I am still buzzing from the show last night. I had thought about going to a Dodgers game but the was sold out and honestly I was a bit tired from the bursy first week on the road. I took the day to rest, catch up on photos and typing up journal entries. Though I wasn’t going to waste a full day.
Before sunset I wanted to drive down to Santa Monica Pier, see the end of Route 66 before I start my trip tomorrow. I Figured I probably wont have time to see the Pier early enough before my drive out to the Grand Canyon.
Getting to the Pier was an adventure of its own. An Aside, 15 years ago I was supposed to fly to Santa Monica, stay right by the pier for work because Amazon was announcing a new line of Fire Tablets and they wanted me there to provide tech assistance in case anything broke during Jeff’s demo. I got a call the night before my flight, plans changed and I wasn’t going. So it took my me 15 years to finally make it here. So what was another 45 minutes sitting in a left turn lane on the PCH waiting to flip around so I could Park?
Walking around the Pier was fun, it was very busy, people weaving in and out looking for that perfect selfie. Lines to get a photo in front of the various Route 66 end-of-the-road signs. I got there at the perfect time, the sun had just started setting, and I was able to get some warm shots of the pier, carnival rides and the beach. The sunset was beautiful, setting on the coast, as the waves crashed to the shore.
Once the lights went down, all the Pier’s neon lit up. I stopped to get some food at Pier Burger – a classic red + white checkered burger joint located in the middle of the Pier. I made a couple laps capturing any and all the neon I could see.
Santa Monica may be the end of the route for most, but for me it was just beginning. Running this route in reverse. Over the next couple weeks, I’ll find myself lost in myself across the country, searching for who knows and I’ll continue my way east until I hit Lake Michigan at Navy Pier in Chicago. Tomorrow is breakfast at Mel’s Diner in Santa Monica before I hit Santa Monica Blvd. and make my way through the LA leg of Route 66 on the to the open road. Let’s go get my kicks on 66
