Surprise, Surprise!

We began our journey north on Highway 101 this afternoon. We are having a few days of winter vacationing. If we were in Europe we'd call this a "Holiday." I like that! We are driving north and my sister will leave Portland, Orgeon, soon and we'll meet for a few days of pleasure and relaxation.

Of course I clicked throughout the four hour drive to San Luis Obispo, where we have stopped for the night. The three of us--Mr. Fun, Bob dog, and myself--left the Circle City driving north on the 15 Freeway and turned west on the 210 Freeway. Took that through Pasadena where we transitioned to the 134 Freeway through Glendale, Burbank and onto the 101 Freeway headed toward Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Carpenteria, Santa Barbara and finally to this central location in our state.

With my camera I took a couple shots of open freeway--really no other cars anywhere. I figured no one would believe that, NOT in Southern California. I caught some fabulous frames with distant sunlight coming through the dark cloud coverage. I captured an action shot in the rain with the windshield wipers straight-up and the California coastline just beyond them.

Then later looking closely at the thumbnails, I realized that by pure accident--well actually every good shot I get with my cheapie camera is by accident--I had captured one of the El Camino Real bells in Mr. Fun's left-side mirror. How could that have happened????? I sat silent staring at the thumbnail. "LOOK!" I said to him. He then responded with, "How did you do that?" Like I had some technical explanation. Like I had planned it, designed it, and set it up. Do you hear me laughing at the hilariousness of that? Me--set it up?

We both love those bells. Over the years they have disappeared, so when we saw a few of them today we both commented. He saw one and said, "Hey, did you see the bell?" and I said, "Yes! There was even one further back!"

The El Camino Real (The King's Highway) was the first roadway in our state, built by the Spanish during the early days of the Missions. The El Camino Real stretches from San Diego to Sonoma. The original 700 mile El Camino Real linked Father Junipero Serra's 21 missions.

Maybe a hundred years ago now, the roadway was officially declared a historic highway. The first bell was placed in Los Angeles in 1906 and at one time there were 370 bells, now due to vandalism and theft there are less than 75. So capturing a blip of this one today--by accident--was the surprise of my day.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this surprise photo. Silly I know, but if everyday had some kind of delightful little surprise--well, it would be so fun! So I think I might look for the surprise in each day and maybe tomorrow I'll have another surprise blip to share.

For now, we're on a holiday. If you'll let us, we'll take you along.
Good night from Central California.

Rosie, aka Carol