Flying to San Francisco
by david nathan born

After flying from LA to Oakland, I picked up the rental car, which turns out to be this puppy:
(wouldn't this picture make Ford proud?)

Not too shabby considering that a Geo would have been $10 a day more!~

So skip the first night, since I blew my wad (my money I mean) partying in Little Italy for my birthday.
I drive up to Arcata (260 miles north of San Francisco) at 3:00am.  by 6:00am I was tired, and there/
was a mudslide blocking the 101.  I stopped at a rest stop to nap until noon.

I get to Arcata Friday afternoon, and Jeremy and I make a trek 60 miles north, almost to the Oregon border.

First I must check that all doors and things work on the truck:

Then we see some Elk, next to an Elkburger restaurant:

Then Jeremy and I head down to Clam Beach (eiwwwwww) and eat pizza while the waves get closer and closer:

that's me climbing around inside:

Trinidad State Beach lighthouse just north of us:

Ate tons of great food at Arcata Pizza Deli, including a 20lb. hamburger.  Filled up on chinese food, 
went to Humboldt Brewery for hotwings and Red Nectar fresh off the tap:

Hung out with Sarah and her friends Saturday night, until about 3:30am, then slept for an hour and a half, got
up and drove back to the Bay.  Had to meet up with David and the San Jose crew by 2:00pm.  But I needed
time to get around the mudslide, just in case.

Found this in San Fran, here's for  you Sarah.. 

As it turns out, the 101 highway was closed until Monday due to a gigantic mudslide.  They were sending
everyone north 100 miles, across the 5, back down to the Bay area with a 4-5 hour detour!!!

Screw that, I got a 4x4 for a reason!  Off to the nearest gas station for local road maps and an alternate route.
There were none.. Residents only, dirt trails, etc.. My guardian angel steps out once again, a local long hair 
mountain man with a white truck.  Tells me he's headed just around the mudslide, and if I have 4x4, I can follow.
So off we go into the woods, over the mountains, into the snow, thru the mud, over 4000ft. elevation gain, and a
2 hour detour around the mudslide.  But hey, I was still making good time and ended up seeing some gorgeous country!

This one would make hallmark proud: (adding to my fine photography collection!)

So finally I make it to the Bay once again.  After 300 miles, and 8 hours of driving, still only
working on an hour's sleep.

Golden Gate Bridge: (another kodak moment)

thru the bars:

out the windshield:

The Palace of Fine Arts (just wait till I finish my mural of this place!!!)

With humping turtles!!!

Passing thru the city, gotta love driving these hills...

making another postcard memory:

Then I hit Market Street.  Trying to cut across the city, zig-zagging thru the streets, and I run into
this massive wall of people, protesting the wars and whatnot:

then I find out that every block is the same... is there any way around these people? I'm late for a bbq!!

still going.. there was an estimate of 250,000 people on the streets that day, I read.

Finally, after every car in the city was funneled down to the Emarcadero, I sat in bumper to bumper
for about, oh, I don't know, another hour until finally reaching my freeway southbound to San Jose.

Then I get a warm welcome from the homies and a delicious spice cake from David's wife Debra! 
Thanks guys!

After a ton of food, a small nap on the couch, and some good time with the friends, it's time
to head back to the city.  Found a few clubs to check out Sunday night, planning to head to the Airport
around 3am.  Rather than paying for a motel and sleeping in, missing my flight back home..

I hit the city, and shopped for a new car:

I found a puppy dog on bush street staring out the window:

Then riding my heely's down the hills of San Fran, avoiding the crackheads on every corner. I head to
a new club in Mission district, dance my booty off for a few hours, had a couple girls and boys hitting on me,
met a cool d00d from Oregon who only needed a few more bucks in order to stay in a hostel for the night.
I gave him $3 after he sang me a birthday song:

Finally I head to the airport, turn in the muddy, beat up old truck I rented, after adding 1000 miles to it.
The airport didn't open until 4:30 am, so I sat outside for an hour, then sat inside until 7am when they boarded
my plane.  By this time I was completely delirious after not sleeping for two days.

Flying over the bay shortly after take off:

Flying over the clouds just after sunrise:

but this is what my mind was seeing at this point:

not long after, did we descend over southern california (La is just south in this picture)

Then just before landing at LAX: (this city is really sick from up here!  actually, it's ugly on the ground, too)

welcome home!

Didn't get another rental to get home from the airport, felt too bad to call anyone so early for a ride,
the cabbies wanted $70 to drive me to O.C.  so I drew up an OC OR BUST sign and hitched back home.
First hopped on a shuttle to Disneyland with some old peeps (thanks!)  then hitchhiked with a nice old lady
back to the Fullerton trainstation, where I walked back to my car at Bobby's house.  Finally found some
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's at 2pm, and slept straight for about 18 hours!  what a trip!! I can't wait to fly again.. 

New Joysey, here I come..