Left LA via 101. To me that’s the only way to go north, unless you have time for Route 1, which I didn’t. Love driving through the Imperial Valley, stopping at the missions, going for walks on their grounds, getting a sense of their tranquility, their history, and that bizarre attempt to convert the Indians to Catholicism.

I also dig the valley because it always makes me think of Steinbeck’s stories: the orchards, the old farmhouses that haven’t changed in 100 years, and the older parts of the small towns: that particular California architecture that is made up of stucco, arches, and tile roofs, with often a palm tree nearby. Incredible. Have to live here someday, if I can just learn to deal with f—ing traffic! Neah, maybe not. I’m a Midwesterner. Occasional sojourns will suffice.

Signing in Palo Alto was great. Pacific Art League an incredible organization, with scores of dedicated painters and ceramists. Very cool gallery as well. Fine crowd with lots of relevant questions. They loved the talk, which really is a sort of performance piece, but then most signings are. One of them took me for a walk on University after. We dodged into a sushi joint full of professors and students; had to be the most scholarly sushi joint I’ve yet eaten in. I couldn’t afford Stanford when I went to school, but it’s always interesting to savor its atmosphere. I did, said my thanks, and headed for San Francisco. Have to give a signing there this afternoon, but first, a walk along Van Ness.