Travels – Page 49 – Paint Your Landscape

A Most Unusual Day ~ Lake Casitas Recreation Area, Ventura, CA

May 30, 2012May 31, 2012LuAnn

a nice cozy fit at San Elijo State Beach — A nice cozy fit.

Our day started with the question “can we get our rig out of this tight space after four months of sitting?” Bragging on my hubby for a bit, he did a fine job! And we were off, heading north to a little out-of-the-way rec area that would afford us some down time and the ability to visit Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands. We left shortly after 10am and counted on a normal 200 mile day, getting us in at about 2pm. What started out as normal became anything but.

on the road again — This was prior to our little mishap and yes, I was driving at the time (a little multi-tasking if you will).

About 2 1/2 hours into our trip, as we were heading up a grade on an active California freeway, I noticed a little mist on my windshield and about that time Terry, who was driving our rig in front of me, started to slow down. I then heard those dreaded words ‘I have a problem’. That fine mist on my windshield was radiator coolant and yes, we did have a problem. Luckily we were able to pull off onto the shoulder and opening the hood, we found a fine mess! The hose had become detached from the radiator (perhaps occurring when we had some recent work done on the truck?) and we had some clean-up work ahead of us. Terry was able to reattach the hose and we started wiping down the engine, the grill, and the hood. And no Roger, it was not because we are driving a Ford instead of a Chevy!

Terry always plans for the inevitable so we had plenty of coolant and distilled water, or so we thought. Using everything we had on hand, the coolant didn’t even register in the reservoir so Terry left me with our home and took our “day use” vehicle to scout out more fluids. My phone rang while he was gone and thinking it was him, I said hello and immediately was connected with the fraud department of our credit card company, who wanted me to verify a couple of recent charges. The first was a small charge at an auto part store for today, so I knew that had to be Terry and the next, ~$1000, was for an online shopping experience, also for today. Terry did not seem to be in the mood to stop and do some quick online shopping so I passed on that charge. Luckily our credit card company did not authorize the charge either. So now we have a hold on our credit card and the day just keeps getting more interesting.

a quiet little oasis — A quiet little oasis

While waiting for my hubby to return, I tackled the problem of how to clean the slippery mess off the windshield and not have my butt hanging onto the freeway. My solution, poke my head through the sunroof and lean down over the windshield. Piece of cake and just where the heck is a camera when you need one! I had also been checking periodically to make sure no one had pulled up behind us, looking for an opportunity (if you know what I mean) and just as I was going to get out of the truck to look again, someone was looking in at me. He had a name tag on his uniform and wore a bright vest and his vehicle read “Metro Freeway Service Patrol”. Mr Velasquez was a pure joy to see (after my initial shock) and insisted on staying with me until Terry returned, and stayed until we added another two gallons of fluid and started the engine.

What should have ended with us pulling our rig into Lake Casitas Recreation Area at 2pm was pushed back to 6pm instead. Ironically some friends of ours recently had a horrendous 400 mile day in their RV, finally finding a site that would accommodate their rig. Their planned stop did not work out and although the park was rather empty, they were told there were no sites available for them.

After we knew they were safely at their final destination and had tossed back a stiff drink, we chuckled as we thought of Nina’s expression and comment when she heard the news “no room for you”. Being from Denmark, she has a delightful accent and is full of spunk and we couldn’t help but laugh at the image. So, Nina and Paul, if you are reading this, go ahead and have a chuckle. Better yet, laugh out loud. I insist. I think we got it comin’!

terry relaxing after a long day — Terry, enjoying a glass of Pinot after a long day on the road.

Life sure has a way of reminding us that there are going to be obstacles along the way so better to roll with them if you can, and it makes the good times so much sweeter, don’t you think? What started as a most unusual day is ending at Lake Casitas, with the light fading from the sky in a quiet campground, frogs and crickets all around us providing a melodious symphony.

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One Last…

May 29, 2012LuAnn

One last sunset at San Elijo State Beach.

One last walk on the beach on the busy Memorial Day Weekend, marking the first of summer for families . The weather was divine!

One last Eli Howard Surf School class to watch – beginner surfer dudes (kooks)! Wish I could capture the look of excitement on the kids’ faces when they catch their first wave!

