For some reason, I feel like every National Park or National Monument we visit requires us to navigate through some backwoods, country, 2-lane road with iffy signs, spotty cell signal, and few inhabitants.  Not surprisingly, Crater Lake is no different.  We exited the actual highway (5) at Canyonville, Oregon, a lovely town with a Native American reservation, casino, gas station and truck stop, and old town area all along main street that is quaint and, in theory, a visitor’s information center (although we never actually found it).  Although I drove the entire way, I’m not sure I can accurately tell you how we got to Highway 62, about 50 miles from Crater Lake, in Shady Cove at Roque Elk campground, where we stopped for the night.  We passed through the village of Tiller, there were a lot of windy roads in various states of repair and reconstruction, some houses, lots of red barns, and a plethora of extremely tall trees and farmland as far as the eye could see.  We drove way up into the mountains, climbing higher and higher as the road twisted and turned.  The turns were unlike any I have ever driven – they never seemed to end – I felt as though we nearly made a full circle before we started another endless turn in the opposite direction.  To spare the brakes, for the first time in a long time, I relied on the manual gears using the engine to help slow us down.  The heaviness of the RV and the steep 8% downhill grades made for a tricky combination.  After an eternity of Mom worrying we were going the wrong way, Allita making random comments about farm animals, and me just trying to keep us all alive on these teeny, twisty roads with the occasional “abrupt shoulder” and “loose gravel” signs and random gusts of wind, somehow we magically popped up on Highway 62.  We saw a sign for the campground and nabbed a spot overlooking the rushing Rogue river.  Toby slept the entire time because he has complete trust in my driving skills and has adapted to life on the road.  Also, I medicate him for his allergies every morning. 

Crater Lake National Park is located at the peak of the Cascades in one of the most snowy places we have visited in a very long time – even now, only one road into the park is open and the rest are literally buried under feet of snow.  According to the park rangers, the roads will hopefully be uncovered and open for travel by July 4th, if they are fortunate.  This past winter, they got between 42 and 50 feet of the stuff, with the deepest at the park village where we stopped for the day to view the lake and have a warm snack.  It was 49 degrees at 1pm – a toasty day for end of May.  Yikes!

The rangers told us lots of interesting facts:

Crater Lake is nearly 1,950 feet deep – the deepest lake in the United States and the deepest in the world formed by volcanic activity.  It holds very close to 5 TRILLION GALLONS of water!

Most of the water in the lake comes from snow and rain directly on the lake and the rest comes from runoff.  Interestingly, the water is so clean and clear that you can see as far as 130 feet below the surface.  Supposedly even cleaner than the water from your own home faucet!

The lake formed when Mount Mazama, a currently dormant volcano, erupted by implosion nearly 8,000 years ago.  They believe it was the most powerful eruption on this continent in the last 640,000 years.  The small island in the center, Wizard Island, formed as a result of smaller eruptions following the big one and it emerged from the lake around 7,000 years ago.  

Mount Mazama is only one of the many nearby volcanoes in the Cascades. Mount Thielsen stands at an impressive 9,182 feet, and when it erupted, 250,000 years ago, the resulting peak was more impressively pointed. Thankfully this shield volcano is now extinct.

One thing we observed on our own is the awesome beauty of the lake and surrounding park area.  The water is so blue, it provides a startling contrast to the snow-covered shores and hills surrounding the lake.  I absolutely and with complete conviction, 100% recommend a visit to this amazing National Park – it is tricky to get here but well worth the drive.  

On the way to visit Linfield University, our next college on this whirlwind tour, we stayed the night in Westfir at a lovely, award-winning, campground, Casey’s Riverside RV Resort.  They had an ice cream social that Mom and Allita visited while I did the laundry at their facilities.  We all enjoyed lovely showers and fast-ish wifi.  The Middle Fork Willamette River runs beside the campground (as does the Amtrak) and it is lovely to view.  I can see why Good Sam likes this place. Just down the road from the campground is the Lowell covered bridge.  We stopped there the next morning and checked out the history of the Willamette river, flooding and dams in the area, and bridges, such as Lowell.  Then we zipped through Eugene and north to McMinnville.  

