Day 45: Lost and Found

I had an interesting weekend, but I can't quite get my ego in check enough to write it with the truth it requires. I'm working on that. In the meantime, I'll tell you about crazy cool today.

My Tuesday started with a hike. My friend A and I had been talking about hiking together for awhile. He has lived in L.A. his whole life but has never been. He said he wanted to do a 'real' hike, so I took him to my favorite Vermont Canyon instead of Runyon which can seem more like a steep walk.

Vermont Cyn is a Griffith Park trail that takes you to one of the peaks next to the Hollywood sign. It is a 2 hour hike that offers a 360 degree view of L.A., including the ocean, catalina island and Forest Lawn cemetary in Glendale where MJ is buried. Not to mention endless mountain ranges. The views along the trail and from the peak are breathtaking.

The price you pay to have your breath taken away is a series of super steep climbs along the ridge line of a couple of way too high mountains. There are times during that hike where I have actually considered calling search and rescue to demand an explanation of "What in the hell I was thinking when I decided to do this today" followed by a request to "Come get me off the side of this mountain!". The rush is addictive though, and I find myself hiking it with Kasey at least once a week.

A and I set out at about 830 this morning and made to the peak around 930. He enjoyed it, but admitted that there were times when all he could think of was "a way out.". The climb down which takes you by the Hollywood sign takes a solid hour. It is pretty easy and allows for great conversation.

On the last leg of the descent, I reached into my pocket to make sure I had all of my things:

Phone - check
Keys, which I carry to scare away rattlesnakes - check
Drivers License, which I carry in case I have an unfortunate encounter with a moutain lion or a coyote - MISSING

In a split second I felt my airways constrict, my stomach churn and my knees lock, all of which I masked behind bulging eyeballs and a gaping mouth.

It was hot, we were almost to the car and our legs felt like jelly, but we turned around and hiked back up with our eyes glued to the ground.

me:"A, I owe you my first born."
him: "I'd rather have a smoothie."

Half an hour back into our re-climb I called it and full on panic set in as I realized that my perfectly good, nowhere near expired, matches the tag on my car and insurance in my glove compartment, license was gone. I couldn't drive without a license! How was I going to convince the DMV to give me a CA license when everything about my car is GA?! How would I get a new tag?! California insurance?! I'm not even sure I want to live here that long!

I stopped my pleading prayer long enough to explain my plight to a police officer and a park ranger. They were both very sympathetic, giving me cards and phone numbers to call, but held out little hope.

Soft spoken, laid back, California calm A explained that it wasn't a big deal and then treated me to a smoothie.

Later on at the studio, I sat researching CA licenses, tags and insurance. I made my appointment at the DMV and laughed out loud at the realization that I would have to take a driving test. I then worked myself into a hot flash at the realization that the completion of these steps would mean that I would be in California for awhile. I am not quite comfortable with that thought yet.

I took a class to calm my nerves and then ran to the office to check Facebook like the good little addict I have become. Imagine my surprise when I saw the following in my inbox:

"Hi, my name is Stephen and I found your license in Vermont Cyn today."

Hi Stephen.

He went on to explain where he lived (about 3 minutes from my front door) and gave his phone number. We made arrangements for me to pick it up from a hiding place on his front porch.

God is good.

And I'm buying a fanny pack.