In Part 2 of our USA series, TotalAdventure explores Southern California, though we did foray for a short while into Mexico.

A younger member of the TotalAdventure Team will be starting college in 2019 and had come West to explore some college campuses in Southern California. Spectacular beaches are always nearby. Pictured above is Swami’s  – a world famous surf break in Encinitas.

In the High Desert of the Mojave Desert – Joshua Tree National Park.

Somewhere East of Indio – I-10.

Korean Dinner in Koreatown – Los Angeles.Kimchi, Pork and Beef, Along With Soju – a Korean Firewater.

Black Pacific Pelicans, Soon Learning To Fly.

The Lazy Can Now Be Lazier – LOL.

CA 94 runs along the southern border of California. Note the border fence about 3/4 the way up the mountain. Now imagine installing a 25 foot high cement wall to replace it. Many geographically challenged people in favor of the wall  think that the border is a flat desert for 2000 miles. Not the case. The mountains are much higher in New Mexico and West Texas. Note the power lines crossing the border as much of the Southwest USA and Northwest Mexico share a power grid.

Running parallel to 1-10 and 1-8 on the other side of the border is Highway 2, rolling 3400 km from Tijuana to Matamoros.

USC Film School – in Los Angeles – Modeled after Paramount Studios.

A California Cultural and Culinary Icon.

The drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas takes about 5 hours – through extreme terraina nd climatic changes. When I left the tree-lined Boulevards of Hollywood about 7 AM , it was hazy and 63 degrees. Arriving in Las Vegas at lunchitime, it was 108 !

Kelso Road- Less than 50 cars a day sometimes.

On I-15 , crosssing from California.

Michaelangelo recreated at Ceasar’s Palace, above a high end shopping mall.Las Vegas is really the world’s largest mall, different in that it allows drinking,smoking and gambling everywhere.

One of two old Strip Casinos left. Still has $1 Blackjack.

One Armed Bandit nickel machine in Searchlight, Nevada.

Crossing the State Line from Laughlin,Nevada to Bullhead City, Arizona.

The temperature rose to 114 about 5 miles down the road – Arizona 95.

Looking across the Colorado River to Arizona,from Needles,California. I swam in the refeshingly cool clean water – runoff from snowmelt in the Rockies several hundred miles away.

Cross Country freight train nearing its’ destination.

Back on the Pacific – seeing the sunset before the flights back to Miami

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Los Angeles has over sixty miles of beach. The southern end, around the Palos Verdes Peninsula, is rocky. Then, from Redondo Beach to Santa Monica the beaches are mainly sand.In the North, Malibu, 26 miles long,is rocky, with some excellent beaches that one must climb down cliffs to get to. Surfing is great everywhere, though waves calm a bit in the summer.

Malibu Beach House.

Santa Monica – 26 mile long Bike and Blade path from Redondo to Malibu.

Venice Freak Show.

“Medication ” for the “Sick.”

Malibu Waves.

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