To LAX - on time

To complete the record of Murray'travels in the USA. He continued driving westward and reached California where he followed the Smith River. The forest changed progressively from the Douglas Fir (as in Oregon) to Redwoods. On reaching the coast he put his feet into the eastern side of the Pacific assuring another chap that NZ also has beaches - being on the other side of the same ocean.

Murray was due to fly out on Monday evening so Saturday and Sunday were to be long driving days without sightseeing. However this lasted only until he reached the Avenue of the Giants. This 32 mile section of road goes through a State Park and has magnificant stands of Redwoods. At the Visitors Centre there was a section of log with rings counted back to 1148AD..

Following the advice of a ranger Murray turned from the 101 onto route 20 to join the I5 and thus avoid San Francisco. After a fast drive on the freeway ( with a slight diversion into a senior living complex with maze-like roads when looking for petrol - the signed station was closed) Murray travelled on and stayed the night in Los Banos. This proved to be an attractive place and the motel was as cheap as earlier ones and a bit better appointed.

Some on us might not have been as surpirsed as Murray was to find he was making a late start on Sunday - actually he wasn't his cell phone was still on moutain time. He drove across endless horticultural land with truck loads of tomatoes. The Sierra Nevadas were lost in the murk. Murray had planned a camping place but the road that heads south in the mountain was closed at either 10 miles or 20 miles ahead depending on which sign you believed.

He didn't want to get lost on side roads but found a road that went back to the I5 but on the way passed through a national forest. The map had tent symbols so this looked promising for the final night in the US. He found Toad Spring camp ground down a narrow dirt road - basic with no water or toilet but the grass was cut and it was free. He began a clean out of the car which continued the next morning. He found a truck stop and dumped two bags of rubbish and then rest at a petrol station.

The next part of the trip was carefully mapped out to negiotate the freeways into LA, find the rental car depot (before it closed for the night) and get across the the airport - flight not till 11.30pm. This worked well until there was an unexpected lane division. Murray exited from the 101 and sorted this but the name didn't match any he had on his list. However the sun was in the right place and he then realised he should have been on the 105. Fortunately he had plenty of time and was at the airport by 3pm.

Having anticipated the extra security he had his carry-on luggage in a Wal-mart plastic bag - which turned out not to be strong enough. There appeared to be a long queue but this was for domestic flights. Murray's queue was short and security efficient. A long wait and then the pleasure (?) of seeing "16 Blocks" for the 3rd time on as many flights. Overnight it was Wednesday and back to the cold of NZ and waiting to be picked up on a windy corner in Lower Hutt after catching the airport flyer to Queensgate. I had managed to leave my cellphone at home so this complicated coordination until I had gone back to get it.

Back to the cold and work - but a great trip with fanastic memories.