Write on, brother

Turns out it is Pacific Coast Highway. After a late arrival into LAX and a stop at In ‘n Out Burger (yum!), I decided to take the coast highway and go over Malibu Canyon to get to Thousand Oaks instead of 405 to 101. There were lots of memories.

Starting on Lincoln Blvd in Venice. I don’t remember exactly where, but I passed the site of the old Fox Theater. I remember seeing Little Feat there. There is a great Philly Cheese Steak joint right along that stretch of Lincoln as well. Still there. Maybe lunch on the way back to the airport? Then, just past Pico was the site of Classic Motor Speedway, one of the slot car tracks I spent time at in my youth. Then onto Pacific Coast Highway. Immediately after getting on the highway is Santa Monica pier and beach. That beach parking lot once hosted Cirque du Soleil when they had only one tent show going, not troupes performing all over the world at the same time as they do now. Mom took me. She was good at discovering the next big thing (Penn and Teller followed Cirque, in a tiny theater on Las Palmas off Hollywood Blvd).

Next stop was Sunset Blvd just to see if the Self Realization Fellowship Center was still there. Yes. Then Topanga Canyon, where some good times were had with my buds. Nothing I can talk about. And finally into Malibu. I got choked up driving past the pier and remembering times my mother took me fishing there. I also remembered a more recent time where we stopped for some food at a joint she knew about up at Trancas.

Finally, I turned up Malibu Canyon and thought about the times I drove up to the top of Rambla Pacifico for some of the best views in the world. Pacific Ocean on one side and miles of the Valley spread out on the other side. I took my aunt Eve up there just before she passed away. What a treat for her.

I pulled the car over in a turnout on the canyon road to just breathe and reflect for a moment. Got out, listened to the night sounds. Got in the back seat and thought about writing my thoughts right then. But within moments a cop came by and asked what I was doing. He said I was technically blocking traffic as the turnout was for slow cars, not stopping to enjoy the view (it was 1:30 AM, fer chrissakes, he was the only other car). I thanked him and drove on.

I had no idea that taking the scenic route would be so emotional.

Maury King