Author Archives: billNdiane selph

April 18, 2014 San Francisco, California

1 Reply

After a short drive from Lodi which included waiting in a long line of cars and paying a toll, P1050063 we crossed the Bay Bridge P1050067and saw the San Francisco skyline come into view!  P1050075

We arrived at our next destination which was the San Francisco RV Resort in Pacifica, about 40 miles from downtown San Francisco.  Our camping spot had a great view of the Pacific but the spots are

View looking North from our campsite

View looking North from our campsite

very close together.  They manage to crowd a lot of people into a relatively small area.  But this is the San Francisco area, and if you look at the high density housing everywhere in this area, it is not surprising that the campground would be the same way.  Immediately we notice a change in temperature to chilly and windy.  The day ended with a beautiful sunset over the Pacific.  IMG_20140420_175735IMG_20140420_175650P1050112P1050110

Saturday we decided to do a scenic drive around San Francisco.  We debated whether or not to pay the high price to take the sightseeing Hop On, Hop Off bus around San Francisco, but the campground office gave us a map of a self guided 49 mile scenic drive which highlighted famous San Francisco sights and we decided to give it a try.  If the drive didn’t give us a good overview of the area, we could always do the bus later.   The first stop on the map was Twin Peaks, which provided us with a gorgeous view of the entire San Francisco area. I kept hearing the sound of Tony Bennett singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in my head.P1050091 It was extremely windy up there and we felt as if we were going to be blown away!  We drove through the streets of San Francisco and went to Nob Hill IMG_0059 IMG_0058 and drove down Lombard Street which is the most crooked street in the world. 20140419_155232 We actually had to wait in a line of cars to drive down the street.  We loved driving through Chinatown, 20140419_152021 Golden Gate Park and across the Golden Gate Bridge.  IMG_0022

Monday we took the BART into downtown San Francisco and rode a streetcar to Fisherman’s Wharf and walked around Pier 39 where we came across a sea lions viewing area with sea lions barking and sunning themselves. 20140421_144819 We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe where Bill picked up a shirt to add to his Hard Rock collection.  By the time we headed back to the BART station the streetcars were jammed full and we were sandwiched in like sardines.  Just as it seemed as if another person couldn’t possibly fit in the door, one or two squeezed themselves in at each stop and we bumped and jerked our way down to BART.  Since traffic is heavy and parking in San Francisco is at least $6.00 an hour, not to mention the price of gas IMG_0063 it turned out well for us to ride BART from our campground and take public transportation in the city.  Plus, riding the streetcars is fun, even when jam packed!

April 12, 2014 Lodi, California

1 Reply

We belong to an RV group called Escapees.  There are several great reasons to be a member of Escapees including discounts on many campgrounds around the country and RV information and resources, but most of all is the opportunity to have fellowship with wonderful RVers around the world.  When we went to Mexico in February we went with an Escapees group called Mexican Connection.  Escapees has national events, state events and even local chapter events.  Bill noticed that the western region of Escapees was having their regional rally in Lodi, California at just the time we would be passing near the area on our way north.  So we decided to add four day stop in Lodi and join the rally.

It was a little far to drive from Santa Cruz to Lodi in one day, and we always like to take our time, so we decided to make a one night stop on the way.  We strongly considered doing what many RVers do and stay in a Walmart parking lot overnight.  We have done that a few times and have always found it a safe place to stay with night security and it allows us a chance to resupply.  Usually that is not a problem, however most city ordinances in California have decided to forbid any overnight parking.  So Bill found a place at San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area where we could stay for only $18 a night.  It would be dry camping, but that is what we had planned on anyway.    We arrived late afternoon and pulled up to a nice spot overlooking the water.  Now I ask you….if you could choose this setting or a Walmart parking lot, which would you choose?   P1050059 P1050058 P1050060

We loved this camping area and will return if ever in this area again.  Our concern was a very windy area with signs on the road warning of gusty winds.  The wind seems to whip down the mountains and across this valley.  The reservoir is a popular area for boaters and they have a revolving light which warns boaters of danger with red meaning winds of 30 MPH or stronger and therefore no boating allowed.  When we arrived the light was flashing red, and it certainly felt like the wind was at least 30 MPH.  We kept the slides on the RV in to minimize feeling the wind and we did feel the wind buffeting us through the night, but nothing scary or alarming.

