When I left The OC back in ‘76, I thought I was saying goodbye to the bumper-to-bumper gridlock I’d been subjected to for years on end.
But, no, thanks to the years of deferred maintenance on the part of Caltrans, I have to wade my way through bumper-to-bumper traffic on Highway 18, especially on weekends, when they attempt to undefer their constant roadwork with closed routes, like last week when Old Waterman Canyon Road, my favorite route up and down the mountain for its scenic beauty, not to mention (‘scuse me for mentioning it, which I just did) it is actually one mile shorter than taking the 18 all the way down.
Who’d-a-thunk my ride on the 18 would become just like my daily commute on the Garbage Grove Freeway, back in the 70s. (No offense meant to the folks in Garbage Grove…if you’ve ever been there, you’d know what I mean.)
OK, so there are alternate routes you can take to avoid the 18, especially on weekends. I’m not saying where, but I’m sure you can figure it out (unless you’re from Garbage Grove).
Getting back to Caltrans’ maintenance deficiencies, let me just say this, we the Alpine Mountaineer tried to warn them about the deteriorating condition of their mountain roadways. But did they listen? No, they just got mad and denied there were any problems. Not to be an alarmist, but we informed them many years ago about the gaping cavern beneath Highway 18 near the Red Rock Wall turnout, which finally caused the roadway to collapse a few years ago, causing even more detours and traffic delays for several months.
Highway 330 has also had its problems with erogenous…’scuse me, I meant to say erosion zones, with road segments caving in, just like the 18, not to mention Highway 189, just past Lake Gregory Drive, and again between Blue Jay and Lake Arrowhead.
Why, you ask, am I always picking on Caltrans? It’s because, like most folks, I’m annoyed by the inconvenience of their constant road failures and continual detours. I guess you might say they’re my new “whipping boy.”
When a problem comes along, you must whip it before the cream sets out too long, you must whip it. When something’s going wrong, you must whip it. I say whip it, whip it good. (“Whip It” – Devo – 1980)
Then there’s Highway 138, between Toptown and Valley of Enchantment It’s what I like to call a “Holy Road.” Holy Cow, there’s so many holes there I can’t count them all. I wonder just how many holes there really are?
I read the news today, oh boy, four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire, and though the hole are really small, they had to count them all. Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall; I’d love to turn you on. (“A Day in the Life” – The Beatles – 1967)
That’s a wrap for this week, folks. See ya’ next week, same time, same station.
Keep it flyin’,
Uncle Mott
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