I was in SoCal doing a bunch of environmental audits for the company I worked for (ASARCO). Since I was the western lead auditor, and actually the eastern lead auditor too, I was sent for a 14 day trip of auditing ASARCO properties in SoCal.

My team consisted of auditors throughout the corporation. The 1st week was auditors from SLC, Colorado, AZ and MT. The facilities consisted of warehouses and old mine holdings. Everything went fairly well and while everyone else went home I stayed and wrote my reports. My wife and son came out with me...1st time in CA for either of them and they enjoyed themselves. We stayed in Long Beach, not far from where we lived when I was a boy.

The 2nd round of audits started out in La Jolla (where we stayed) and this one was more spread out. Imperial, Pine Valley, Poway, Escondido, Ramona and La Jolla.

One of my auditors was from the Tennessee Mines Division in Jefferson City, TN. Great guy, UT grad, but had really never traveled much especially out west.

Monday was the travel day and everyone had arrived except for Rick. He was told when he got into San Diego International that he was to catch the bus from the airport to La Jolla...we were staying at the Residence Inn. Rick's flight had arrived at 3PM but at 5PM he was nowhere to be found. Finally he called the hotel and asked for me. I asked him where he was. He said the airport and there wasn't a bus from the airport to La Jolla. I said Rick everybody, but me and the family, had taken the bus up here.

So I hopped in the rental car and down to the airport I went to get him. I found him and while I was putting his luggage in the trunk it was announced Bus #30 to La Jolla leaves in 5 minutes. I said well Rich there is the announcement, he said what announcement, and it was repeated.

He looked at me and said La Hoya! I thought it was La Jolla (La JOL-LA).