We arrived in Lodi the next day where the WARE (Western Area Rally of Escapees) was being held at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds. IMG_20140415_115651 Lodi is a sweet little town surrounded by vineyards and wineries. IMG_20140415_115547 We were warmly welcomed by the parking crew and parked in a nice grassy spot with electric and water.  This rally was smaller than other rallies we have attended, with fewer people, vendors and seminars, but by the end of the rally we agreed it has been our favorite.  I think the small size had something to do with it since it gave us a chance to meet and get to know many people.  Larger rallies are often busier and with so many people it is hard to really get to know anyone well.  Escapees are known for their 4:00 Happy Hours and the tradition continued here!  Each evening they had games in the pavilion and every night we played cards.  There was always someone new coming in to play and you can really get to know someone over a game of cards.  One lady we played cards with every night was a true inspiration to us.  She is ninety years old and her husband is ninety-two.  He stopped driving two years ago as macular degeneration began to take his sight.  So Minnie drives everywhere from the California freeways to the narrow roads on the Pacific Coast Highway in their 30 foot RV while also towing a car.  Over the years they have traveled across the country and I believe she said they have  visited every state.  She taught us a new card game and her mind is as sharp as a tack.  It was clear to see how much she is loved by everyone as people often came up to hug her and speak with her.  We also met an Australian couple who spend six months of the year in the United States and six months back home in Australia.  They bought a small RV here in the U.S and they use it to travel around the country.  They then store it for six months and when they get back to Australia they have a home and another small RV so they are able to travel around Australia as well.  They have been going back and forth now for three years.  This year they are traveling to Alaska and will leave their RV stored in Vancouver since they are traveling back to Australia on a repositioning cruise.  What a life!  We played cards with her each evening and got to know her husband during Happy Hours.  They have invited us to visit them in Australia and we hope to do that in the next few years.  We met many other people who exchanged contact info with us and since they all live on the west coast, they encouraged us to contact them should we have any problems during our travels.  Though it is always exciting to get back on the road and travel to our next destination, we were really sorry to say goodbye to all our new friends.  Amazing what wonderful new friends we gained on such a short rally!

Another exciting thing happened during our time in Lodi.  I was able to visit my friend Leslie who I hadn’t seen in 42 years!   Back in the early 1970’s Leslie’s mother and my mother worked together at the County of Albemarle in Virginia and were the best of friends.  When Leslie and her family moved to Buffalo, NY, my mother and I visited them there and then later in Toms River, New Jersey.  In the 1980’s they moved to California and we lost touch except for our yearly exchange of Christmas cards.  Leslie and her husband Jim live in Elk Grove which is thirty minutes north of Lodi, so on Wednesday Bill and I drove up to visit Leslie.  We had a wonderful visit and lunch with her in her lovely home and it was as if all those years just melted away.  It was so good to catch up with her and hear what is going on with her family.  We took a selfie before leaving.  20140416_150128_2 As I have said before, being able to see old friends and meet new friends is one of the best things about this lifestyle.  Some of you have commented that we are on a perpetual vacation.  This is not a vacation, it is a lifestyle.  We still have things to repair and laundry and dishes and bills to pay.  We just do it all while moving around the country.  Is it a wonderful lifestyle?  YES!  Is it a perpetual vacation?  NO!

April 9, 2014 Santa Cruz, Carmel-By-The-Sea, Monterey, CA

Leave a reply

We left beautiful Big Sur and headed toward Santa Cruz along the coast.  We could see wisps of fog and sea mist along the coast. P1050007P1050013 The road eventually took us inland and we began to see huge fields of strawberries and farmland with beautiful wildflowers.  P1050008  We arrived at the KOA in Watsonville, a short distance from Santa Cruz.  KOA’s are not our favorite place to stay as they tend to be expensive and the sites are close together.  Since KOA’s are family oriented they also tend to be crowded and rather noisy.

