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01/16/10 |
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On this page: Introduction, Day One - 1 September 2007, Pictures from Day One The year was 2003. Labor Day weekend 2003, that is. I took a trip to Los Angeles in anticipation of attending an ER themed fan convention which fizzled out about a week or so before I set out on the trip. However, I had nonrefundable Southwest Airlines tickets that I had to use or else lose out on the money I spent. But I went anyway, convention or not. However, I featured the Los Angeles trip from Labor Day 2003 here at EdwardRingwald.com and it became one of the most visited pages for years. Unfortunately, web space was a consideration and the Labor Day 2003 trip to Los Angeles had to be deleted to make room for more roadtrips. Fast forward to Labor Day 2007, four years later. I had to plan a trip over the Labor Day weekend because one of my Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards tickets was expiring soon. I had a choice - take a trip somewhere or spend $50 to extend the tickets. So, I decided to plan a trip and save that $50 towards a rental car or hotel room. Now the next task was where to this Labor Day weekend? Originally I planned on flying to San Diego rather than Los Angeles but checking the Southwest Airlines schedule for service between Tampa and San Diego guided my decision: Yes there is through service from Tampa to San Diego on Southwest (meaning one stop somewhere on the way but I would stay on the plane throughout the trip) but on coming back to Tampa it involved changing planes somewhere on the way. You know what having to change planes enroute involves: The possibility of a missed connection and the possibility that your baggage may not make it with you. So, I decided to check Southwest service from Tampa to Los Angeles and vice versa and - bingo - through service both ways. So, I went along with the Los Angeles option in order to avoid changing planes somewhere. Accordingly, I planned the trip a couple of months in advance. I made use of not only my Southwest Rapid Rewards tickets but also a one night stay at the Hilton using HHonors points that I accumulated to try to hold down costs, as hotel prices in Los Angeles are somehow steep. Look at it this way: Is it better to pay the extra money to stay in a reputable hotel such as the Hilton or to stay at some other hotel in an unknown section of Los Angeles? Day One, Saturday, 1 September 2007 It was early morning as I packed up the trusty Saturn Aura XE for the short trip onto Interstate 275, which would take me across the Howard Frankland Bridge to Exit 39 (FL 60) and the entrance to the world's finest airport, Tampa International Airport. Being early Saturday morning traffic on Interstate 275 was light compared to your typical commuter traffic Monday through Friday. Once at the airport I managed to use the long term parking garage and to find a convenient parking spot right next to the monorail that would take me to the Landside Terminal and the ticket counter for Southwest. Once at the ticket counter I handed my baggage to the friendly Southwest ticket agent who applied the tags for LAX onto my baggage. After that, I bid adieu to my baggage temporarily until I got to Los Angeles and my baggage was sent first to TSA security screening land for mandatory security screening and then on its way to the plane. Next I proceeded to Airside C where I would pass through the rites of TSA passenger screening and eventually to my gate. As I was part of Boarding Group A and I arrived early I would have my first pick at a good seat on the plane all the way to Los Angeles. Almost not so. Just before my flight there was a gate change which put me a few people ahead of me in line for the A boarding group. Upon boarding I managed to get an excellent seat for the trip. Upon takeoff we climbed out over northeast St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park which would take us west across the Gulf of Mexico on our way to Los Angeles. Midway we made a stop in Austin (Texas' equivalent of Tallahassee) so that we can discharge and take on passengers. Upon leaving Austin the landscape we Floridians are used to soon began to give way to the mountainous landscape which dominates the southwestern United States, including California. After five and a half hours of cross country flight I landed in Los Angeles sometime after 12 Noon Pacific Time (that's 3 PM back home in St. Petersburg). I collected my baggage