This was going to read one last strawberry balsamic gelato from Chuao Chocolatier, and it is amazing, but we decided to get a little crazy and go to Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria and have something we have not had in months, a pizza. We walked away remorseful that we had not found this place earlier in our stay, everything was that good, all local ingredients and made on site. When we walked in we said that it reminded us of a quaint little pizzeria in downtown Phoenix and later learned from our waitress that it was modeled after that very same restaurant. The pizza was one of the best we ever had; the Eel River craft porter was delish; and we were talked into staying for dessert, so no gelato, but the award-winning dessert we had was divine. I am not a fan of butterscotch pudding (Terry loves it) but I must admit that the addition of some malted sea salt in this decadent dessert made it, well, heavenly.

One last view of the ‘Unconditional Surrender’ sculpture at the San Diego Harbor, depicting a sailor kissing a nurse to mark the end of World War II.

One last visit with the terrific young men and women Park Aides at San Elijo.

One last walk through the meditation gardens.

Today wraps up our first workamping experience and what a great first it was! A big shout-out to the wonderful staff at San Elijo State Beach. We could not have asked for a greater group of people to work with and our Camp Host teammates were a delight as well. Tomorrow we hit the road again, to spend time at some of the National Parks in northern California, to reconnect with nature until time for Terry’s medical tests later this summer.

Lots of memories for us in San Diego and a great way to spend part of a winter and spring. Today is the one last day to say goodbye to the staff and campers and breathe in the salty air at San Elijo State Beach, that is until we return later this year.

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Workamping at San Elijo State Beach (paintyourlandscape.wordpress.com)

Serene Resting Place ~ Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

May 23, 2012LuAnn

With Memorial Day rapidly approaching, it seems a fitting time to say a few words about our visit to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, 77 acres of serene resting place for ~ 72,000 veterans and their family. This is one of 120 national cemeteries, one which could not have a more breathtaking backdrop, that being San Diego Bay, the Submarine Base, and the city. The stark white marble headstones dotting the rolling hillsides drew us in and we were humbled by the experience.

This national cemetery dates back to the mid-1800’s, with some of the first to be interred here as a result of the Battle of San Pasqual, which occurred during the Mexican-American War in December of 1846. It became an Army Post Cemetery in the 1860’s, a National Cemetery in 1934, and was placed under the auspices of the Veteran’s Administration National Cemetery System in 1973. Fort Rosecrans has been closed to in-ground burials since 1966 but space is still available for cremated remains.

Memorial Day, known quite often as the kickoff to summer, ending a long school session for many, was the day initially set aside to honor all the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice to keep this land of ours free. It is the day that we remember not only those serving our country in the Armed Forces now but all who bravely fought. One of San Diego’s largest celebrations is held on Memorial Day at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, a most serene resting place.

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If You Like Color ~ San Diego Botanical Gardens

May 21, 2012LuAnn

If you like color, texture, or the heady scent of jasmine, orange blossoms, rose or scented geraniums, you might want to spend a few hours at a botanical garden. The San Diego Botanical Gardens are bursting with color and yummy smells and was a wonderful place to while away the day. I had been here earlier in the season, and although very nice, Mother Nature appeared to be slumbering, not ready to strut her stuff. She was standin’ tall for this visit!

Nestled in a neighborhood in Encinitas, this urban oasis boasts 37 acres of lush landscape. It is divided into 15 geographical regions, Mexico, Australia and the Mediterranean, to name a few. It was recently voted one of the 10 Spectacular Gardens Around the World; quite an honor I would say.

The emphasis here is on sustainability and conservation and the staff works to protect and restore many endangered plants. They pass on their knowledge through a wide array of classes and have some great children’s programs I am told. While there I watched as the friendly staff staged a wedding to take place later in the day. Quite the romantic backdrop to say ‘I do’. Besides all this, the San Diego Botanical Gardens features monthly events, the most recent earlier this month being their Chocolate Festival. Sure sorry I missed that one!

So much beauty compressed into 37 acres. If you like color, hope you enjoy the slideshow below.

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It All Started Here ~ Cabrillo National Monument

May 18, 2012May 18, 2012LuAnn

September 28, 1542 is when it all started here, California that is, at Point Loma. The Cabrillo National Monument displays the sandstone icon commemorating the exploration of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, which aptly overlooks the San Diego Bay.

