Miss Ellen Takes The High Road

Owing to the unfortunate (?) constructive re-structuring of the Augean Stables within a certain area of my condo unit, Miss Ellen has been neglected. Not completely, you understand--but our forays have been limited in both number and scope.

Yesterday, she took off West, keeping on mostly level terrain. However, the way back was either by boat or up a campus on a hill--or a road that turned into a major throughway leading to a freeway that was entirely too dangerous.

So, uphill it was.

After climbing the Summit of Learning, we passed into the Land of Rareified Air (who knew students could afford Kate Spade and Versace?). Then into Faux Nobility, where the professors live in blissful Anglophilia (and German automotive engineering). I was completely lost there, ended up in Suburban Store Road (biggest Safeway outside of Texas, honestly, and the Road to Many Malls) and creaked seriously uphill, looking for a familiar cross street, getting further away from homem with every pedal stroke. By then it was Completely Dark. Just in time to get to the Naval Observatory--and Miss Ellen and I are not up on military clearances. I was relieved the whole place was gated up and no mistakes could be made.

Skirting that, with headlight and taillights flashing, we had fun--blowing down a long gradual hill as fast as the cars were going!!  And ended in familiar territory. Back where the homeless people still ply their trade, the family restaurants sit, and the pizza is cheap. My area is also gentrified, but not to the ult--and sullied with much Mid-Century Modern.

Ellen and I sailed home in complete charity with each other. And I learned a lot more about the city. It took hours, and it was worth every minute.