Ok, so this is the point where I admit that I expected McMinnville to be a small town and Linfield to be a small, liberal arts college.  Ha!  Not so much.  Yes, Linfield University is a small, liberal arts college (by population) but the campus sprawls across nearly 200 acres of property loaded with massive trees and impressive brick buildings that have clearly been in place since the 1850s. 1,400 students attend Linfield and they offer 50 majors and 45 minors.  The school also boasts a NCAA DIII athletic program (23 teams) and claims to be the #1 Liberal Arts college in Oregon.  Allita and I took a walking tour of campus from 3:00-4:30pm led by someone from the admissions administration and we were both really impressed.  They offer educational opportunities in 14 countries at 25 different sites.  Furthermore, every January (except freshman year), they allow students to travel abroad with university-organized groups as part of an international education program called “JanTerm” where you travel to some foreign country, take a compressed course for credit, and work under the guidance of a professor.  Naturally, we thought that was amazing and absolutely unique in terms of the schools we have visited.  

This morning, Allita expressed frustration that she keeps visiting college campuses she really likes, which means making the final decision will be difficult.  Mom and I both laughed.  All-in-all, we are enjoying ourselves and the trip has been worth any hardships encountered.  Tomorrow, we head to Portland to stay with friends who winter in Tucson, and then, we head north to Washington!

P.S. At the very top west corner of California is a town called Crescent City.  There is a lighthouse there called Battery Point that Mom wanted to visit.  We stopped there for lunch on our way out of the “official” redwood forest (which never seems to actually end) and toured the grounds until the incoming tide and a nasty fog pushed us back on our way north.  Here are some of the photos of that lovely morning:

Allita has an early class on Fridays, so Mom and I spent most of the morning relaxing and puttering around doing this and that at the campsite.  Around 1pm, we left for San Jose, about a half hour north, to visit the Winchester Mystery House, once the residence of Sarah Pardee Winchester, widow of William Winchester and sole beneficiary of the Winchester (the rifle company) family fortune.  You might remember the horror flick with Helen Mirren titled Winchester.  Well, according to our tour guide, all evidence available indicates that she was a very smart, kind and generous, well-educated, financially savvy woman and not some delirious, rich whacko with a deep superstitious, evil streak.  In fact, she spoke a number of languages and could play a variety of musical instruments.  She has been recognized for her philanthropy – in one case, donating over a million dollars to the William Winchester Hospital that eventually became part of the Yale School of Medicine.  Sadly, what makes Sarah Winchester so famous is not goodness and charity – but her home, Llanada Villa, now a tourist attraction, which she believed would help drive away the evil spirits plaguing her.

Something to know – at that time in our history (early 1900s), it was quite common to believe in spirits and seek the guidance of a medium.  All kinds of wealthy, intelligent, talented and famous Americans were known to have participated in seances, had readings of palms, cards, or orbs, sought guidance from those who supposedly spoke to the spirits, and wholeheartedly believed in the supernatural.  Remember, this was also around the same time as “leach mania” – when people believed leaches could cure you of diseases by consuming your blood.  Don’t even get me started on carpetbaggers. There was science, and there was science.

Anyway, Sarah had a rough early start to her adult life.  She lost one of her sisters when she was young.  She married her childhood neighbor and good friend, William.  Together, they had a baby girl, Annie, who died from marasmus before she was one month old.  Three years later, Sarah’s father died.  Then, over a one year period in 1880, she lost her mother, her father-in-law, and literally two months later, her beloved husband.  Finally, in 1884, Sarah’s oldest sister, Mary, died from cancer.  The end result of all this terrible loss and perpetual grief was, she took guidance from a medium who told her to leave the east coast and move to the west coast and buy a house.  Supposedly, she was to never stop adding rooms to that house as the sound of constant construction (hammering, sawing, etc.) would keep the evil spirits at bay.  Thus, the story of the Winchester Mystery House.

Here are the basic facts we learned:  

Sarah bought the house in 1886 for $12,570, and started construction immediately and constantly (off and on) until 1922.  The house was located on a 40-acre fruit ranch, which she continued farming until her death.  At it’s peak, the property was a total of 140 acres.

The original farmhouse was 8-rooms and is now 24,000 square feet with 160 rooms, 47 staircases, 13 bathrooms, and something like 2,000 doors.  The last time the house was bought and sold was in 1923 for 5 million dollars, which is 71 million dollars today. 

The windows in the house are believed to be made by Tiffany and Company. Also, the house is believed to contain the largest private collection of stained glass in the U.S.  