We headed first to Santa Cruz to explore the area. P1050039 We drove down to their pier which is very much like an amusement park with all kinds of rides and food booths. P1050026P1050016 This boardwalk and pier did not appeal to us as much as the one in Santa Monica.  We did drive to an area where we spent some time watching the surfers. IMG_20140410_150123 P1050032 P1050033The first surfing in the mainland U.S. began in Santa Cruz.  Apparently in 1885 three Hawaiian princes came over and made surfboards out of redwoods planks.  The surfboards were made in the shape of traditional Hawaiian o’lo boards which in Hawaii was reserved for royalty.  The three princes had been taught to surf by their uncle on Waikiki Beach in Oahu.  Some Santa Cruz locals saw them surfing in the waters and the fad caught on. Some say much of this is local lore, though some or most of it is believed to be true.  Regardless, we enjoyed watching the surfers and seeing the beautiful views.  P1050023 P1050028

The next day was overcast with sea mist and not a great day for sightseeing.  But since it was our last day and we can’t always expect beautiful weather every day, we drove to Carmel and Monterey.  First we went to Carmel-By-The-Sea and drove through the small, elite village of Carmel.  Clint Eastwood was mayor here for 2 years back in the 1980’s and it is home to Doris Day, Brad Pitt and many others.  Unfortunately we didn’t see any of them.  We did drive through Pebble Beach which is a famous “17 Mile Drive” which took us by beautiful homes and several golf courses. P1050046 P1050048 We expected the drive to be along the coast but to our surprise much of it was in a forest called Del Monte Forest.  There were some beautiful views along the coast and they had a brochure with 21 points of interest to see along the route.  Our favorite was a lone cypress tree which is over 250 years old. Pebble Beach uses it for their symbol.P1050041 P1050043 We did not get great pictures of out travels this day because it was very cloudy.

We ended our day with a rather hurried trip through Monterey since daylight was fading fast.  We did see the famous Monterey cannery and pier.

We are certainly enjoying our time in these beautiful coastal areas!  On Saturday we left Santa Cruz and headed northeast.  We stopped at Moss Landing and had brunch with Bill’s college friend Tom and his family.  Bill and Tom went to undergraduate engineering school together in Florida in the 1970’s and last saw each other 11 years ago!  Bill certainly enjoyed seeing Tom and catching up on how he is doing,  and I enjoyed meeting Tom, his wife, son and daughter.

April 6, 2014 Big Sur, California

1 Reply

Our two days in San Simeon went by much too quickly and we set out for Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.  It is hard to imagine a more beautiful drive than the one up the coast north from San Simeon to Big Sur. IMG_20140406_125547 IMG_20140406_125531 IMG_20140406_123834 P1040899 The only downside were the narrow, curvy and mountainous roads (sound familiar?) but the view was well worth the nails I chewed off. IMG_20140406_125017 IMG_20140408_015256 IMG_20140408_015451 P1040913 P1040924 I think it would have been much worse on my nerves if I hadn’t already been broken in by those treacherous Mexican roads.

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has been named one of the top 100 state parks in the country and it is easy is see why. P1050002 It is a beautiful park with towering redwoods, some are more than a thousand years old, P1040976 and many hiking trails of varying difficulty.  This was a dry camping experience for us but Bill was able to reserve a sunny spot among the redwoods for the solar panels and satellite dish.  Our neighbors were German and we encountered several German speaking people during our stay.

