The California

California is just different. I'm a born and bred east-coaster, but I've lived out here twice for a total of about 2 years, and have visited another 20 or 30 times and have driven from border to border, west to east, and north to south and back again. There's a reason California holds such an iconic place in our national consciousness. California is unusual in almost any way you can imagine.

You can't talk about California without talking about cars and driving. Have you ever been to a really formal party where you know that if you make the slightest mistake of etiquette you will be scolded? That's what driving in California is like. As a result of having too many huge roads (3 left turn lanes? Really? And how about a 4-way stop with 2-lane roads- that's 8 cars stopped at the same time) and too many cars, California has developed rules of road conduct that are strict and unforgiving. Break the rules and you will be honked, yelled at, and/or ticketed.

The first thing you notice on the freeway is that almost nobody speeds. I just drove round trip to New York and did not spend a moment on the Jersey Turnpike under 80 miles per hour and passed maybe 3 people. Same speed limit here, but everyone, in all 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 lanes is going between 65 and 68. Even at 10 at night.

Also, if you're in one of those 3 left turn lanes, you'd better stay in lane when you make the turn, so you have to anticipate where being in the middle left turn lane will leave you, unable to turn left or right for a distance.

Driving aside, another thing that's very different about California is how Western the landscape is. For those who have never been West of the Mississippi, you know that in the East, everywhere you go there's something- town, city, park, forest, shopping center, houses, developments, whatever. In the West, there are vast area of nothing. I mean, I'm sure it's habitat for something, but it's mostly just open space with a bunch of scrubby stuff (or not) scattered around. The suburbs here look like regular suburbs, but get even a bit outside the metro area and there's lots and lots of nothing. It takes getting used to. On my first cross country trip, I was driving one morning on an interstate in Wyoming and I didn't see another car, person, tree, or building for a half hour. It terrified me and I had to wake my friend up to keep me company.

Gotta go now. More to fill in later.