Arriving in Los Angeles

This entry is going to be postdated, so here it is:

8/22/09 8:37 AM

Now we can get on to the good stuff. Yesterday was our last day on the road. We left St. George with a hearty McDonald’s breakfast. There was still a lot of interesting formations to see, but the landscape was beginning to flatten out into a bare desert. We had a few too many close calls, as well. I almost sideswiped a guy who was in my blind spot; especially large given all the luggage I have in the back. About an hour later, a guy almost sideswiped me as I dodged a truck tire. We also stopped at a particularly scary rest area that Dad and I were both happy to leave behind us.

Rolling into LA, I learned quickly that driving here is going to take some learning. I think my apprehension was similar to what I would feel swimming with sharks. The GPS wrapped us around downtown a little, but with a little intuition we found the hotel. The first room they gave us was on the Penthouse floor, but we never got to see that room because there was already someone inside. They gave us another about halfway up the building, and fortunately that one was actually empty.

We headed on to the Dodger’s game, which fortunately required no freeways to reach. It was a very nice stadium, particularly for its age, and Dad and I were glad to find that they had very good hot dogs (or Super Dodger Dogs as they call them). About halfway through, Jess and David showed up. I hadn’t met David yet, so it was good to get to know someone else from the program. After the game they had Friday Night Fireworks, where they let all the fans come down into the outfield and watch the show from there. It was a fun little event.

I’m just about to move into my apartment. We’re packing out of a hotel for the last time in our long journey, but I’m excited to know that the journey for me is just beginning. I’ve got a lot to learn about this big city, and I’m ready for the lessons to begin.