The first day we drove around the Big Sur area on the Pacific Coast HighwayP1040940 and stopped at several overlooks where we saw sea lions on rocks P1040937and dolphins swimming. P1040938 We went to Pfeiffer Beach where we had to drive two miles on a one way road to get to the beach area.  There were turnouts along the two miles where vehicles going in different directions could pass.  Pfeiffer Beach is one of the most picturesque beaches we have ever visited.  The waves have worn away the rocks in places creating interesting arches, and in places the sand has a purple color from the minerals in the nearby rocks.  P1040975 P1040971 P1040957 P1040954 P1040952 P1040951 P1040948

One day we took a “moderate” hike to the top of an eight hundred foot vista where we could look out to the Pacific Ocean.  The view was somewhat obscured by sea mist, but it was still lovely.  We then continued hiking down to a beautiful falls, very peaceful and tranquil.  P1040999 P1040996

The next day it felt like every muscle in my body hurt from the hike, but Bill felt no soreness or pain at all.  It took me a day to recover but the soreness went away surprisingly quickly.  The experience was worth every ache and pain!

Big Sur is definitely a place we would love to come back to again.  There were many trails left undiscovered.  As we drove away from Big Sur we could see fog and sea mist hovering over the mountains and we encountered another amazing bridge that opened in 1932.  P1050003 P1050005

March 31, 2014, Pismo Beach and San Simeon, California

1 Reply

We left Malibu and headed to San Simeon State Park.  Upon arriving and setting up we encountered something we had not experienced since leaving Houston in November….RAIN!  We actually enjoyed listening to the rain on the roof, especially at night as it lulled us to sleep.  We used the time inside to work on future reservations.  It is amazing how time consuming it is to not only plan out a route, but also find campgrounds along the way.  We try to carefully research each campground and read reviews so as not to be surprised or disappointed down the road.  We have found that website pictures can be old and/or deceiving and they are not always as they appear on their website.  With the rapidly approaching summer vacation travel season, as well as holidays such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, we have to think way ahead and book early.  All these wonderful places we want to go are also popular with everyone else!

The rain did stop in time for us to get in some time at the beach before heading to San Simeon State Park on April fourth.  The main reason for stopping here was to see Hearst Castle.  Our first day at San Simeon we decided to take a drive around the area and made an amazing discovery….an elephant seal rookery. P1040875 This area along the beach about four miles north of Hearst Castle has hundreds of elephant seals which come to the area beginning in late November and early December to mate and or have their pups.  The babies are born in late January to mid February.  By the time we arrived the males had left and the females and young pups were still on the beach.  The park service has built a very nice boardwalk where you can walk out and view the elephant seals.  From the pictures it looks like they are dead, but they are very much alive. P1040886 P1040890 P1040889 P1040888 They were mainly sleeping while we were there, though occasionally they would use their fins to throw sand on their backs. P1040893 P1040892 During this time of year they will begin to molt.  The seals first began coming to this area in 1990.  One pup was born in 1990 and 5,000 were born in 2013.  Most of the rookeries are on islands along California and Baja, Mexico, with the largest rookeries on the Channel Islands off of Santa Barbara, California.  Because they were heavily hunted in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries for the oil from their blubber, their numbers were reduced to fewer than 50.  They were protected by Mexico and the U.S. in the early twentieth century and the development of kerosene and refined petroleum left them with no commercial value the today the population has grown to approximately 175,000.

The next day we toured Hearst Castle.  We bought the tour tickets online and arrived for our 10:00 tour at a very nice visitors center with gift shop, restaurant and small theater.  Bill told me we would take a bus to the castle on top of the “hill”, but I had no idea the ride would be 5 miles long on a curvy, narrow mountainous road!  These types of roads seem to be my destiny now!  In 1919, newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst hired San Francisco architect Julia Morgan to build a “house” on his San Simeon ranch.  The project lasted until 1947!  At that time female architects were rare but Julia Morgan proved herself to be a very talented and hard working architect.  The castle is of a Mediterranean revival design and is filled with art 20140405_104339 and antiques from Hearst’s personal collection. 20140405_111232 20140405_120624Everything was very ornate from the wood carved ceilings in the dining room 20140405_104605 20140405_104504the huge fireplace 20140405_103731 20140405_103642to the light fixtures 20140405_110312The tour guide took us into the theater and we watched a collection of home movies of Hearst and some of his famous guests including Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.  The grounds had beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean with gardens 20140405_111519  as well as a Neptune Pool on the outside20140405_113050 20140405_112914 and a Roman Pool on the inside 20140405_121619 20140405_121803 which was 10 feet deep throughout and gold inlaid tile.

