Headed out towards Valencia, California, to pick up our old friend Mark Shimer to spend some time with him today. These are the mountains around Ojai, which is one of the cutest small towns in Southern California.

We made it out to Pismo Beach because it has a beach and we could walk along the ocean. After a beautiful self-indulgent long weekend in Southern California, it was time to point the car east for our 550 miles (885 km) drive home to Phoenix, Arizona. Getting home after midnight can be a drag, but it’s all well worth the effort.