THE MAZE HOME
We started the morning out in San Diego and made a few quick stops on the way north (to my favorite cactus store, to the recently relocated and much improved Fuller Seminary Bookstore, and Portos Cuban Bakery). However, the main north-south pass, I-5 over "the Grapevine" had received three feet of snow overnight and was closed. It was snowing on I-15, the alternative route through the high desert. So we had to take the 101 north through Santa Barbara, where it was as beautiful as ever, but the traffic was a snarl. (We weren't the only travelers looking for an alternate route north.) We cut through some back roads and eventually rejoined 101 and then cut across on the 41 back into the Central Valley. But just as we were getting to Fresno, 41 was closed by an accident. So we took another detour to find 99 and then zipped up north. All in all it took nearly four extra hours to get home via the scenic route. Normally it takes almost exactly four hours from our door to Fuller. So we made it home to Turlock -- a little fried -- but grateful.