The house is a construction marvel. There are doors that open into nothing (often a vast nothingness that would lead to a considerable drop from one floor to the next or even the ground!), cabinets doors that open to expose bricks or the hallway behind them, staircases that lead to ceilings, windows that only provide a view of a wall, and a variety of other interesting, architectural mysteries. 

All-in-all, it took us about 2 hours to tour the house and grounds and we were absolutely delighted with the experience.  

Saturday morning early, we left our luxury resort and drove back into the city to visit the San Jose Flea Market, which claims to be the biggest in the state of California!  You know I have that eBay business, right?  So, I wanted to stop here and see if there was anything that I might find useful for my store.  Another reason I wanted to stop at this Flea Market is simply nostalgic. Don’t get me wrong, I have never been here before now, but as a kid, we would frequently drive into the big city of Raleigh to the state fairgrounds where, on weekends, the largest flea market I had ever seen would appear.  Tents, tables, shelves, boxes, and even truck beds full of wares would spread out all over the grounds – even inside the permanent fair buildings!  On Saturday mornings, we would wander among musicians, craftsmen, collectors, artists, entertainers, and vendors of all kinds watching people haggle over bits and bobs, sample sweets, admire and enjoy all of the sounds and smells of the market.  I used to imagine how this might have appeared in medieval times, where instead of the truck rally, there might have been a joust or archery competition.  I love these types of venues and anyone who has followed our travels over the years knows that we rarely miss an opportunity to visit a market wherever we go.  San Jose is no exception.

Saturday afternoon, we traveled north leaving San Jose behind us and headed towards San Francisco.  Actually, staying near San Francisco was our original plan, but we have all visited San Fran in the past and Allita has a school friend who lives in Oakland, so instead, we were invited to stay overnight with them so the girls could have some together time.  I won’t say much more about that except that it was an incredible experience and we all enjoyed it very much.  They are delightful people.

We started off our Wednesday in King City, CA.  Never heard of it?  Me neither.  It’s a town on the 101 headed North from Paso Robles.  We couldn’t continue on CA 1 northbound from San Simeon, because it is closed at Lucia due to previously mentioned construction repairs from flooding and land slides.  So we back-tracked to Cambria, caught the 101 again in Paso Robles and headed north after our tour of the Hearst residence.  The wind is fierce in this area.  There are endless acres of farmland – some dedicated to the grape, others to lettuce, strawberries, etc.  The rare vineyard properties are lovely and inspiring only because of their stark contrast to the unremarkable landscape.  After some hours, I decided it was time to call it a day.  Mom saw a sign for an RV park called Whitehorse and they had one remaining site right next to a lovely rose garden area.  We decided it was perfect, so we raided the general store for some highly nutritious processed food, and made camp for the night.  

Earlier in our trip, just after we got gas in Lompoc, the truck started having issues – we assume related to the braking system or possibly the ABS.  I was able to resolve the issue with some profanity and fiddling with the brake release and engine so we all decided to forget about it.  Much to my chagrin, just after we topped off Wednesday morning and hit the road again, the same “issue” restarted.  The repeat offense made the issue more of a problem and we decided to keep to the main highway, instead of venturing off through the country as planned.  I do not regret this decision.

We traveled the 101 to Salinas and then headed toward Monterey to catch the PCH (CA 1).  In Monterey, we drove the 17 mile loop and saw Pebble Beach and all the extravagant homes overlooking golf courses and the pacific coast.  

We exited the loop before the very end (irritating Allita who likes to finish what she starts) and headed to Carmel.  We drove down Ocean Blvd in Carmel, always a pleasure in the RV, saw the traffic and lovely downtown Carmel area (which reminded us greatly of York, England), and then caught CA 1 northbound again.  This time, we headed for Santa Cruz.  

Allita found us a lovely CA state campground at New Brighton Beach near Capitola and Live Oak.  You’ve probably never heard of those places.  Me either.  Such is the way of CA 1.  You end up discovering all these little, funky places hanging desperately on the California coast and crammed full of residents and tourists alike.  

Tomorrow, we will continue up the (still under construction) CA 1 until we reach Santa Cruz and then we will take Highway 17 into San Jose.

