Los Angeles, CA - 2500 Miles

I'm finally adjusting to the Pacific time zone. Initially I found it extremely difficult to stay up past 7PM but now I'm routinely up past sunset. I also now understand the traffic problems of southern California in general and LA specifically. I always assumed it was due to long commutes or urban sprawl, but the fact is everyone is simply driving around looking for a parking spot. Parking at popular destinations is a valuable commodity. If you hit the jackpot and find a spot it usually has a one-hour maximum. After 60 minutes of sight seeing, you get to start the process all over again.

We had two celebrity sightings on an NBC studio tour. First we saw Jay Leno's car in reserved parking slot #1 outside the Tonight Show studio. For the record Leno can't park worth a crap. I would have taken a picture to prove it but photography was strictly prohibited. I wouldn't want him parking next to me at Wal-Mart but I probably don't really need to worry about it. The second celebrity was a pelican scheduled for the Tonight Show taping that afternoon. Not my choices for star gazing but you take what you can get. I'm somewhat ashamed to admit I stayed up to watch the Tonight Show just so I could see the pelican on TV.

Sunday we visit the beaches at Santa Monica and Venice. With some luck I can get a picture with my brethren at Muscle Beach.