I make that drive every Friday night (and will leave to do it in a few moments) -- it won't take you 3 hours. Maybe 2.5 if the traffic is outrageously bad, which does not look to be the case now.

Relax and enjoy the trip -- it's particularly pretty towards the end (between Ventura and SBA).

You'll know traffic was horrible if they run you up the PCH instead of the 405 & 101. If that's the case, it'll take a bit longer but you'll have quite a few miles that are simply stunning.

$75 seems a wee bit light given that the fare add-on for flying SBA <=> LAX <=> XZY is typically about $200 round trip. So they shorted you about $25. If you get $100 and some miles, call it even. Then again, they are getting you there and that's worth something. You could be stuck a long way from you ultimate destination...



Off to SBA, and onward to LPC,

Jim