollars. what a surprise.

then there was the peacock. i'll leave that for another time.

so we decided to leave death valley a day early, especially since the highway we were going to enter the park on has been closed for repairs since an august flood. anyway, kind of a blowout, but the scenery made up for it.

so as i sit here in sherman oaks at kinko's, i think it's santa monica, venice beach and malibu tomorrow.

Venice Beach, Santa Monica video

then off to santa barbara and the wine country in the hills above it. the same area as the movie sideways was filmed in. weather report is still great for the rest of our week.

gas!! how about 3.19 for an effin gallon of gas! that was the most expensive, but it's been consistently 2.50 - 2.70. goddam bush and cheney and their friends in oil.

time to go. sorry i couldn't get any pix up, will try next time. bye everybody. miss you guys.
jh