and proceeded to take the hotel shuttle that would take me to my temporary residence in Los Angeles for the next few days, the Hilton LAX Airport on Century Blvd. After I checked in and got into my room it was time for me to go to Alamo to pick up my rental car which would be my temporary mode of transportation for the next few days. As Alamo is you may pick the car you want in your class at most locations nowadays, they did not have any Saturns available but I chose a Chevrolet Cobalt, which was good as a Saturn. (After all, Chevrolet Cobalts are standard City of St. Petersburg issue motor vehicles among other things). Hotel and rental car aside, it's time to go freeway exploring! I set out onto Interstate 405 north from Century Blvd. which would take me to US 101. Once there I headed east on US 101 which would evolve into CA 134 and made a stop in Burbank, where I stayed at a Hilton hotel there in 2003. Sadly, the Hilton hotel is no more, as far as the name is concerned - instead, the buildings are still there but sit has been replaced by a Marriott hotel (incidentally, The Daily Grill restaurant still stands today). I took a quick ride on the Metro to Hollywood so that I could walk Hollywood Blvd. and pass by the famous landmarks including the walk of fame that straddles Hollywood Blvd. on either side. After exploring Hollywood I got back on the Metro as it was getting late and I don't want to be there at night for safety reasons. It was then back to the US 101 freeway taking a route onto Hollywood Way passing by the Warner Brothers studios (where ER and a host of other TV shows are produced). Once on US 101 I headed south to Interstate 110 where I headed south through downtown Los Angeles and past Interstate 10 (that's right, the one and same Interstate 10 that goes from CA 1 in Santa Monica to Interstate 95 in Jacksonville) to Interstate 105, then westward on Interstate 105 to Interstate 405 and Century Blvd. and back to the hotel for the evening. Early morning in the long term parking garage at Tampa International Airport Here is our Southwest plane proudly parked at the gate waiting to take me plus so many other people to Austin as well as Los Angeles Airborne! At 10,000 feet we climbed out westward over Pinellas Park and Northside Hospital Nice breathtaking view of Park Street (center) as well as the Pinellas Trail crossing Long Bayou and the Bay Pines VA Campus (pictured towards the right) A better closeup view of the Pinellas Trail as well as US Alt. 19 crossing Long Bayou Crossing over Madeira Beach offering a good view of Johns Pass (and the new bridge under construction as of September 2007) before we head out over the Gulf of Mexico We are now well out into the Gulf of Mexico and outside the three mile territorial limit of the State of Florida. After all, it is outside this territorial limit that the gambling cruise ships can operate legally. Looking southwestward over the Gulf of Mexico Nice towering cloud deck as we make our way across the open water. Notice the winglet bearing the Southwest.com name. My laptop and the Interstate 275 shield have come along for the trip to Los Angeles Looks like we are over southern Louisiana as we are now following the Gulf of Mexico coastline. I did not notice any changes as a result of Hurricane Katrina passing through in 2005. A well organized cloud deck as we are headed towards our first stop in Austin. Here's another view of the cloud deck as well. Here we are parked at the gate at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. No crew change here, just drop off and pick up passengers and cargo on our way to Los Angeles. Airborne again as we climb out over Austin The landscape changes dramatically from the lush green landscape we are used to in Florida to the mountainous landscape that will dominate all the way to California Nice view of a river, probably the Colorado River as we advance westward We're not far from Los Angeles already! And we made it to Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) This is the intersection of Century Blvd. and Aviation Blvd. while I was on the shuttle to pick up my rental car It's freeway sightseeing time! We're northbound on Interstate 405 (also called the San Diego Freeway) and Exit 48, La Tijera Blvd. is just around the corner. Notice the new exit number recently posted as well as the dedicated exit only lane. Last chance for La Tijera Blvd. on Interstate 405 north. Notice the control city of Santa Monica which is reached by way of Interstate 10 west. Next three