I am excited to visit San Jose as it is the home of a massive Flea Market I have wanted to visit for a long time.  Allita is excited for the Winchester Mystery House also located there.  Mom is looking forward to having the Chevrolet dealership service department check out the mysterious brake issue we are having with the RV.  Should be an exciting day for all of us.  Toby is ambivalent.  He really doesn’t want to leave this campground now that he is awake and has rediscovered the joy of camping in the woods.  He has been an absolute champion traveler on this trip (so far) and I am hopeful that things with our furry guy continue to go as smoothly as they have for as long as we are on the road.  Not sure how we are going to manage him while we are having the vehicle serviced but that is a “tomorrow me” problem. 

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“Tomorrow me” here – we are at the Capitol Chevrolet service center (I am using their wifi) and Toby is napping quietly in his little carry case that looks like an RV. Allita has her various electronic devices and a power source. Mom has coffee and her book. So far, so good.

Before we vacated our camping spot this morning, Allita and I enjoyed a short hike through the trees down to China Beach. It was quite lovely and we had a lot of fun watching pelicans fish, finding interesting rocks, and strolling along the sandy shore.

Our Monday started with a tour of California Lutheran University, a small liberal arts college located near Simi Valley in Thousand Oaks, CA.  I admit I had preconceived mental images of this school and they were all completely WRONG!  The only thing small about Cal Lu is the student body –  currently a whopping 2,200 students.  The campus itself is enormous but well-organized and connected efficiently so that students can easily move around on foot, by bike, scooter or roller skate  – no motorized vehicles needed.  Further, the school, similar to Cal Arts, is nearby town but not inside it, so traffic is limited only to those drivers with purpose and is surrounded by suburbia sufficiently that it gives the appearance of an exclusive residential neighborhood rather than an institution for advanced education.  The property is beautiful with massive trees, sweeping lawns, blooming gardens, and a large number of outdoor recreational areas – some for eating, some for relaxing, and some for sport.  They even have a small creek running near the student union where a brace of mallards was snoozing on the sunny bank, empty hammock chairs and picnic tables were dotted around, and a lovely wind chime tinkled a melody in the breeze. Unlike any other university we have visited to date, Cal Lutheran boasts enough on-campus housing for their entire student body and strongly encourages its use; even during the summer months, if you have a job, are taking a class, or just don’t want to relocate home for those few months (as is true for international students).  Allita and I were both absolutely enchanted by California Lutheran University and she announced that it had “moved up” on her list of schools of choice.  Also, she was happy to observe that the city of Thousand Oaks, second largest in Ventura County, is aptly named.  For a trio of Arizonans (Toby slept most of the time – I’m not sure he even looked out the window), the immensity and quantity of timber in this area was quite impressive.  

We have long discussed the merits of traveling along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from California to Washington.  Sections of this road, well known around the world, are notoriously out of commission due to flooding, fires, landslides, etc. that plague (particularly) California and this year is no exception.  There is a 10-mile section just south of Big Sur that is closed, so we decided to enjoy all that we could from Thousand Oaks to San Simeon, our destination for Monday night.  The PCH is a scenic drive – similar to our drive along the Costa Brava actually – with views of the pacific coast, rocky cliffs, some beaches, state parks, and a plethora of tiny coastal towns through which the road twists and turns.  My mother would like it known for posterity that in her opinion, the best entrance is Santa Maria.  If the road is open beyond Lucia, she has no idea what you might see but everything south of Santa Maria was not worth it (except for the affordable gasoline we got in Lompoc).  My only comment is this: kindly remember that the coast has wind.  The taller the vehicle you are driving, the more exciting the drive will be.  

We camped at Hearst San Simeon State Park, a California State Park located on property that was once part of the William Randolph Hearst collection, and is, therefore, approximately 5 miles from the famous estate.  Tuesday morning, we enjoyed a relaxing and slow-paced start to our day and allowed Toby some time to communicate with nature.  He darted from window to window watching the fearless, corpulent, campground squirrels as they frolicked in the grass and raced up trees chattering noisily to one another.  Allita and I took a stroll around the area making use of a well-maintained foot trail that connected all three camping areas at this park.  Our campsite had a minuscule view of the ocean through the trees, but other spots on the hilltop and nearer the bathhouse were more open and from those, the vistas were enchanting.  Later, we learned that Hearst himself called his residence “La Cuesta Encantada”, meaning the enchanted hill, which suits the region completely and accurately.  Another item of note regarding this campground: they provide HOT water in the showers and sinks.  Come prepared for a lovely bath (even if the showers are made for short people) and the ability to wash dishes easily.  

