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Well, I considered it part of the LA area because it was a continuous built-up from San Clemente (on the edge of Camp Pendleton) up into Los Angeles.

Ah, I see you missed the northern part of the "continuum." Travel up the 101 fwy from LA and it doesn't stop until you get into Ventura. What a mess, huh? ;)

Actually, I did drive to Ventura and beyond. Ventura's somewhat of a nice town. It seems more Conservative, too, though I can't be sure. I just know that the man I chatted with at the tire store, of whom his business was patching my tire, was very friendly, and we chatted about political issues. Very nice fellow. I even told him about Free Republic.

Oh, there was one break. There's a low mountain range that you have to cross once you get past the western end of the San Fernando Valley. However, it's only about two miles, and then you've got Thousand Oaks, Oxnard and Ventura.

Talking with a family from Mission Viejo about illegal immigration, they acted as though the problem wasn't all that bad. Their mentality to be of the 1970s, for the man said, "it depends. You have your good areas and bad areas". The thing, though, is that most areas have this problem. It's not like one ghetto or whatnot, but it is a widespread problem across the L.A. basin, though the coastal areas, with the exception of Santa Monica, seemed to be the least effected.

I got off the Hollywood freeway at Santa Monica Boulevard and was in shock at the conditions of old Hollywood. Bars on the windows, litter on the street, advertisements all over the windows and some telephone polls, many signs in Spanish, etc. It looked more like Mexico than the United States. Of course, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills were a lot nicer, but I found it hard to believe that they let old town Hollywood become so depressed.