After our tour and spending some time enjoying the gardens, we rode the bus back down the “hill” which was even scarier with the narrow road and no guard rails.  Once back at the Visitors Center we watched a forty five minute movie on the life of Hearst which was very interesting and talked about how he toured Europe as a small child with his mother which gave some insight into why he built this castle on the hill.

Upon Hearst’s death, his heirs honored his request to share the castle with people, and thereby gave the castle to the state of California in the early 1950’s and today it is a state park and managed by the California park service.

March 29, 2014 Santa Monica, Venice Beach and Long Beach, California

Leave a reply

During our time in Malibu we spent a couple days exploring areas outside of Malibu.  One day we drove to the Santa Monica Pier, passing the Getty Villa on the way. P1040850 The Santa Monica Pier, built in 1909,  was a fun place with somewhat of a carnival atmosphere with roller coasters, ferris wheels, bumper cars, and many vendors. IMG_20140328_205538 IMG_20140327_151827 IMG_20140328_205429 P1040819 P1040828 We enjoyed the lively atmosphere with live musicians playing at various places on the pier and walked out to the end to hopefully see dolphins or whales.  Just as we were about to give up we saw a sea lion and her cub and even though we stood and watched them for quite awhile, we were never able to get a very good picture as they bobbed up and down in the water, playfully swimming under the pier. IMG_20140328_205027

We found the end of the famous Route 66 P1040825 P1040830 and also the end of Interstate 10 which runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa Monica, California.

On Saturday we drove from Malibu to Long Beach.  We stopped at Venice Beach whichP1040853 was as wild and crazy as I had read with many interesting characters walking along the boardwalk as well as plenty of tattoo and massage parlors, a place to buy medicinal marijuana, and many places to buy food and souvenirs. IMG_20140329_134711 IMG_20140330_130212 P1040855 We finally found a place where you could park for an hour so we put a dollar in the meter and walked down the boardwalk.  Bill did find a store specializing in Native American items and found two tee shirts to purchase. We found that an hour was plenty enough time for us to explore Venice Beach.

Leaving Venice Beach we followed the Pacific Coast Highway and found some beautiful scenery as we passed through Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and especially in the Palos Verdes area with huge mansions overlooking the ocean.  We even grabbed a geocache in the area when stopping at an overlook with a splendid view. P1040858 P1040863

We arrived in Long Beach later in the afternoon and drove pass Long Beach Shipyard where we saw containers stacked 8 containers high. P1040867 We also saw the Queen Mary from a distance. P1040868 We will come back at a later time for a tour.  We had dinner at Beachwood Barbecue and then walked down the street to a Walmart to pick up a couple items.  This was a very urban Walmart with a pay as you park parking garage.  We checked out through the self checkout and when we asked where the plastic bags were, we were told we could purchase a paper bags for 10 cents each but they did not use plastic bags.  We had read awhile back that California was going this route, but this is the first city we have encountered a plastic bag ban.  Since we only had a few items we just carried them out in our hands.  I told Bill I have a gold mine at home with all the plastic bags I have accumulated.  I usually take my own bags in to the grocery store to keep my frozen items cold, but I guess I will have to start taking my own plastic bags into Walmarts in California from now on!  It is California, you know!

Monday we leave to drive further north up the coast.  Our next stop will be a state park so no more of these fancy resorts with full hookups and cable tv for awhile.  That suits us just fine as we enjoy the more natural setting of national and state parks.  We are really enjoying our time in California, in fact we love it.  We are continuing to add to our list of possible winter destinations, with Malibu being another on our list.  The price of gas is outrageous and the ground has shaken us with some minor earthquakes and aftershocks for several days so we are following the news closely, but the weather and beauty has won us over!