Cabrillo was something of a mystery man. No one knows for certain where he was born or where he is buried. What we do know is that he was a Spanish conquistador and explorer and the first European, along with his expedition, to set foot on the West Coast of the U.S., right here in San Diego Bay. He had grand ambitions when he sailed north from Mexico, to chart the mythical passage from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic and search for gold, just to name a couple of his dreams.

After a six-day stay to wait out a storm, Cabrillo’s flotilla continued to sail north, sighting the islands of Santa Catalina and San Clemente and on to what is now San Pedro Bay near Los Angeles. No one knows for certain just how far he sailed as his original navigation log was lost. Details of his voyage and the events of his death came from an accounting that was gathered after the expedition returned to Mexico without him.

On January 13, 1543, his exploration goals short-lived, Cabrillo allegedly died on one of the Channel Islands from an apparent infection that set in after he suffered a broken leg. Although he did not live to see his exploration dreams fulfilled, the knowledge gained of winds and currents and landmarks charted made later exploration safer.

From the Cabrillo monument, on a clear day you can catch views of the San Diego Harbor and skyline and Coronado Island, along with the Naval Air Station North Island, dubbed the “Birthplace of Naval Aviation”. Although a little hazy when we were there, we were thankful the marine layer stayed further offshore during our visit. While standing out on the point we were fortunate to see (and hear) a squadron of fighter jets take off from the Naval Air Station, out on maneuvers.

naval air station north island — Naval Air Station North Island Operations

San Diego is headquarters to the Eleventh Naval District and is one of the busiest and largest U.S. naval ports in the world. Many of the Pacific Fleet’s cruisers, carriers, destroyers and amphibious ships are stationed here. The U.S. Coast Guard, part of The Department of Homeland Security, conducts extensive operations out of San Diego.

u.s. coast guard facility — U.S. Coast Guard Facilities

Another prominent structure standing watch over San Diego Bay is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. Built in 1854, it was one of the first lighthouses on the West Coast. It was taken out of service after 36 years as fog and clouds could often shroud the light. It was lit for the first time on November 15, 1855 and its light was extinguished on March 23, 1891.

The lighthouse stands 422 feet above sea level and, at the time, it seemed like the perfect location for it. Sandstone was carved from the hills for the walls and the floor tiles were taken from a Spanish fort ruins. A five-foot tall 3rd order Fresnel lens, which was tops in technology at the time, was shipped in from France. This lens made the light visible at sea for 25 miles, that is when fog and clouds weren’t obscuring the view. There was no foghorn at the time so a shotgun was fired to warn ships away from the menacing rocks below. Today the interior of the lighthouse, which has been refurbished to its 1880’s appearance, and the out buildings, are open to visitors.

Located at the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula, a Pacific gray whale display can be seen, with sitting areas to watch these majestic mammals make their southerly 12,000 mile migration from the Arctic to the Baja. Gray whale sightings are fairly common here from December through March but are not seen at all making their trek back north in May.

We timed our visit here to coincide with low tide so we could check out the tide pools, which are some of the best around we have heard. All things finally came together to make for a near perfect day. After watching a 30-minute film on the intertidal zones, we headed to the western side of Point Loma, where from late Fall until Spring the tide pools are visible. Within the tidal zone is the 4 square mile Point Loma kelp forest, the largest on the West Coast.

There are two low and two high tides every day in California, something new to me. The low tide that would have been best for viewing life in the pools was at 3:00 am but we were hoping for a good showing for the one at 1:00 pm. With three intertidal zones (high, middle, and low), we would be viewing the high and hopefully some of the middle.

Although the tide wasn’t as low as we would have liked and we did not see any of the stars of the pools (sea stars that is), the pools were still teeming with life.

Treading lightly and close inspection is what is needed to find the diverse life here.

wading in the pool — Wading in the pool, searching for the unusual

Camouflage is the name of the game as sea life here have many natural-born enemies. The tide pools are really a window into the rest of the ocean. Here is just a little of what we were able to find:

starburst anemone — Starburst anemone ~ a voracious eater!

The owl limpet has a muscular foot that holds its body and shell tightly to the rock. It is a hermaphrodite, beginning its life as a reproductive male and if lucky to live long enough, transforms itself into a female.

Sea lettuce is a bright green algae that can tolerate heavier levels of pollution than most sea life. Where there are large populations, pollution level alert!