Later Tuesday afternoon, we tootled up the road for our 1pm “Grand Rooms” tour of Hearst Castle.  I don’t know what you know about William Randolph Hearst or Hearst Castle, as this property is called, but if you don’t know him, you are missing out on some interesting American history.  The Hearst family was like the Vanderbilts, the Rockerfellers, the Astors, the Morgans, etc.  Surely some of these names are recognizable?  How about from Orson Welles’ film Citizen Kane?  Even today, the family remains one of the richest in the world.  Patty Hearst made history when she was kidnapped.  Ok.  Yes.  Those Hearsts.  Anyway, the property is enormous.  Hearst inherited it from his parents, George and Phoebe.  George was the son of pig farmers who made his wealth in silver mines (ever heard of the Comstock Lode?) and later in cattle ranching.  Over time, the family wealth grew and grew from George’s investments in mining, ranching and properties.  William has an interesting life as the only child of an incredibly wealthy, driven man and an educated, sophisticated mother.  Eventually, he asks his father for a newspaper George won in a poker tournament, the San Francisco Chronicle.  From there, William Randolph Hearst created a media empire and amassed even more wealth, fame and fortune.  You should read about him – seriously. 

Anyway, this property in San Simeon, purchased originally by George and used by the family for ranching and camping, became the very heart of William Randolph Hearst.  He loved this place more than any other in the world, and he would know, as he visited most of the civilized global community in his lifetime.  For this reason, he built his massive residence on a hill near his childhood campsite overlooking the pacific coast and the Santa Lucia mountains.  Like Simba’s dad said, everything you could see from their home was the property of Hearst. 

Really, the most interesting and, often overlooked, person in the history of Hearst castle is the architect, Julia Morgan.  She has a fascinating history of her own and partnered with the fickle Hearst in the design and construction of the castle and all its grounds over the 28 years it was under construction.  Julia Morgan was such a talented and passionate architect, did you know she designed and constructed nearly 200 more builds than Frank Lloyd Wright, who is undoubtedly more well-known? When we get back to Tucson, I am going to see if the Pima County Library system has anything I can read about her as, even though I know about Hearst and some of his family story, I know nearly nothing of Morgan, who is arguably a more interesting person.  But then, I am something of a fan of historical female figures.  As you probably already know. 

The four of us left Tucson early on a chilly Friday morning and started the long drive to Los Angeles, CA.  Toby took refuge in Allita’s lap in the passenger seat for most of the journey – he’s such a champion traveler.  Aside from some unexpected delays due to traffic, the trip west was mostly uneventful.  We arrived at Bonelli Bluffs RV park that evening after a 9-hour drive.  

Bonelli Bluffs RV Resort and Campground is an L.A. County park attached to the nearly 2,000 acre Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park in lovely San Dimas, California.  By my count, based on the handy map you are provided at check-in, there are just over 500 RV campsites (510?) and around 15+ tent campsites.  This place is massive.  Furthermore, you can bring your horse and ride the trails – they have a large arena area and plenty of covered stalls in sprawling ranch-style, open horse barns. You can enjoy the lake in a variety of ways – including fishing! You can hike, bike ride, picnic, bicycle and even play a round of golf at the park course.  The RV resort has playgrounds, swimming pools, a fishing beach, sand volleyball courts, a general store, and is a lush and green area that is perfect for relaxing and enjoying the lovely breeze.  It definitely qualifies as a “resort”. The day we stayed was ideal with a high daily temperature just below 70 so we had no need for air conditioning.  

The next day, we left San Dimas and drove directly to UCLA with Allita navigating.  What an adventure!  The greater Los Angeles area is approximately 19 times more populated than all of Tucson.  Yes indeed – they have between 18-19 million residents, many of whom drive their own vehicles – and that does not include the volume of tourists that visit year-round. To say that we had to navigate traffic would be an understatement.  Even on a non-holiday weekend, the L.A. area is busy.  In order to handle the volume of vehicles zipping around the area, California has constructed a plethora of highways, freeways, parkways, boulevards, overpasses, underpasses, etc. that connect willy-nilly (left and right exits, HOV lanes, etc.) like varicose veins splayed everywhere across the area.  There is also a well-developed public transit system tucked into the whole mess.  It took us over an hour to reach the university campus from our campsite in San Dimas.  We considered ourselves fortunate to arrive safely, but, after we found an actual on-street parking space that could accommodate the RV, we nearly said a prayer.  

