3.06.2010

Worst Highway On-Ramp Ever

The historic Highway 110/ Pasadena Freeway not only connects our favourite and most used highway, The 5*, with our second or third favourite place to get pie, Pasadena's Pie n Burger, but it also has the most terrifying and ridiculous on and off ramps EVER.

The Pasadena Freeway was established in the era of the Model T.  As an aside, and we do love our asides here at Far Flung, the Model T got 30 MPG.  The Honda Civic also gets 30 MPG.  Hummers get 12 MPG.   Moving on, the 30 MPG Model T also had a top speed of up to 40 miles an hour, which is still a lot faster than the speed of cars on this freeway during morning rush-hour.  Back in the non-rush-hour days of the Model T, the road was shared with horse carts, so the car speeds were probably slower than 40, but still faster than today's rush-hour stand-still. Nowadays, highway speeds during non-rush-hour times are usually in the 70's.

I tell you this not only because it is an interesting factoid, but because it puts some things in perspective.  I could go off on a rant about fuel efficiency, but instead I give you this:  The on- and off-ramps have not gotten any longer, straighter, or better since the early 1920's.   Go ahead and read that again.  Given the increased usage and speeds on The 110, it is amazing that length and design of the on- and off- ramps have not changed.

The off-ramp is about the size and angle of a parking space at the grocery store.















Wow.  I may be a total hayseed, but I find that extra terrifying.

So, on your next trip up to Pie n Burger, there is no need to go to Lego Land or Disney Land.  Just keep up with the speed of traffic on the 110, then exit.  Buckle up!  Have fun!









 *In California, highways always have a definitive article before the name or number of the freeway.  One would not say, "Take 5 all the way north to LA," but would instead say, "Take THE 5 all the way to LA."

Beware Giant Robots!

The end days are coming.  The four horseman actually are a metaphor for the four cruel and powerful limbs of this giant robot.

Run, Scientist, run!!!

Yeti Sighted, Smiled At


We saw this yeti outside of Julian. I wish we owned rather than rented, because I sure would love to adopt this gentle giant.  Check out my favourite bigfoot organization to learn more about these noble creatures.