We made it back to Tahoe late last night and had to drag a mattress in to the house to sleep. (It is empty because Scott is renting it out in a couple of weeks.) I was so tired I think I would have slept just as well on the floor. Anywhere. But being inside a warm house for once was nice!
I would have loved to sleep in this morning, but Scott had to work -- and I had to pack up and get on the road again. This time to Shannon and Ryan's in the bay area. Mountain View, to be exact. But all those towns are the same to me.
Before I left, Scott had a surprise for me: a new mountain bike! I'm not sure I'm a mlontakms bike lover yet, but at least now I have the option to try it out. It's some fancy carbon something, new gear shifting technology. I don't know much about it yet, except that it's really really light.
We had breakfast (while he worked) and then I attempted to sort and pack what I was going to need in Malibu next week. I clearly have way too many clothes out here. So ridiculous.
I got on the road right at 10am, in Scotts car. The drive was absolutely beautiful. 4.5 hours of this? No problem.
I took the back way, a little two lane road, the whole way. We winded through mountain passes and by lakes and forests. I had a hard time keeping it on the road and had to pull over a couple of times to take some pictures.
I didn't have much time to kill because I needed to be in Mountain View at 2:30. Shannon said we might get on the road by then, so I really needed to keep it moving. Google maps said I would be there by 2:27. Not much wiggle room. So when I hit this road construction and sat on the road for 10 minutes, I wasn't pumped.
As soon as the road for out of the mountains, it was instant central California farmland. Wineries and fruit trees and nuts. Veggies galore. The change in scenery - forest to farm - was so abrupt!
Once I got on the big highway with more than one lane to work with, I flew. Like, drove 90 kind of flew. I had to make up some time from the road construction and a stop for gas. I still managed to take a picture though, of course.
I pulled in to Mountain View at 2:27...to an empty apartment. Shannon had to leave earlier to go get a marriage license (kind of important when you're getting married), so I was on my own until she got back.
Thankfully, downtown Mountain View is only a few blocks away. Free parking, free wifi, every kind of food and shop imaginable. I had no problem hanging out down there for an hour or two until Shan got back.
Plus, l was hungry. I found a little coffee shop, ordered a sandwich, and caught up on some emails and news. I needed a little relaxing break from the car.
But just a little break - because once Shannon got home, we loaded up her car with wedding stuff for another 5.5 hour drive: San Fran to Malibu.
And by packed, I mean like REALLY packed. Full to the top. I didn't even have room to put my feet down because the floorboard was covered with stuff too. This wedding business is no joke!
An hour or so in to the drive, we were all hungry. We found a little sandwich shop and grabbed some food to go. Too long of a drive ahead of us to sit there. Oh, and everyone trying go eat with a dog who also likes food was a challenge. We eventually had to take shifts. Two people ate while one held the dog
I sat in the front seat on the drive because I get car sick pretty easily. Shannon drove. Ryan tried to block us out in the back seat cave area he was banished to. And their dog, Wembley, stretched out across my lap.
Shannon was making good time and the drive was going smoothly. But we had to make one detour so she could show me her college town: Santa Barbara.
Talk about a party school. I didn't get any good pictures of it, but there are a couple of streets that everyone just takes over and walks from house to house partying. On a normal Friday night, you couldn't even drive down the streets. It was like Aggieille at K-State (where I went) on steroids. And they all looked like they were 12 years old! Apparently I'm getting old...
Anywyas, we got back on the 101 and kept driving, but didn't make it all the way to Malibu. We were all so wiped, so we pulled off and got a hotel for the night. One king bed -- all three of us piled in. Plus the dog. I was too tired to take any pictures... but I'll just say poor Ryan.
Another full day tomorrow: wedding stuff (cake testing, check out the venue, meet with the caterer, drop of deorations), and then driving all the way back to Mountain View!
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