Allita and I left Mom and Toby in the RV while we schlepped all over the UCLA campus.  All told, we walked for nearly 2 hours. The campus is a massive, sprawling affair riddled with ornate brick buildings dotted among a variety of gigantic, old trees, lush, blooming gardens, and winding trails that grace the sloping landscape.  It is quite possibly the most beautiful campus I have ever visited.  The entire time I was comparing the brick construction to my alma matter and Allita was comparing it to ASU.  We were gobsmacked by the differences and, for the first time, I could finally understand why someone would choose a school located in downtown L.A. as their advanced educational destination.  Just wow.  

From UCLA, we rejoined the motorized shoal and made our way to USC, another university on our list to visit.  Wait, did I tell you why we are making this trip?  Right.  Sorry.  So, Allita is a senior in the fall.  Can you believe it?  That means, she is looking for places to attend school after she gets her high school diploma.  You know she’s an artist, so the schools that made her list are those that specialize in the arts.  In addition to ASU in Phoenix, there are four schools in California, one in Oregon, two in Washington (state) and one in Georgia.  We will visit them all this summer.  The west coast locations are our destinations this road trip.  The east coast is later in July and won’t really be blog-worthy.  While we are on the road again, we decided to drive the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) a little, visit Hearst Castle, see the Winchester Mystery mansion, drive through Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterrey and possibly Big Sur, tour a few museums along the way, say hello to friends in San Fransisco, Portland and Tacoma, take a ferry into Canada, see some redwoods, hike in Crater Lake National Park and Glacier National Park, and eventually make our way back to Tucson.  One giant loop – a whirlwind tour of the pacific west coast – in the RV, with the cat, and all before my birthday in June.  Hopefully.  

Anyway, we made it to USC just in time to watch graduates and their families exiting the campus in all their finery.  The two schools are located in vastly different neighborhoods still within Los Angeles, yet they appear relatively similar in design.  Beautiful brick buildings, lots of green spaces, an easily accessible train stop nearby, etc.  USC is a considerably smaller campus, which Allita immediately noticed and appreciated.  Apparently, she isn’t a big fan of having to walk an hour to get from one side of campus to another – go figure.  She also got excited about the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum right across the street.  Regardless how old she gets, some things never change.  

As is our way, somehow, we found an absolute gem of an RV park located perfectly in North Hollywood.  Private, secluded, full hook-ups, wifi, flat paved spaces, gated, etc.  The owner, Rafael, is fantastic – professional and easy to contact, flexible and very helpful.  One hundred percent, I want to leave a glowing Google review, but if lots of people discover this place, I may not be able to book it next time.  Quite the quandary. Also, there is a swimming pool but currently, it’s not quite warm enough to use it, so it’s empty from winter still.  I understand that – the high today is 72.  We are sitting in the shade outside the RV enjoying the lovely breeze and some fresh cool water. It’s perfect.  

This morning, we drove about 30 minutes up the freeway to CalArts (California Institute of the Arts), a small, exclusive art college renown for excellence in animation (Allita’s chosen field) and honestly, her #1 choice of schools.  The campus, located in Santa Clarita, is gorgeous.  The security guard generously allowed us a drive-through tour which took all of 15 minutes only because I had to go 10 mph.  Graduation was Friday and the campus is vacant currently.  There are only a handful of buildings on the grounds – almost none of which are brick construction – and the remainder of the campus is rolling, green, grassy hills, trees, gardens, and wide-open spaces.  We finished our “tour” and drove into Santa Clarita to find the closest stores and check out the apartments where students can live.  CalArts has an acceptance rate of 25%.  Naturally, Allita will apply here, but she isn’t putting all her eggs in – even though it is a very lovely basket.  You know?

For today, we are done with university-ing.  We are taking a much-needed travel break.  The cat is grateful.  We are enjoying the hospitality of Rafael and actually camping a little bit.  Tomorrow morning, we have a guided tour of California Lutheran University located in Thousand Oaks, CA.  We plan to leave North Hollywood extremely early.  I have already decided it will be a two-cup-of-coffee kind of day as it is Monday and we have about 2 hours to drive through LA traffic. Wish us luck!