ai6yr, 8 months ago

Jack Kerouac: "Somewhere near Camarillo where Charlie Parker’d been mad and relaxed back to normal health..." #Camarillo #JackKerouac

4 * THE DHARMA BUMS gondola as we headed into a siding to give a train right of way and looked surprised to see me there. He established himself at the other end of the gondola and lay down, facing me, with his head on his own miserably small pack and said nothing. By and by they blew the highball whistle after the eastbound freight had smashed through on the main line and we pulled out as the air got colder and fog began to blow from the sea over the warm valleys of the coast. Both the litcle bum and I, after un- successful attempts to huddle on the cold steel in wraparounds, got up and paced back and forth and jumped and flapped arms at each our end of the gon. Pretty soon we headed into another siding at a small railroad town and I figured I needed a poor- boy of Tokay wine to complete the cold dusk run to Santa Barbara. “Will you watch my pack while I run over there and get a bottle of wine?” “Sure thing” I jumped over the side and ran across Highway 101 to the store, and bought, besides wine, a litcle bread and candy. I ran back to my freight train which had another fifteen minutes to wait in the now warm sunny scene. But it was late after- noon and bound to get cold soon. The litcle bum was sitting crosslegged at his end before a pitiful repast of one can of sardines. I took pity on him and went over and said, “How about a little wine to warm you up? Maybe youd like some bread and cheese with your sardines.”

ai6yr, 8 months ago

The only place where the rail lines cross the 101 freeway--before it hits the ocean in Ventura -- is in Camarillo. There's a siding that runs parallel to the train station line. That's also pretty much the only place you'll find a liquor store before you head to Oxnard, where the line goes through but not anywhere near the 101 freeway. #mapping https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=96ec03e4fc8546bd8a864e39a2c3fc41

Google Earth 3D showing the same rail line and siding and a liquor store

jhv, 8 months ago

@ai6yr Neat. Now I need to find Dharma Bums as a free e-book. I've never read it.

cookiesinheaven, 8 months ago

@ai6yr I, too, love neon signs!

ai6yr, 8 months ago

@cookiesinheaven They are just wonderful!

cookiesinheaven, 8 months ago

@ai6yr

jorgexls, 8 months ago

@ai6yr how’s the food there? Been meaning to try it.

ai6yr, 8 months ago

@jorgexls Haven't tried it yet, LOL, only passing through!