Road Trip: Part 3 (may not be amusing)

After rolling through traffic for a few hours, we needed to refuel. We stopped in Indio. It was about 10pm. The gas station was pretty slow, an older gentleman, like mid 60's, approached me and in his words, "Can you help me? How would I get to the San Fernando Valley from here?"

Is this guy serious? He absolutely picked the right guy! I am a map smith. I have done Indio to SFV more times than I could count!

I began to tell him how to get there, probably with a lot of zeal since he pitched one right in my wheelhouse. "Jump on I-10 until you get to the 57/210 interchange, go north for a few miles to the 210. That will take you right into the SFV. I started to ask him what part of the valley knowing that he might want to jump into the 134, but he interrupted me and said "Wait, when do I get on the 60?, and Where is I-10?"

Whoa boy, gather yourself Steve-o, downshift a few gears, this cat is not following you at all.

Bewildered and looking for the hidden camera I slowly pointed to interstate 10. This not-so-obscure six lane divided interstate freeway was 100 yards over his shoulder. Then I explained to my real life Mr. Magoo how that didn't make very much sense. I made an obtuse triangle with both my hands to explain that taking the 60 would take him in the wrong direction and then in my best Pythagoras impression explained that the shortest path would be traveling on the hypotenuse.

He challenged me and said the 60 hooks up with I-5, and that runs into the Valley. Well I know that there was not much else I could do for Mr. Magellan so I decided not to continue with this discussion. So I told him that I didn't really care where he went. I wished him luck and went on my way.

After he left I was still reeling, how do you happen upon Indio, Ca without knowing where interstate 10 is? Why ask someone for directions then disregard them and go nearly the opposite way? How do you live on Earth that long, (6+ decades), and be like that? What a trip that dude was.