Driving along I-10 near LA
A couple of weeks ago, my buddy and I drove his catering van across the Texas desert, along I-10 into Tucson (where we stayed with my folks) up through the Grapevine near LA, and finally up 101 into Salinas. The trip there took only 3-days. And I was able to collect a bunch of specialty automotive tools my dad had been holding on to for me, as well as a nice Craftsman 4-drawer box. My very first one. Thanks DAD!
Craftsman 4-drawer tool chest
The trip took us through some of the most beautiful farmland in the world, the place where I grew up, the Salinas Valley. John Steinbeck Country. I used to know all the back roads by heart, and still do. Some things never change. When we got to our destination, Salinas, California, we parked the van and spent the night with my in-laws. I drove around my home town, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I used to know everybody it seemed, from my paper route. The houses are all the same, but the owners are different….
I'm posing in my Giant's gear at AT&T Park in San Francisco
One thing I forgot to mention is that I love, no LOVE baseball. We saw a game in Phoenix, and while we were in Northern California, I had to stop by ATT Park, drink a Martzen and munch on some Garlic Fries and watch my World Campion Giants play a game. I bought some tickets on a sunday afternoon along the 1st base line in the field level, and watched the Freak pitch a winner against the Phillies.
After a great game, and some even better Chinese food, we headed back to pick up Pearl, my very first car. I bought her for a song in ’85, when I was only 15, and spent every spare minute working on her. A 1970 Triumph Spitfire with many modifications, I was going to bring her back to my garage in Austin for a full restore.
My Car loaded on a U-Haul trailer
1970 Triumph Spitgire IV
The beige interior of my unrestored 1970 Spitfire
And that’s where my story really begins.
