Los Angeles Pico Rivera Earthquake – 4.4 at 4AM

By James Sheldon on March 16th, 2010

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Be still, my heart!

I thought I was going crazy. I was dreaming that someone lifted up my couch, and was marching me out the front door.

As I woke up exclaiming, “Knock it off!” I realized it wasn’t the couch that was shaking, rather the whole chunk of earth set in southern California. There’s nothing like a little seismic wave to help remind you that you went to bed way too late–about as enjoyable as chugging a keg of adrenalin for a post-marathon, recovery drink.

Shortly after 4 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake centered just southeast of Los Angeles, in Pico Rivera, pushed its powerful flow through the city and surrounding suburbs for several seconds. After popping up and wandering around the apartment for awhile, I reasoned that I had imagined the entire thing.

“Go back to sleep, dude. You’re dreaming. Wait. If I’m dreaming, then who or what was shaking the windows?”

I then thought better of my failed logic, and set out to prove to myself that I wasn’t entirely crazy. Anyone else deal with the same thought process this morning?

I’ve lived through my fair share of tremors, but never has one been accompanied by the virtual reality state of an intense dream. I thought the Na’vi in Avatar seemed lifelike, but this took mental and emotional thrill-riding to the next level! OK. Back to sleep for a few hours. No more quakes this morning, please!?

(Image via: City Year)