Monday, June 17th, 2002
I left early, about 8am. I wanted to get an early start so I could check out Mission Viejo and then make a good start on my way home. I lived in Mission Viejo for about 10 years. I went to grade school and junior high school there. I really loved the California life style there. The athletic programs were excellent and I was a well known baseball and soccer player in the community. Made the all-star little league team and was drafted early into the senior major league, skipping the senior minors. When we left I was about to enter high school and had just made a travelling soccer club.
I drove around the town and found my old grade school (Cordillera elementary) and junior high (La Paz). I also checked out the high school and the baseball complex I used to play baseball at. It really brought back the memories. It hasn’t changed much, but I was blown away at how nice a facility it was. Brick dugouts, snack bars, announcer booths, electronic scoreboards, and fences in the outfield. The athletic programs in Utah are pathetic in comparison. Even back 20 years ago. Maybe even more so today.
I also found two of our old houses. It was fun to have your memory come back so that you recognize where you going. Even though I couldn’t drive then, I did right my bike a lot. So I was able to remember the local streets.
I had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen (that wasn’t there 20 years ago) at about 1pm. Then I got back on the freeway and started home. Unfortunately, there was a major fire blocking I-15, so I had to go around it and go into Arizona and then up to Vegas. I found a hotel outside of Vegas about 10pm and spent the night.