150 years ago......

[Maggot]

Most of California was a desert. Man has made it what it is today. That is crazy.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

Now its a desert covered in concrete

[Duchess]

Their water woes are just awful, unless it's being exaggerated in my news.

[HairOfTheDog]

Maggot and Six are higher than a couple of UC Berkeley art majors at a weekend hemp fest.

95% of California is still undeveloped rural open space in what, by definition, will always be a desert state.

Like Texas, we just have a larger population than most states living in the developed urban areas.

And, last time I checked, we Californians had not managed to concrete over all of our beaches, mountains, national forests, etc... We're too busy flushing away all the water reserves, praying for rain, and riding our bicycles naked through gay pride parades!

[Duchess]

I'd love to hike your national forests and hug a redwood and have drinks on the waterfront and take pix of the sea lions...and, and, and.

[Blindgreed1]

Maggot and Six are higher than a couple of UC Berkeley art majors at a weekend hemp fest.

95% of California is still undeveloped rural open space in what, by definition, will always be a desert state.

Like Texas, we just have a larger population than most states living in the developed urban areas.

And, last time I checked, we Californians had not managed to concrete over all of our beaches, mountains, national forests, etc... We're too busy flushing away all the water reserves, praying for rain, and riding our bicycles naked through gay pride parades!

I get the same reaction only everybody thinks Az is a desert wasteland.

[HairOfTheDog]

Arizona is gorgeous -- one of my favorite states for road-trippin'.

[Blindgreed1]

Arizona is gorgeous -- one of my favorite states for road-trippin'.

Ssshhhhhh... It's a secret.

[Maggot]

San diego is a desert and so is San Francisco..........right?

[HairOfTheDog]

We've got three deserts in the state; the Great Basin, the Colorado and the Mojave. So, California is a desert state.

The deserts encompass the southeast region of the state, about 1 / 4 of California.

The cities of San Diego and San Francisco are not in the southeast region of the state, they never were -- not even 150 years ago.

Here you go:

[Donovan]

I'd love to hike your national forests and hug a redwood and have drinks on the waterfront and take pix of the sea lions...and, and, and.

Fly into LAX and rent a car, then drive north on the Pacific Coast Highway until you see a goofy hippie chick waving at you. You won't regret it.


PS to HotD: go stand on the corner of the PCH and start waving at cars.

[Duchess]

drive north on the Pacific Coast Highway

I was thinking that would be an awesome road trip when she first posted that map ^^^^ earlier today. I've heard how beautiful that area is leading into Oregon and further up into the Pacific Northwest.

[HairOfTheDog]

PS to HotD: go stand on the corner of the PCH and start waving at cars.

I'm not falling for that again.

I understand how people who haven't actually spent time in hippie communities could kinda think of me as one. But, I know you've lived here and a lot of other places and I'd be surprised if you hadn't met your fair share of hippies along the way. There are much worse things to be, but I seriously don't qualify (some days I wish that I did though).

As for the goofy part, I got no defense.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

drive north on the Pacific Coast Highway

I was thinking that would be an awesome road trip when she first posted that map ^^^^ earlier today. I've heard how beautiful that area is leading into Oregon and further up into the Pacific Northwest.

That is an epic trip, or at it was back in late 80's when I did it. I had worked in SF and then went to Pittsburgh, but left by brand new Harley in SF, this was Oct 86. Finished off Pittsburgh and then flew out to LA in late Jan. Took a quick flight up to SF and then took 3 days riding the bike back down the PCH, Wow, what a trip. Stopped at all the scenic turnouts and whale watches, small roadside diners and bars...Great trip

[Duchess]

That's my kinda road trip and hanging with Hot D would be the cherry on the cake. I find everything about that area appealing.

[Midwest Spy]

I'd love to hike your national forests and hug a redwood and have drinks on the waterfront and take pix of the sea lions...and, and, and.

I'd like to get to Yosemite. It looks amazing.

That being said, I'd like to visit Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton parks as well.

[Donovan]

I haven't been on the PCH since the late 80's but I would imagine it's as beautiful as ever. And HotD, why in the world would you assume "goofy hippie chick" was an insult? Let your freak flag fly, sweets.

The Pacific Northwest is one of my favorite parts of the country, bar none, and I extend that all the way down into the Frisco bay area. It's like heaven if one were inclined to believe in that sort of thing.

[HairOfTheDog]

I didn't take "hippie" as an insult, I'm just undeserving of the label is all. I think I might like to earn it when I retire though.

I finally got to resume visiting clients today; coughed the last cough and sneezed the last sneeze (I hope) last weekend. I drove from the Mission, to Forest Hill, to the Sunset, and had coffee off the Great Highway. It really is a beautiful city. And, yeah, lotta freak flags flying high -- keeps things interesting -- as you know.

The costs, some of the laws, the water shortages, etc are seriously a pain in the ass. But, life is full of trade offs, so...

[SIXFOOTERsez]

I spent most of 85 through 88 out there, mainly in the Bay Area. Had a blast, met a lot of great people, saw some cool stuff.
Had a corporate appt in Fremont and office in Hayward right by the bridge. Hung out in Niles mostly or running around the hills on the bike.
Did a Lot of diving in Monterey, bunch of runs to Napa.
Fav bars were the Derby and the one up at the top of Niles Canyon, can't remember the name.
HOTD, what part of the bay are you in?

[Maggot]

I almost got a tattoo in San Diego in 78. Tijuana was a lot different then.
There was a reason I started this thread, some people are blaming Global warming on the drought but its the people and all the population increase that has used up the water that was never really there from the start. I hope they can make it through the summer. It's gonna be tough.