After deadheading to San Francisco to sit for four hours, we reported for duty to fly a tiny 20 minute leg from SFO to Santa Maria in California's wine country. We overnighted there and I had some time in the morning to explore the surrounding area. Across the street was Waller Park, a vastly superior park to Fresno's Woodward Park in just about every way. First off, it was free. Yes, Fresno
charged me to enter their park. There's nothing good about Fresno at all. . .
. . . No!, I will not be swayed with your Tacos merchandise.
Meanwhile, back in Santa Maria, I was enjoying my leisurely stroll around the ponds across the street from our hotel. The weather was very unusual. I often find the winds in Santa Maria to be strong and the temperature to be quite cool. However, it felt more like Hawaii with very high humidity and unstable air. When we first landed, the ground was soaked. Rain? What? In California? This instability would later lead to storms in Southern California on a scale that has not been seen in years. "Interstate 5 closed due to flooding and mudslides!," echoed the news stations. "5 closed! Seek alternate routes!," they said. Very well. The following day when I planned to drive home, I sought alternate routes, taking me deep into the Mojave desert and around the 5 in an attempt to get back to LA. The problem was that while all the news stations were focused on the 5, every other major (and minor) road cutting across the mountains into LA was shut down. This detail was conveniently omitted by the crack journalism efforts of the local media.
Each barricade I encountered, Google Maps attempted to advise me of an alternate route with the false hope that I could somehow get home, but those routes also led to more barricades. Feeling defeated, I backtracked to Fresno, having driven seven hours, and using up a full tank of gas, only to end up where I started. It was one of the most stressful and frustrating days of driving I have ever experienced. Not as stressful, however, as having your car or truck stuck in a raging river of mud and debris and stranded overnight. I am extremely fortunate that I had other options at my disposal. All Fresno to LAX flights were booked up, but I was able to ask for the jumpseat and in the one stroke of luck I had all day, someone didn't show up for their flight and I was allowed to sit in the back with the normal folks. 40 minutes later I was finally home.
