7/22/09 3:29am
I can’t believe how life changing this trip has been already. When I left you I was digesting some delicious bacon in L.A. and now I write lying on an air mattress in the beautiful Isla Vista, an adjacent of Santa Barbara. The past few days have proven to be everything I wanted, so I will recount them as best as I can recall…
Shortly after breakfast when I last wrote, Destiny and I met up with Auren and Jonathon and their friend who became our friend Sid. We drove out to Hermosa Beach, which took 3 hours in ridiculous traffic, but we got there in time to jump in the water once (a feat that took some major convincing on my part) and have a few drinks and a good talk; took a drive back to Sid and his many roommates’ house in Redondo Beach, got into party dresses, and headed out to a few bars near Hollywood. The Velvet Margarita had crazy patio dancing and The Room had crazy expensive shots leaving the parking garage to be my favorite memory of the night. After bar close we headed back to the car, I peed in yet another parking garage in my life, we took some pulls of a bottle of Seagram’s, and Destiny convinced Jonathon that we should lift the gate ourselves instead of paying our fare. He obliged immediately causing a security guard ruckus and the Saab’s ban from that parking garage. Ever again. Too funny. We crashed at stranger-to-friend Travis’ apartment that he was house sitting. I shared a floor with some cats but I got some chicken fingers and afterhours pizza so the night was a success.
The next morning Destiny and I woke earlier than everyone else (not uncommon after a late night) and took a walk around Detroit St. and the surrounding area. I saw up close the largest wacky inflatable arm-flailing tube men in the world. They are actually quite terrifying and loud, but still fun J. Returned to the apartment to find the boys mostly awake so we continued our day. This time we headed to the beach at a reasonable time, giving us the opportunity to soak up some much needed sun and enjoy more stranger-to-friend time with Sid, Travis, and now Garret as well as the original foursome of vagabonds. Sean found us and we had a great reunion of the five minds who decided that life was ours to create. Then it was back to Redondo Beach to get ready for a Friday night out in the Hermosa area. We arrived at the house and had a quick pick up game of basketball where I made the first jump shot of my life! Then as we wound through the back door we discovered the pool and water slide that was originally unmentioned and of course jumped straight in. Walked inside to meet more roommates, one of which is the e-author of an e-book that teaches women how to talk dirty to their men. I am all about sexual liberation for women and the removal of archetypes and double standards but I don’t know how I feel about allowing a man to define what is sexy and what our sexuality should be…I digress, the book was entertaining at least and now I am part of the email list sexiness. Headed out to Hermosa pier to a bar where Jonathon and Destiny split from me. After an hour I realized I was surrounded by strangers and decided to go where I knew people so I called up a few Cali friends and tried to find my way out to Hollywood. The VERY generous cab driver pulled over when I told him my location and informed me that my cab ride would be 70 dollars and that I should just find out where my friends there were. I found them and headed to an afterhours party where I fell asleep immediately. On the way home Auren and I stopped at Carl’s Jr/Green Burrito and got one of the most delicious burritos of my life then promptly fell asleep on the couch.
The next morning was funny because dirty e-author Adam was having a yard sale so the passed out vagrants on the couch became a spectacle for prospective buyers. We didn’t scare too many away thankfully. I woke early, put on my swimsuit top, and fell asleep on the back deck by the pool while I soaked in some vitamin d and listened to the gardener garden. Jumped in the pool when the others woke up and we discussed our upcoming journey to San Diego. After all was decided, two girls and four guys piled into a car for an intensely uncomfortable hour and a half drive south. We arrived and searched for a hotel, hostel, or couch to sleep on. We thought our luck had run out so we went to a hotel to pay too much for two single beds. Right as we were about to process the transaction my big brother’s friend Blake who was in San Diego for work called me and graciously offered to share his downtown, 5-star hotel room with us. Let me side-step the story to mention how awestruck I am by the generosity of friends. I only hope that I am a good enough friend that I could elicit this kind of response in a time of need. Back to the tale, after accepting this amazing offer we found the first beach we could and smoked hookah, watched the sunset, and played two-on-two football where I was MVP and game winning quarterback! After showering and getting ready for a night in the gas lamp district, Blake invited us out to chill with him and a few work friends. We started at a tavern and ended at a club and it was all amazingly fun!
The next day we convinced Blake that work was unnecessary and we took a ferry to Coronado Island. Before catching the boat we ate fish tacos and I saw a submarine, very very cool! Coronado Beach, according to travel websites, is the number four beach in the country and it lived up to its name beautifully. The pyrite in the water sparkled like gold to make it look like we were swimming in glitter. On the walk back to the ferry we happened upon a weekend festival with live music and dancing and couldn’t help but join when the band belted out Brown Eyed Girl. We danced to oldies for an hour, learned the hand jive, and made friends with women who gave us amazing bean dip. Oh to retire in a place that has live music festivals every Sunday. Sounds like heaven to me. Went back to San Diego and got a cheap Marriott room thanks to Destiny and went back to the tavern we started at.
I bonded immediately with San Diego. The weather and people and vibe were all things I seriously enjoyed. After expressing this to Blake, he offered to spread my resume around and then said that when I get a job out there, I can sleep on his couch until I find an apartment of my own. He is not only my new favorite person, but that is right friends, within the next couple months it’s goodbye Iowa for good!
Back into the car with six people and back to Redondo Beach. We decided to go to the infamous Saddle Ranch instead of a bar to watch a mechanical bull-riding competition. It was hilarious, and they sold massive AMF’s (if you don’t know what it is then you probably still have remainders of a liver and soul) and I was backwardly talked into riding the bull. Sid told me that I absolutely couldn’t handle a level 9 ride. I rebutted with the fact that I have been thrown from an angry mule in my life so an animatronic bull would not be the end of me. So there I was in the middle of Saddle Ranch on the mechanical bull. The control man started me at a 7 which was a glorified merry-go-round ride so Sid convinced him to kick up the power. He took me to an 8 and I rode like a true champion, not falling even with the swiftest swings. He then took it upon himself to attempt to sexualize my bull-ride with body shaking and that just upset me so I evil-eyed him and dismounted on the next swing. I have a crazy inner-thigh bruise and a video to remember the night.
That brings me to today’s festivities. Auren and Jonathon have entirely too much stuff in the first place in our road trip car, so adding four bags and two people seemed impossible without extra storage. But never, and I repeat never, challenge a tightwad packrat to either pack the car or pay $300 for a storage bin. I had that car packed with room for both Destiny and I in one hour. We bought tickets to Six Flags Magic Mountain and said our goodbyes to our first hosts. Off to Valencia California for a crazy roller coaster rocking out America time! I have not been to a theme park since the 7th grade so my hangover and fear of roller coasters threatened to ruin the day, but after my first ride on X2 I was ready to go. We rode every roller coaster in the park, leaving time for a second ride on two of our favorites. I had quite possibly the best time I’ve ever had at an amusement park and we stayed for 10 hours. Each line we thought we were hungry but after the adrenaline rush we would forget to eat and race to the next ride. It was amazing! The park closed at 10pm and the weariness started in so off to Santa Barbara we went for my second couch surfing experience. So here I lie, typing this blog on an air mattress. I love this trip, more than I think even I can comprehend right now. Tomorrow we are planning on a beach adventure, maybe staying another night, then off to camp at Yosemite.
I don’t even know how this could get better but I know it will.
Jonathon may snore louder than me. That is saying a lot.
Jim Croce is an amazing road trip partner.
I love my life.
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