Santa Monica Pier, CA

 Today was it, last night's hotel, the Oceana, was about one and a half miles short of the official (or at least spiritual) end of "Route 66".  After breakfast we walked that final mile.  We said we were going to do it, and we did!  

Our hotel is directly across the street from the long narrow Pacific Palisades Park.  In 1986 the Beach Boys released their single "Surfing' U.S.A.", which was the first time I ever heard of Pacific Palisades.  Ever since then I've wanted to visit.  Traveled to L.A a number of times on business but never had the opportunity to come up here.  I'm glad that I did, and even better, just like in the song there were a few surfers out there.

Pacific Palisades is very pretty with lots of trees and great overlook of the ocean.  It would not be honest to ignore the fact that Pacific Palisades has a lot of homeless individuals.  We never felt uncomfortable or threatened in any way, but still something that was different than what we are used to.  I'm not sure why there are so many homeless here. There were also many homeless around the Wigwam Motel and McDonald's Museum.  Perhaps it is the warm weather that makes it a little better place to be if you are without a home.  In a way this is a continuation of the story of the Joad family from the Grapes of Wrath, maybe that story is still being written.

The Pier itself was full of action with souvenir shops, ice cream palaces, diners, games and amusement rides.  Lots of families and us having fun.

We walked back to the Hotel via a residential/shopping district.

That is a parking meter growing out of the tree, or vice versa