exits on Interstate 405 north: Montana Avenue is 1/2 mile ahead while Sunset Blvd. is only 1 mile and Moraga Drive is 1-1/2 miles away. Last chance to exit Interstate 405 at Montana Avenue while Sunset Blvd. is 1/2 mile ahead. Notice the dilapidated condition of the overhead signage as it was probably there from day one when Interstate 405 was opened a long time ago. Perhaps CalTrans (California DOT, the California counterpart of the Florida DOT) needs to begin an aggressive effort to replace signage like this. Last chance to exit Interstate 405 at Getty Center Drive while Skirball Center Drive and Mulholland Drive are 2 miles away. The signage is button copy but in good shape compared to the last photograph. Next three exits for Interstate 405 north: Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive is 1 mile ahead while Ventura Blvd. is 3 miles and US 101 (the Ventura Freeway) is 3-1/4 miles away. Last chance to exit Interstate 405 at Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive while Ventura Blvd. is 2 miles away. Notice the new Exit 61 designation for Skirball Center Drive/Mulholland Drive. Next set of three exits ahead for Interstate 405 north: Ventura Blvd. is coming up in 1-3/4 mile while US 101 is only 2 miles ahead and Burbank Blvd. is just 3-1/4 miles away. Advance signage for US 101 and Ventura Blvd. on Interstate 405 north. Notice the Exits 63A-B designation for Ventura Blvd. and US 101 respectively. Also be on the lookout for slow or stopped vehicles ahead as we are going downhill. Last chance to exit onto either Ventura Blvd. or US 101 from Interstate 405. Speaking of Interstate 405, the control city changes to Sacramento (California's equivalent of Tallahassee) via a connection to Interstate 5 further northward. Let's change gears and head south onto US 101 (actually, we're going east for now). Here's Exit 15 and Coldwater Canyon Avenue. Next three exits for US 101 south: Laurel Canyon Blvd. is just one mile ahead while the junction of CA 134 and US 101 is 2 miles ahead and Tujunga Avenue is 2-1/4 miles away. Laurel Canyon Blvd. is coming up in 1/2 mile on US 101 south We are coming up to the interchange of CA 134 and US 101. US 101 takes a southeastward projectory as it snakes its way through the mountains towards Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles while CA 134 continues eastward towards Burbank and Pasadena. We're now on CA 134 heading through Burbank and Interstate 5 - known as the Golden State Freeway - is just around the corner. Looking south on Hollywood Way while we are directly over CA 134 in Burbank. The water tower in the background is Warner Bros. studios. Typical mast arm traffic signal common in California. This is looking north on Barham Blvd. at Hollywood Way and Warner Bros.' Gate 4. Notice how the Warner Bros. logo fits nicely onto the street sign. Since we are in Burbank, why not go to North Hollywood to catch the Metro Subway to Hollywood? This is the Hollywood and Vine Station as I exited from the Metro. An old movie camera from years gone by displayed on exhibit at the Metro Hollywood and Vine Station In front of the Pantages Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. as you come out of the Metro Hollywood and Vine Station. The Academy Awards used to be held at the Pantages Theatre for many years. Hollywood Blvd. and Argyle Street looking east. Again notice the California standard traffic signal mast arms. Signage for the US 101 Freeway, looking north probably from Argyle Street Another California style mast arm signal on Hollywood Blvd. and Vine Street: View on Hollywood Blvd. and another view on Vine Street. U-turns are never permitted on Hollywood Blvd. In front of the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Two views of the Kodak Theatre: Closeup and looking in front on Hollywood Blvd. The Kodak Theatre is the permanent venue of the Academy Awards; prior to then the Academy Awards used to bounce around several Los Angeles area venues; in the 1990's the Academy Awards for a while alternated between the Shrine Auditorium and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Two views of Graumann's Chinese Theatre: Closeup and looking in front on Hollywood Blvd. Check out the big crowd! Corner of Hollywood and Highland Time to head back to North Hollywood and to the Hilton at LAX: Here's a typical Los Angeles subway car headed north. This was taken at the Hollywood and Highland Station.
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This site was last updated 12/07/08