Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Pacific Coast Highway, California: An Undertaking

The Maserati convertible was not quite ready for the road, I felt, in spite of my best efforts (having taken the carburetor off – twice – to rebuild, etc.).

With no other options, I caught a ride to the new Buena Creek Station in Vista to catch the 12:14 Sprinter commuter train, took that to the Transit Center in Oceanside, and from there, not wanting to wait for the 3:15 southbound Coaster, I caught the NCTD Breeze Bus Route 101 – all to rent a car I had some reservation for at A Plus Car Rentals Inc. in Leucadia.

Their first issue to me was a micro-mini red Chevrolet something – “Aveo” or something else nondescript – whose interior dimensions did nothing but cramp the legs of this 6’ 2” frame; more importantly, the vehicle lacked interior dash lighting, which impeded nighttime operations, which was imperative to me. News to them, and a simple repair matter to them, but untimely for me.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Having already paid for a week’s worth of transportation with unlimited mileage, I was looking around their lot for something more when one of the owners rolled in with the Caddy.

While not a real fan of Cadillacs – nor of most American automobiles at all – I was at first struck by the constrained, yet massive presence of American rolling luxury. What with the cloth-top, faux convertible design, the four doors, cushy leather interior, the gold pin striping along the side to complement the gold name badges and wheel trim – the whole assemblage just cried out “pimp” to me.

My Junior Associate and Navigator for the impromptu trip – the whole idea was to leave NOW, dash up to San Francisco, and take the Coast Highway down – was on break from her studies at SDSU, and, as my only offspring, we never seem to have enough time together, what with our respective schedules, lives and obligations.

We were rolling northbound on the 5 outside of L.A. at top speed as traffic would allow, studying the maps and trying to divine immediate and future impending traffic patterns: whether to take the 134 due west, which becomes the 101 through the San Fernando Valley to the 101 Northbound along the coast outside of Ventura, or continue on the 5 to the 118 west through Simi Valley then back down the 23 through to the 101 again, or take our chances and continue on the 5 through the Great Central Valley of California.

My Junior Associate had had the opportunity to take a class in “Driver’s Education”, by invitation to participate, by the Court system of San Diego. As such, she was aware of some fine points of law with which I was unfamiliar; notably, that aspect of operating at top speed – reasonable and prudent of course – and to what degrees those “overages” would technically result in what level of theoretical violation.

One of the “must-do” aspects of the weekend trip, only proper to do, was to stop by The Lodge at Pebble Beach, perhaps for some light refreshment – a beverage or two. Already behind schedule with a long way yet to go, a respite from our travel (and ahead of the gendarme we had just passed at speed) was in order, I felt, as we launched off that freeway exit.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

The danger of San Diego's hoarders

The $1 million Flash Comics #1
Next Article

Jazz guitarist Alex Ciavarelli pays tribute to pianist Oscar Peterson

“I had to extract the elements that spoke to me and realize them on my instrument”

The Maserati convertible was not quite ready for the road, I felt, in spite of my best efforts (having taken the carburetor off – twice – to rebuild, etc.).

With no other options, I caught a ride to the new Buena Creek Station in Vista to catch the 12:14 Sprinter commuter train, took that to the Transit Center in Oceanside, and from there, not wanting to wait for the 3:15 southbound Coaster, I caught the NCTD Breeze Bus Route 101 – all to rent a car I had some reservation for at A Plus Car Rentals Inc. in Leucadia.

Their first issue to me was a micro-mini red Chevrolet something – “Aveo” or something else nondescript – whose interior dimensions did nothing but cramp the legs of this 6’ 2” frame; more importantly, the vehicle lacked interior dash lighting, which impeded nighttime operations, which was imperative to me. News to them, and a simple repair matter to them, but untimely for me.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Having already paid for a week’s worth of transportation with unlimited mileage, I was looking around their lot for something more when one of the owners rolled in with the Caddy.

While not a real fan of Cadillacs – nor of most American automobiles at all – I was at first struck by the constrained, yet massive presence of American rolling luxury. What with the cloth-top, faux convertible design, the four doors, cushy leather interior, the gold pin striping along the side to complement the gold name badges and wheel trim – the whole assemblage just cried out “pimp” to me.

My Junior Associate and Navigator for the impromptu trip – the whole idea was to leave NOW, dash up to San Francisco, and take the Coast Highway down – was on break from her studies at SDSU, and, as my only offspring, we never seem to have enough time together, what with our respective schedules, lives and obligations.

We were rolling northbound on the 5 outside of L.A. at top speed as traffic would allow, studying the maps and trying to divine immediate and future impending traffic patterns: whether to take the 134 due west, which becomes the 101 through the San Fernando Valley to the 101 Northbound along the coast outside of Ventura, or continue on the 5 to the 118 west through Simi Valley then back down the 23 through to the 101 again, or take our chances and continue on the 5 through the Great Central Valley of California.

My Junior Associate had had the opportunity to take a class in “Driver’s Education”, by invitation to participate, by the Court system of San Diego. As such, she was aware of some fine points of law with which I was unfamiliar; notably, that aspect of operating at top speed – reasonable and prudent of course – and to what degrees those “overages” would technically result in what level of theoretical violation.

One of the “must-do” aspects of the weekend trip, only proper to do, was to stop by The Lodge at Pebble Beach, perhaps for some light refreshment – a beverage or two. Already behind schedule with a long way yet to go, a respite from our travel (and ahead of the gendarme we had just passed at speed) was in order, I felt, as we launched off that freeway exit.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

WAV College Church reminds kids that time is short

College is a formational time for decisions about belief
Next Article

Conservatives cry, “Turnabout is fair gay!”

Will Three See Eight’s Fate?
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader