Friday – August 31, 2007 – Yorba Linda, CA

A quick note to let everyone know we arrived safely in southern California. We are staying in Canyon RV Park, located in Yorba Linda (Richard Nixon’s birthplace). Our campsite is about 60 feet from the Santa Anna River (shown above). Not much of a river in late August and there is a dam about four miles upstream.

At the entrance to the park, is at the off / on ramp to the California 91 – Riverside Freeway. We thought it was bad last night when the east-bound traffic was crawling. We figured folks were leaving town early for the Labor Day weekend. This morning when we drove out to have breakfast with our daughter, Carol, the east-bound traffic on the 91 was stopped. All four lanes. This freeway has two car-pool lanes and they were zipping right along. But the regular lanes were stopped as far as we could see to the east. When we got off at Imperial Highway, the east-bound traffic was still at a stand-still as far west as we could see – and that was after driving about 5 miles!

And yes, the smog is back. I thought it had eased, but on this side of LA (at least), it’s as bad as it ever was. A thin brown / yellow haze blankets the hills and valleys.

The drive in from Pyramid Lake was no picnic either. We tried to avoid the “heavy” traffic by taking the Foothill Fwy (I-210) which skirts the basin on the north side through Pasadena and Glendale (among others). The road – at least the truck lane – was as bad as any we have traveled this summer. The traffic going in our direction wasn’t too bad – four to six lanes, usually full, but no stop and go. The other side of the freeway (heading west) was stopped in many places.

In other words, LA still has traffic and smog. I don’t think there’s enough money in the world to pay me to live here and commute every day.

Had dinner at Carol’s last night with Ron and Ryan. We did some shopping this morning. Plan to get together tomorrow at lunch with Joe and Jane – some more good friends from our days living in LA.