For all my spiritual friends, and for the rest of you too, if you think I’m writing a post about one of the parables from Jesus, I’m sorry to disappoint.

At this time the only entrance into Yosemite is from the west. This forced a choice to change my intended route and push further west before turning north. So instead of a trip through Death Valley I get this;

The 99 (Californians put “The” in front of all their highway numbers), is a wretched patch of highway up the San Joaquin Valley. Think industrial strength I94 between St Paul and Woodbury for hundreds of miles. You people who have driven in California know what I’m talkin’ about.

To be fair, at certain intervals, The 99 is lined with farms, orchards, and vineyards.  But in spite of that, you are left with absolutely no doubt that you are right in the famous California smog that we always hear about. I thought that was LA.  It’s depressing.  It left me wondering if I would drink California wine again. I don’t think I want to consume the grapes and wines that come out of this area. The traffic is constant, somewhere between steady and Twin Cities rush hour. The trees that line the highway all look like they are slowly being poisoned. Which, I guess they are. My malaise about this is magnified by the fact that we currently have an administration that, in the main, doesn’t seem like they feel the environment is anything worthy of anybody’s time.

And the signs; Valley Farms, No Water, No Jobs. And, Is Growing Food Really a Waste of Water?  Then, Make America Great Again, Ain’t Happenin’ Here!

And; Helter Skelter Café (really, that’s your sense of humor?). Oh, and Gunrunner Inn. Yikes.

At one point I’m driving along and starting to think, man this stretch of highway is really in bad shape! Two minutes later, a billboard; Dear Legislators, kicking the can down the road is not acceptable!   www.fixaroad.org

I kept thinking, what if I had to choose between living here and living in Houston? Double Yikes!

Ok, so why am I writing about this?

I don’t know.

Take heart faithful readers, my next post will be titled Yosemite!