March 26, 2014 Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum Simi Valley, California

Leave a reply

We had been looking forward for some time to visiting the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, which was about a 45 minute drive from Malibu.  The library design itself is very different from other presidential libraries with a very southwestern feel to the design. IMG_20140326_164928 IMG_20140328_205740P1040800We have not been to many presidential libraries yet, but it is hard to imagine any other presidential library having a more beautiful view than this one with panoramic views of mountains, valleys and the Pacific Ocean. I don’t know of any other presidential library that has a warning about rattlesnakes on the grounds!  IMG_20140328_205811

The library was opened in 1991 and sits on a 100 acre site. P1040789 The museum has 24 different galleries showing President Reagan’s life from his boyhood to his death. IMG_20140328_210153 There is a life size replica of the Oval Office. Reagan chose a painting of the 7th President, Andrew Jackson, for one of the walls in the Oval Office because Jackson was the first president to balance the budget. P1040795 The other painting was of George Washington.   We enjoyed reading some of his quotes and seeing items such as the two plaques he had on his desk. P1040793 All this added to our understanding of Reagan, the man and the President.  IMG_20140328_210046

IMG_20140326_141735We were also able to go onboard an actual Air Force One which served President Reagan and six other presidents. P1040799 This Air Force One is a model 707.  Air Force One today is a model 747 and we were told it is three times larger than the 707.  We were also able to board a Marine One helicopter P1040812 which was used to transport several presidents as well as see a car from the presidential motorcade. P1040810 They had an interesting history of the Secret Service.  A couple things we found of particular interest.  President Lincoln signed an order to create the Secret Service to deter counterfeit money just hours before his assassination.  It was many years later that the Secret Service was charged to protect the President. Another was after the attack on Pearl Harbor they felt they needed to provide the president with extra security so they used Al Capone’s car which had been impounded because they knew that car was bulletproof. P1040805 Just some of those strange facts you occasionally find in history!

Outside on the grounds we saw a replica of the White House Rose Garden and one of the first major pieces of the Berlin Wall to be taken from Germany,P1040813 and the Reagan burial site. P1040815

The day was very windy and somewhat chilly, but we certainly enjoyed our day at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum!

March 24, 2014 Malibu, California

Leave a reply

We left Castaic and made the short drive to Malibu which included passing the famous Mulholland Drive. IMG_20140328_210317  The closer we got to Malibu the more narrow and winding the roads became, but the views were gorgeous.  The Pacific Coast Highway has many traffic lights and some traffic, but the views along the way are hard to beat anywhere else. Pepperdine University is located near our campground.

We settled in at the Malibu Beach RV Park high on a hill with views of the Pacific Ocean on 3 sides. P1040780 P1040781 P1040787 P1040785 IMG_20140324_171954For dinner we walked down the hill to the Malibu Seafood Cafe which had been suggested to us in the office when we checked in.  Bill was not disappointed in his dinner of fresh tuna which we ate outside overlooking the ocean.  This casual little cafe allows you to bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with your dinner while listening to the ocean waves and watching the sunset.

Bill had to spend a little time finishing up the taxes, but we still managed to find plenty of time to explore the area.  We quickly fell in love with Malibu which is somewhat isolated meaning no Walmarts, box stores or name brand restaurants.  Instead you have gorgeous views and the sound of the ocean.  One day we drove a short way north on Pacific Coast Highway to Westward Beach.  It was in the cove of this beach that the final scene of the first “Planet of the Apes” movie was filmed, where Charlton Heston saw the Statue of Liberty. P1040831  We loved our days spent exploring the area.  P1040845 P1040849 P1040842

March 14, 2014 Hemet and Castaic, California

Leave a reply

After a week of waiting, the warranty work was completed on the RV in San Diego and after a night at the Del Mar Fairgrounds which is a great place to camp with full hookups, we set off on Friday for Hemet, California.  Bill commented that the dry, rocky landscape reminded him of Mexico except that this road was wide with shoulders and even guardrails!  As we neared Hemet we noticed snow on the mountaintops in the distance.  IMG_20140315_145106

We set up camp at beautiful Golden Palms Resort IMG_20140328_210439 IMG_20140328_210346 with several swimming pools, hot tubs, a fitness center and a full schedule of activities. This campground has over a thousand sites and about 70% of the sites are occupied with Canadian citizens during the winter months. We finished setting up just in time to attend their wine and cheese happy hour.  Life can be so hard sometimes!

