wow…I love california

To outsiders, we Californians are a bunch of new-age star gazing, tree-hugging, Yanni listening, scented candle burning whack-jobs. To a certain extent they’re right…but you know, we’re much more than just that. I personally have never owned a single Yanni CD (nor do I ever plan on doing so) or hugged a tree (at least not with conviction), but I understand where that perception would come from. Thinking back on my adventures and random travels in-state, there’s definitely a few things that strike me as uniquely Californian…

Big Sur is totally breathtaking, and the drive down route 1 provides spectacular views or the ocean and the cliffs, if you can just get by the gusty winds, traffic, vertigo/panic attacks, drizzle, septic tank trucks, car sickness and bikers. By the way, you know those deer crossing signs? There’s a pig crossing sign on highway 1.

You can now rent a Prius at the local Avis so when you’re driving down route 1 you can give the impression that you’re trying to be green and in-tune with nature at the same time. For an extra 5 bucks a day, they’ll give you one with Oregon plates so it REALLY looks like you’re going green.

This was actually in the police blotter a year and a half ago in Carmel (when I last went): “Parking complaint/violation of box delivery truck blocking in numerous cars in the Carmel Center parking lot. Driver found but had a disrespectful and cavalier response to complaining parties. His employer has been contacted/warned.” You’d think Clint Eastwood (former mayor) would have cleaned up this shameful lawlessness!

A few miles from Carmel, we actually found ourselves driving past a clothing optional beach, which is wrong on so many levels. Let’s just say this is where the pig crossing sign should be.

I actually really love Carmel. It’s got that small town feel where everyone seems to enjoy each other’s company and life just seems to slow down a bit. As a matter of fact, it’s kinda like pre-Target Davis, except with beautiful scenery and a better smell. You can also drive about town without running the risk of hitting 15 bikers along the way, which of course means less paperwork at the police station.

Don’t get me wrong, I love having a Target in Davis. It’s seriously so convenient to be able to swing by and pick up some stuff on the way home.

Speaking of Davis, I specifically remember a stand at Picnic Day one year put up by Holmes Middle School where they had a Recycle and Reuse Fair (I think that’s what they called it). They taught ways to reuse or recycle things and promoted sustainability. You probably wouldn’t see that with a middle school in Idaho.

It’s been a while since I’ve been back in the south bay and have actually gone to a public place in that area. It seems the Silicon Valley has turned into New Delhi with a P.F. Chang’s. Technology and the Indian culture just seem to go hand-in-hand. They’re everywhere, working at both Apple and Applebee’s.

I love the fact that there are small towns right next to large metropolises. I can live in Pacifica and be a stone’s throw from downtown SF. I can be in Woodland and be 10 minutes from Sacramento. And don’t even get me started on LA and SD. There are so many pockets of culture in those areas indigenous to that locale that it makes the metropolis seem like a polyglot boarding house.

When we went to SF for Wicked, we quickly found ourselves surrounded by people wearing leather…all kinds of leather apparel. It turns out that weekend was a leather-lover’s fair (not to be confused with the Holmes Middle School Recycle and Reuse Fair). This was definitely not something I had expected to see that weekend, although given that it’s SF I’m not surprised. It’s times like this (and bear week in p-town) that I wish I had googled the dates before I showed up.

I recently read a blog post about a road trip up to crater lake in a hybrid…what’s notable is the guy bragged more about his good gas mileage and car efficiency in his Prius than the beauty of the lake and the time spent in nature. In case you’re wondering, he got 40.3 MPG, but I understand you get even better mileage if you’re in park or neutral.

I suppose there’s a point for this rant, but before I get to that, I just want to say that even though we have our issues as a state, I really can’t think of another one that I’d rather be in. As far as why I went on this rant, isn’t it obvious?? This is a pretty cool place we live in!