THE POWER OF WORDS: WE UTTERED A FEW THAT WERE CHOICE

It was not rush hour when we reached Los Angeles, but it was Saturday. We made sloth-like progress – if that is not too wildly energetic a term – while a steady stream of motorcyclists wove a path between lanes.

The scenery in California is lovely, as is the weather (a sunny 24 degrees) but the congestion, road conditions, and price of gas are making us think we should avoid it in the future if feasible given our destination(s). A neighboring traveler at the Rolling Hills Casino RV Park told Gary that snow birds heading to Arizona often choose a route through Bakersfield, although that only avoids part of the problem. The driving distance between Portland and Phoenix via Nevada, on the other hand, is roughly the same as staying on the I-5.

Should we want to travel to a cruise port while wintering in Arizona (I live in hope), flights between Mesa and San Diego take just 75 minutes at a current cost as low as $48. Non-stop flights to Fort Lauderdale, Florida are 4 1/4 hours in length, and currently available at $147. So many possibilities!