[hadrian]

Can I get a prize for linking two threads tonight? [Doobie Brothers drummer dies; Sylmar earthquake anniversary]:

Northbound Auto Interstate 5/Golden State Freeway passing through the Sylmar interchange, Junction Interstate 5/California 14. This interchange suffered in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and again in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. In the latter quake, a California Highway Patrol (CHP) motorcycle officer was on a transition flyover ramp, and the ramp collapsed before he had time to stop. Sadly, he perished when he fell off the ramp. Photo taken 11/28/02.

[Delta 21]

[stumpy]

I think he was an L.A.P.D. motor scooter officer.

[DCBurgess58]

I grew up on the San Francisco peninsula and always believed that the cover of "The Captain And Me" was shot on highway 101 in San Jose (the Doobie Bros are a San Jose band). There was a highway overpass down there which was unfinished for several years from the late 60's through the early 70's. I don't know that to be a fact however. Anyways nice tie in to Kieth passing away.

P.S. "The Captain and Me" is IMHO the best Doobie Brothers album by a country mile, with the second best being "Toulose Street".

[Steve Van Doorn]

"and the ramp collapsed before he had time to stop. Sadly, he perished when he fell off the ramp. Photo taken 11/28/02."

Actually the cop was waved to stop by another motorist which got out of his car and waved at him to stop but he drove right past him.

[ErnBatavia]

Ah yes...the infamous Newhall Pass 5/14 interchange...when I heard (Northridge quake) that it'd collapsed, I said to myself "I'm hosed"...I had to commute in and out of the valley via the 14 daily; the alternative routes are beyond insufficient when the bridge falls down.

For months, on the road by 4am to get to Brentwood by 8....life sucked back then.