@HEMIDAV Hello, This photo is was a popular sight as our dad took us up or down the highway through the local mountains of Los Angeles to points north. mainly, the sequoia national parks and the popular Yosemite park. If we went up the valley through Los Angeles, the road took us up beyond the city limits and into the higher elevation areas prior to dropping down to the central valley flatlands below. But, there are parts of the roadway up in the mountains that sometimes give off the open field form of driving and downhills lead to curving blind spots and our black/white CHP cars waiting for someone to go a little too fast. Before radar, the method was to check out a certain distance between two spots. If the vehicle went past those spots, too quickly, then they were going over the speed limit. Tested in the CHP training locations. But, sometimes, the judge in traffic courts would negate the ticket due to unforeseen circumstances, like other cars interfering with clear sight/vision of the offending car or truck and distance object used to time the action. Jnaki My wife and I used to drive up and down the highway on our road trips to the S.F.Bay Area for a variety of reasons. Vacations, photo shoots, fishing in lakes, and just cruising around listening to our rock music alone, together. What more is there? We used to see the variety of CHP cars parked in a top of the mountain café/gas stop in the area called the “Grapevine.” The object that one notices is the “other” places where they spend some time waiting for speeders or big trucks going really fast. But, the winding up/downhill road grades allow plenty of times where speed increases, just because of the sloping road. Note: On the plus side, they do help motorists in need that are stopped on the side of the busy highway. Yes! One year, my wife and I were coming home via the 99 freeway from inland area near Modesto, after a nice rest vacation in the SF Bay area. we had an appointment in the inland area and afterwards, headed South on Highway 99 for So Cal. Just before heading into Bakersfield and the crowded streets, we turned West and headed to the connection of the I-5 Freeway also, going South. We had been inundated with out side "bad" aromas for several miles and decided to move to a faster, less "aroma" area going home. So, now, ahead of us was a long stretch of flat lane rising up as we got nearer the local mountains forming a barrier of sorts for the Los Angeles basin. As we approached the steep climb uphill, several cars made the middle lane slow and we had to follow them for several tiring uphill climb miles. But, we started to overheat and had to pull over in the middle of "nowhere land" with empty hills all around and cars whizzing by. As we parked and cooled off with the hood up, a nice B&W CHP patrol cruiser pulled over and asked if we needed help. What a nice gesture. But, we knew some cooling off would do the trick for the last several miles more of uphill climbing and the faster we went, the cooler our motor would be. After a nice nap, our car was ready for the last several miles to the peak gathering spot where the CHP usually hangs out with a ton of truckers and other cars stopping for gas, cooling off and plenty of nice diners for a quick lunch or two. Note 2: These past two weeks, if the same scenario was in place when the photo was taken, the road would have been relatively empty and the whole scene, totally white. The recent storms from the Pacific Ocean covered the higher elevation areas of the I-5 freeway to and from Bakersfield with tons of snow and closed the highway until safe. So, if anyone was on the highway, they pulled over and waited for help. The top of the mountain range has a well used truck stop and that place was packed as the CHP made people stop and wait. So, the black and whites are not the enemy, but out there to help in need and to control the flow of traffic. Scenic drives through the green/brown empty country mountains/valleys/open areas all remind us that there is life beyond the cities… Not much compared to the vast coastal drives, but they are out there… We just had to get over seeing those "reflector aviator glasses" staring at you as you talk to them. ha! YRMV
The Jalopy Journal
