"It is in the wild places, where the edge of the earth meets the corners of the sky, the human spirit is fed." Art Wolf


Friday, January 31, 2014

Another San Diego Day

Today, Lyn picked me up and took me around to a couple of different areas of the city including Fiesta Island.  


Though Lyn had always understood that overnight camping was not allowed on the island but from the number and the look of the rigs we both figured that the city was not too serious about enforcing any rules.  Personally I am glad to have my RV park with electric, clean shiny bathhouse and good laundry.



We drove up to Point Loma and the military facilities there.


And the cemetery with the million dollar view.




And from the Cabrillo National Monument ....a view of the naval yard and the distant city skylines.



The Visitors Center had neat hands on displays for the children and occasional gray haired ladies....

This was an example of the chain mail and helmets.




Looking over towards the city.


Admiring the coloring in the squirrel's coat.




Driving around the city  we saw many rigs parked in the public lots. It was hard to think that they all just showed up for the day.




This shot is for a friend, BJ.  Lyn said that most of the taller buildings in San Diego have been built in the last twenty years.  Thought, BJ, would want to see the difference.  Lyn's condo is down town and near the new city library.


The library parking lot is under ground. You get two hours of parking free before you have to pay.  As you exit the elevator on the ground floor you get to see this.


Lyn can put in requests for books from her home computer and then come in and pick up her book/s from the "hold" selves.


Then she simply walks over to the self check out station and the books are ready to walk out the door with you.


A view from the top of the library.


A view of some of the San Diego homeless from the top of the library.  San Diego's gentle weather makes being homeless easier to survive temperature wise.


Lyn is on the move again. She is like an energizer bunny.


A Lego rendition of the new library.


This photo is for Mitch. Lyn and I just wanted her to know we were thinking of her.......



I got back to the puppers and the rig in time for a late lunch and five loads of laundry and a couple of dog walks..... Tomorrow is another day.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Back in the USA and Visiting San Diego

Mitch and I made it safely across the border and back to Potrero County Park.  Suddenly we had 4G Verizon and good electric again.   It took Mitch a little longer to get through the border after she honestly answered the  question about avocados.  She thought she might have a rotten on in her garbage. But she didn't have one in her garbage bag. Unfortunately the guys checking the rig found her solar panel and her rig so fascinating that 30 minutes and dozens of questions unrelated to avocados later she was able to make it out caught up with me at the park.....  Don't let her tell you differently. She can park that trailer pretty well, even in the dark.



We stayed two nights.  Mitch spend the day cleaning the PRT and the trailer.  They were both shinning.   I ended the day with three clean dogs.....   

Our last campfire.


"What is the gray patch up at the top?" asks innocent Audrey.    "Hush, Audrey," says Stuart, "You aren't suppose to notice that.  Mitch is sensitive.  She is vertically challenged but we aren't suppose to talk about it."


We aren't in Mexico anymore but we were not without vendors providing supplies.  Cute Ranger and he spoke English....



After waving good bye to Mitch I headed off towards the city.   I found a Passport America Park. They had a two dog limit listed on their website but when I called and asked if they had space and would they allow me to stay with three smaller dogs.  I got a "yes" for both questions.

After arriving and getting hooked up, I called my personal San Diego tour guide, Lyn (SoCalGal).  She and her trusts companion, Casey, drove over to the campground and picked Remi and I up and provided the first stage of my city tour.    I made it to the campground just fine but boy am I glad that I was driving this afternoon.   I got to just watch the scenery go by!


Lyn doesn't bat an eye as she turned into the road construction.....gulp..




The beaches of La Jolla


These are the sea lions that the community has fought over.  They were not always on these beaches.  When they first started showing up the community tried to discourage them but the "let them come" folks won that fight.  According the Lyn they have now spread to several of the other nearby beaches and especially during hot weather create a very unpleasant stink that makes visits to the beach less fun.



See the small dots off the point to the right. It took us awhile of watching but they were swimmer.  As they swam around the point and into the cove it became apparent that they were some sort of training group.  Practicing just what, we don't know.


And though you can't see them in this picture there were several individual swimmer swimming across from the far cove off to the far right.   Lyn said that back in her swimming days she would frequently swim across from the far point.   She will have to chip in on how far that is but it looked a mile easily to my none swimming eyes.   That is big water and real waves.


Here is a closer picture of the training group after they swam into the cove.   There was one of the swimmers that appeared to be the leader or instructor directing which way they group moved.



One of two small old buildings tucked between much larger, modern buildings.  Lyn later asked if I had seen them.  She said they were both very old and historic but unfortunately are in limbo.  They are protected from being torn down but no group or individual/s are interested in buying or restoring them.



Some folks are braver than I am.  They will drive their rigs most anywhere.


Low tide....


Really, you're not planning on flying away?




Children can find entertainment most anywhere.  What is more fun that your own patch of dirt?



This is the Children's beach which was created and donated for children, unfortunately the sea lions have moved downed the coast to take over the children's beach, also.   All those brown lumps are sea lions not children.


Down the road a bit, Lyn showed me the famous surfer beach.  It was not overly crowed today.  See that palapa there on the beach.  Lyn's high school graduation class built that.....  (If you want to do the math she graduated in '49.)



Some locals walking on the beach.


Close to her growing up stomping ground, Lyn drove past what is left of a small amusement park.  This is the same coaster of her youth. The one her mother threatened her about.   If you go over and ride that coaster you might get kidnapped......


Driving towards downtown San Diego.


Past museums and ships of many sorts and sizes.



And an interesting sculpture.   Lyn shared that there are those that love it and those that don't.   Californian are a diverse group......  but fewer and fewer will recognize where it got its inspiration from.



Need to walk the dogs again and get to sleep. Tomorrow is another day of wonderful non Ohio like temperatures and other parts of the city to explore.