Goodyear Blimp "Wingfoot Two"

Above, Wingfoot Two in Carson, California. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I am going to be renting a dumpster next week to clear out junk that has accumulated over the years, in preparation for my move at the end of the month, my roommate Jess decided that it would best for her to spend a few days at her mom's in Orange County.

While I was driving her there, we passed the Carson, California Goodyear Airship Operations station that sits next to the freeway. As luck would have it, the new Los Angeles Goodyear blimp, Wingfoot Two, was sitting out in the open. Had I thought of it, I would have brought along my Canon camera to take some zoom shots of it. At least I had my phone/camera with me.

I decided that if it is still there on my return trip, I would snap some photos.

As I was driving the RV, I didn't see that the station had enough parking space for it. It didn't matter as the blimp was facing the station. I found a side road where I pulled off to the side and snapped my photos through a chain-ink fence.

Here's three of them:

Above, Wingfoot Two from the I-405 freeway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Wingfoot Two. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Wingfoot Two. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

TSA Fiasco Is Causing Major Lines At Airports

Above, the Van Nuys to LAX Flyaway bus. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's one thing about the upcoming Hawaii trip that I am not looking forward to: the long lines at the TSA security checkpoint. I have reported on this before, but apparently the problem is getting worse with long lines going out of air terminals to the sidewalks and other concourses at some airports. This fiasco is causing hundreds of travelers to miss their flights.

According to an article in the New York Times:

Security lines at airports are getting longer — much longer — and wait times could reach epidemic levels when air travel peaks this summer, according to airlines, airports and federal officials. 

A combination of fewer Transportation Security Administration screeners, tighter budgets, new checkpoint procedures and growing numbers of passengers is already creating a mess at airports around the country. 

While federal security officials say they are hiring and training hundreds of additional screening officers, matters are not expected to improve anytime soon.

Since the article recommends getting to the airport at least two hours before the departure time, we will be heading to the Flyaway bus terminal in Van Nuys an hour and a half before. The morning traffic down the I-405 to LAX is horrendous in the morning.

If it turns out that our security screening process goes fast and smooth, we can always kick back in the terminal and have breakfast.

I remember the "good ol' days" in L.A. when there were helicopter shuttles to LAX from downtown until the choppers started crashing.

To read more, go here.

"Carmageddon" Weekend

Above, the old Mulholland Bridge.

The old (about 50 years) Mulholland Bridge over the San Diego Freeway (I-405) in Sherman Oaks will be demolished this weekend.

Dubbed "carmageddon," the project is to demolish the bridge so that the freeway can be widened. A ten-mile stretch of the freeway will be closed this weekend from the U.S. 101 Freeway south to the I-10 Santa Monica Freeway. Massive traffic snarls are expected this weekend when the I-405 is closed. A massive media campaign in Los Angeles has been ongoing, trying to keep people from driving in the area during the closure.

This'll be interesting as the San Diego Freeway is the direct route from the San Fernando Valley to Los Angeles International Airport, Westwood/UCLA, West Los Angeles and the beaches. People are being told to use surface streets. Sepulveda Blvd. runs parallel to the San Diego Freeway. That road may be tied up over the weekend. From the San Fernando Valley, other routes into the L.A. basin include Beverly Glen Blvd., Benedict Canyon, Laurel Canyon Blvd., Topanga Canyon Blvd., Malibu Canyon/Las Virgenes Canyon Road and Kanan-Dume Road. U.S. 101 and I-5 freeways also feed into the L.A. basin from the San Fernando Valley.

A new bridge, with new earthquake resistant pillars, will be built at the location.

Luckily for me, I don't have to drive that route until Sunday night when I have to cross the U.S. 101/I-405 interchange to go into Burbank.

I've crossed the old Mulholland Bridge hundreds of times over the years.