Saturday one of Bill’s coworkers from 1982 drove from Lake Elsinore to spend the day with him.  They went to lunch and Bob helped Bill work on some connectors for the solar panels cords. P1040769 It is so nice that they have stayed in touch all these years and had a chance to see each other.

Our week in Hemet flew by and we added it to our ever growing list of possible winter destinations.   Next we drove northwest to Castaic where Bill’s cousin George lives.  Bill has really been looking forward to seeing George (Aunt Emily’s oldest son) since they haven’t seen each other for several years. P1040772 We were able to spend an afternoon with George and several of his children and grandchildren. P1040774 The next day George’s son Jeff and his daughter Riley stopped by the RV to see us. P1040779 They had been camping for the weekend and missed the get together at George’s house.  We spent a short three nights in Castaic and headed to Malibu.

One of the many great things about our travels since beginning this journey nine months ago is being able to see family and friends that we wouldn’t ordinarily get to see.

“Certainly travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard

March 11, 2014 Escondido, California

1 Reply

We have been hanging out in San Diego since we returned from Mexico, waiting to get some warranty work done on the RV.  We didn’t expect to have to wait ten days for an appointment, but it has given us some time to do laundry, shop for groceries, wash the car, clean the RV, catch up on our mail, planning and making reservations for the next sixty days.  I mentioned in a Mexico post about the cacti that are served in restaurants that taste like green beans.  We found them in a grocery store here in San Diego. 20140303_210928 There are certainly worse places to do all these chores than San Diego!

Our campground is in Mission Bay, and we are enjoying being so close to the beautiful water and scenery of San Diego.  IMG_20140311_210014 IMG_20140311_210154

Today we went to the San Diego Safari Park IMG_20140312_174132 which is a part of the San Diego Zoo.  We went to the zoo back in January.  The zoo is in downtown San Diego while the Safari Park is about 40 minutes north in Escondido.  Instead of seeing animals in cages, many of the animals roam free in surroundings as close to their natural environment as possible.

One of the first things we did was take a ride in a helium filled balloon. P1040716 P1040702 P1040701 P1040705 The balloon did not soar around like a typical hot air balloon, but instead it hovered 400 feet over the park, giving us a spectacular view. P1040708 P1040707  We were so glad we did this early in the day since the ride was closed in the afternoon due to wind.

We loved seeing the gorillas and were there for their feeding time. P1040743 P1040720 P1040718P1040728 P1040727 IMG_20140312_174009 The zoo workers stand above and drop the food down to the gorillas. P1040732 The gorillas are always entertaining!  The silver-back male gorilla refuses to eat his food if it is dropped on the ground so they serve it to him in a bag….his version of a bag lunch. P1040738  We were told that one of the female gorillas is believed to be the third oldest known gorilla in the world at the age of 57.

We saw three month old lion cubs who were rejected by their mother at birth and are being raised by the zoo staff.  It was cute seeing them play tug of war with each other!P1040763 P1040764 We took a tram ride around the parkP1040706 and it was amazing to see giraffes, rhinos, and zebras to name but a few animals roaming around.  P1040750P1040758 P1040749 P1040756 P1040748 P1040752 P1040709  The lions all seemed to be napping today. P1040745 P1040704

We also saw lemurs and many colorful and talkative birds.  P1040698 IMG_20140312_174105Bill had planned on doing a zip line at the park which was two thirds of a MILE long, but there was a 90 minute wait, and since it was the end of the day and we were tired from all the walking and wanted to beat the freeway traffic home, he decided not to wait.