Living Large and Driving Safe

You are probably unaware that Blogspot, the Google service I use to publish this blog, has what is called a "back end" stat feature. This allows me to see how many people read the blog, where they are from, what browser they use, and other stats. From this data I learn that roughly 200 people read each post... some a bit more and others a bit less. The most widely read post was the one I wrote about my friend Romey who committed suicide in Manila.

The reason I'm telling you about this data is because I have determined that 50% of the drivers on the road today are terrible drivers... indeed, they should have their licenses pulled until they go to a driver's education class. This means that roughly 100 of those who read this blog need help! The problem is I don't think you bad drivers know who you are, so everyone who reads this post... good drivers and not so good drivers... will have to man up and pay attention.

My dad was a professional truck driver. Over the years he drove everything from big 18-wheelers to concrete mixers. He must have driven millions of miles over his career. He only had one accident. On a cold Michigan night during a blizzard, as he was trying to get home after delivering bus frames to a manufacturer in Lima Ohio, he hit a patch of ice and slid off the road, slamming head on into a giant oak tree. The impact drove his head through the windshield. Fortunately, he was a Schwartz with a hard head and he was wearing a cap with ear covers. So, other than a few cuts and a bad headache, he came through the ordeal relatively unscathed.

When my dad taught me to drive he said the two most important things that make a safe driver were to look as far down the road as possible to give yourself as much time as possible to react to whatever was coming at you. The second thing was to be predictable.

Unfortunately, half of you don't seem to have a clue about the importance of looking far down the road... if you did, you wouldn't TAILGATE! You can't possibly see what's coming at you if you are running at 70 mph six feet (or less) behind the car in front of you. As for being predictable, this means when you merge onto a freeway you need to show the drivers in the lane you are merging into that you will build adequate speed to merge without disturbing the speed of the cars in the lane into which you are merging. Note... IT IS NOT INCUMBENT ON THE DRIVER IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE TO MOVE INTO THE CENTER LANE TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR MERGE. This is especially important when the car in the right lane is pulling a huge 18,000 pound 5th wheel that takes longer to stop and is less maneuverable than an automobile. I actually had a jerk flip me the bird the other day when I didn't change lanes to accommodate his absolutely unpredictable merge.

So here's a warning... if you tailgate me I will slam on my brakes when you least expect it. If you try to force me out of my lane so you can merge without building adequate speed, I will not move over. Beware!

Okay, now that I've got that off my chest... we had a great time in San Francisco. We stayed within walking distance of the Larkspur Ferry so we could zip in and out of the city without fighting the traffic.

We had lunch with our niece, Olivia, who attends the Academy of Arts University right in the heart of the city. She's studying to be an animator and hopes to work for Pixar after she completes her 4-year program. Olivia is a real hoot and always a treat to be around.

We did all of the touristy things... Golden Gate, shopping, eating... and eating, etc. We also took a tour of Alcatraz. On the ferry to SF one passes right by San Quentin which is an active prison, whereas Alcatraz closed many years ago. It was very interesting and somewhat sad when you consider how many lives have been wasted serving hard time in prisons.

Alcatraz

Entrance to golf course

After a few days in the bay area we moved south to Carmel. This has always been one of our most favorite places in the world. We didn't do anything special... walked on the beach, played golf, shopped, ate and ate. The entire Monterrey peninsula is magical... 17 Mile Drive with its fabulous views, magnificent homes, and famous golf courses... Pebble Beach and Spyglass to name just two. The Monterrey Pier with its great seafood and a bit farther down the coast, Big Sur with its redwood forests and stunning scenery. We both agreed we could happily live in Carmel... too bad it's in California!

Treanna's house and vineyard with the 5th wheel on the left

Treanna's garden

A little over 100 miles south of Carmel is Paso Robles, another of our favorite places. We stayed at the home of one of our most favorite people, Treanna Smoot. Jim and Treanna (Jim passed away a couple of years ago) were instrumental in planting and managing many of the vineyards in the region. The Paso area has well over one hundred wineries. Treanna still manages her own 80-acre vineyard. We were delighted to meet Treanna's significant other, Gary Bolen, who like Treanna, has an interesting background. The two of them are charming hosts.

More garden

John and Gary at Sculpterra Winery

I had to go to a business meeting in Connecticut so I flew from San Luis Obisbo to White Plains NY on Thursday, met on Friday, and came back on Saturday. While I was away Jill was hobnobbing with Gary and Treanna and friends. If you've never been to Paso Robles you've missed out on one of California's most enjoyable areas. In addition to wineries and exceptional restaurants, San Simeon and the Hearst Castle are just a short drive away as is the delightful town of Cambria and the spectacular Pacific Ocean. One day we hiked the hills across from San Simeon beach... beautiful.
It was a great week including golf at Hunter Ranch (very difficult)  and we very much appreciated the hospitality and friendship of Treanna and Gary.

Jill and Treanna at  Sculpterra Winery