Any excuse to listen to Led Zeppelin is good enough for me, thus the post title. Really though, I figured I ought to write something about my Memorial Day weekend trip to the Los Angeles area. Frequent flyer miles got me there with minimal cost. I actually spent less on my motel room and rental car than I would have on the flight itself without frequent flyer miles. Of course, I more than made up for the difference trying to find the bottom of every bottle of Booker’s bourbon within 20 miles of Glendale.

The real reason for my trip was to visit my childhood best friend, Andrew. We figured out that it had been eight years since we had last hung out while drinking some local IPA in a bar he frequents in Burbank. Fortunately, it was like we never missed a beat. He is doing well for himself, and his family. I will not let another eight years pass between visits.

A secondary mission was to shoot a ton of film with several models who had contacted me about working together. Every single one of them flaked. I am not impressed, California. Rather than waste the 13 rolls of film I brought with me, I just finished the roll of 35mm film that was already loaded in my favorite little rangefinder on a walk around Glendale.

In the end, I enjoyed my time in California. The weather was great, and I didn’t swat at a single mosquito the entire time I was there. I got to see Andrew, and a few other people I have met online over the years. I got to experience first-hand just how awful traffic is in Los Angeles (home to some of the slowest drivers I have ever encountered, no wonder the motorcycles lane-split there). Next time I go, I will be on two wheels to enjoy the twisty bits.

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