From a distance I could see billows of black smoke ahead but I couldn't tell what was burning. In Southern California it could be a fire by the side of the freeway from someone tossing a cigarette out the window or a brush fire set by migrants living in a field or kids or an arsonist. One never knows. It's dry and hot and things turn to tinder quickly here. When I got there it was none of the above but this instead.

Fortnately, I had remembered to bring along my video camera to take some video while I was visiting my friend. Since the freeway was blocked off going both ways and I was on a motorcycle I was right up front and decided to remove the helmet and gloves to take some video. After about half an hour or so the freeway was awash with diesel fuel, water and foam from the firefighters. It was warmish with all that protective clothing. About five motorcycles gathered where I was and a Highway Patrolman told us since we were on bikes we could ride back down the freeway to the off ramp to get around the mess because the freeway would be closed for hours. I didn't hesitate an instant because one never knows who will come along and change the order. It was a parking lot. People were out of their cars with the doors open and it was a tough couple hundred yards. Reminded me of broken field running in football. But I made it with a story to tell and no harm done to me.