ROUTE 101 -- DISNEYLAND, KNOTTS BERRY, LA & HOLLYWOOD BOWL

Yep.  It was 1956 and we did it all in one day, round trip from San Diego...err, I mean Leucadia, about 30 miles north of the metropolis otherwise known as "America's Finest City."  Don Dion, Ed Dion, Betty Dion, Norm Dion and Paul Dion all in one car.  I forgot what model.  I also forgot what month, but it had to be Summer, some time.  Ed and Don, aficionados of classical music had planned for a long time to attend a concert at the Hollywood Bowl.  As a reference, this marks a spot 125 north of Leucadia.  Also as a matter of reference, Historic Route 101 of "Shoot the Juice to me Bruce" fame, was at it best and widest when it was three lanes.  As the song says, it has big red "stop" signs too.  Remember, the Interstate system was not yet anywhere near completion.  In fact, President Eisenhower had just barely got the idea off the ground.  However, I do remember that there was construction happening east of Route 101.  This construction was to be the road that is now affectionately known as "The 5."  Californians never say "I-5" or "Interstate 5."  We have "The 5", "The 405", "The 8" and so on.  Everything else is just, "the road to..."
I do not know how many of you have ever been to Disneyland.  It really doesn't matter. I guess.  Suffice for me to say that it was new and not quite so big and wide.  But, you'll now that when I say that we spent all of two hours there, you'll feel that we went through the place at break-neck speed.  I have to admit that I do remember "Main Street."  Hey, that's enough for a 1st timer, right?  Now, on to Knotts Berry farm ansd another two hours.  Phew, great place.  Now, up "The 101." There was no "5" yet, remember?  Los Angeles, here we come.  Now this place was really a "downer."  I would never come here just for this place, ever again.  New York, Yes!  LA, Ha!  Years later, EFR Dion finally saw LA and concurred with me.  Hey, New York was HIS city.  He only had one look at LA and that was more than enough.  Me too.  No matter how many times I have been there, I have yet to like the place.  But, we went.  I saw it, and that was all I needed.
We worked our way up north to Hollywood, saw The Sign, visited "Sunset and Vine" as well as "Hollywood and Vine" made famous on the radio shows with which we had become so familiar during our growing years.  Grauman's Chinese Theatre didn't make much of an impression on me, but in later years I took a little shine to it.  From there we wove our way through the streets of Hollywood until we reached, mysteriously, I thought, the Hollywood Bowl.  Before the show began, we bought hot dogs to sustain ourselves.  We had not eaten much, so we really tore into the hot dogs.  Then, to our surprise, we realized that it was Friday.  I, the seminarian of the group, assured them that since we had lost track of time and day, that there was no culpability involved.  We went to our seats and sat for the concert.  What was playing?  I don't remember.  All I remember is that Isaac Stern was the featured soloist that night.  Was he using a Stradivarius?  I don't know that either.  All I know is that we had a loooong drive back to Sa...no, Leucadia.  I am quite sure that the driver did not sleep, but the rest of us did.
That's all I remember.  But somehow I wonder if we could qualify for the Guinness Book of Records for completing such an ambitious schedule in only one day.