And The Rains Came...

San Diego Metro KOA

Chula Vista, CA

January 23, 2024 

To say it was a rainy weekend might be a bit of an understatement as it rained and rained on Saturday and Sunday and then Monday morning at 9:34, we received an emergency notice on our phones.  Neither of us have ever seen it rain so much and so hard in one day.  In fact, folks in San Diego had not ever seen it either.  The news reported that San Diego received more rain in those three days that it has in the past three months combined.  And Monday was reported to be the rainiest day ever in January dating back to 1850.  It was the fourth wettest day on record in the entire history of San Diego weather measurements according to the national Weather Service.  The photo below was taken about 8:00 am when we walked Sally.  Within a couple of hours, the concrete in the road and RV sites were under water.  

Sally was a real trooper...we managed several walks under the umbrella when the rains slowed a bit.

Joe and I filled our time reading, spelling, playing Yahtzee, making loaded baked potato soup and fixing stuff.

 But it was Sally who had the best idea of how to spend her time.  

The sun finally came out on Tuesday.  

We ventured over to Ocean Beach for a late lunch even though we knew the pier was closed from a few weeks ago. 

It was oyster day for me and South Beach Bar and Grill was calling. I enjoyed every morsel of a half dozen oysters on the half shell (the cocktail sauce at South Beach is the best ever) and a fried oyster taco with rice and beans.  We enjoyed a nice view of OB Pier (which just happens to be one of the most visited landmarks in San Diego) during lunch.   

Joe and I are always amazed at how busy San Diego highways are and yet always amazed at how easy it is to get around.  Interstate highways that are 4 and 5 lanes wide stacked up on top of one another sounds intimidating.  We try to pick our times to avoid locals going to or coming from work, but even then, it can be congested.  But in all the years visiting here, we have never had to slow to a crawl or come to a stand still.  I think that is pretty amazing.  And probably pretty lucky.  

Last week when we went with Carol and Ronnie to Switzer Canyon, we drove the long way home and stopped at The Landing on Coronado Island.  

I love driving over the Bay Bridge...

The Landing is so named because that's where the ferry lands when it takes folks to or from the city to the island.  

There is a wonderful green park with lots of little shops and restaurants to peruse or enjoy a meal at The Landing. But the really best part to me is the view of the city.

The pier just behind the palm trees is the pier where the ferry lands.

This is a good stopping spot so I will close for now...until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS !

Wrapping Up San Diego

San Diego Metro KOA

Chula Vista, CA

January 30, 2022

Ocean Beach

Our morning in Ocean Beach didn't turn out exactly as planned.  

OB Municipal Pier was officially christened in 1966 as the San Diego Fishing Pier.

We enjoyed a walk on the OB Pier.  I have read that this pier is one of the most visited landmarks in San Diego.  It extends 1,971 ft into the ocean and is said to be the longest concrete fishing pier on the west coast.  Herring is the most common fish caught from the pier and you can catch as many as you can carry...there is no limit !  The pier is a "T" shape.  The "T" is undergoing construction so our walk ended at the cafe.  The views from the pier seem endless.  This photo captures Mission Beach all the way to La Jolla (I think) and maybe even beyond.    

 We watched a pod of about eight dolphins swimming...

and enjoyed the efforts from the surfers. 

By this time, we had hoped the sun would have warmed the day more and that a low tide would invite a beach walk.    Neither of those happened.  

We did however take a stroll down Newport Avenue.  Newport Ave. is a three-block shopping district lined with the tallest, skinniest palm trees ever.   Coffee shops, vintage shops, ice cream parlors,  microbreweries and restaurants all add to the casual feel and small-town charm in this historic beach community. 

The store fronts, like this coffee shop porch, add lots of colorful and artsy vibe.  

  

Murals are painted everywhere.  The effort began in 1999 as a way to beautify OB and instill a sense of pride.  The artists have captured the essence of a seaside town with themes that range from surfing to cars, and flag-waving Americans.  

A self-guided walking tour of the murals can be downloaded 

Lunch at OB is always a treat.  Hodads - The World's Greatest Burger is right there on Newport Ave and they do smell yummy, but my choice remains South Beach Bar and Grill.  It has been a favorite since we spent a morning with Lisa and Hans back in 2017 and had lunch there.  For me it is all about the oysters.  First, fresh oysters (The quac, salsa and seasoned chips Joe gets are pretty dang good too!)...

followed by fried oyster tacos.

And I ate every morsel of this mouth watering yummy concoction ! 

Chula Vista Marina

I love taking photos at a marina.  It's like a special neighborhood for small boats to huge yachts all docked together just waiting.  So, we jumped at the chance to join Ronnie and Carol for lunch at the Galley at the Marina which overlooks the bay. 

After lunch, we decided to take a stroll to the nearby park. 

I have photographed lots of coots throughout the years, but in all those pictures, I never saw them out of the water.  They are noisy and very comical.  I was so wishing I had my camera and big lens...phone photos don't zoom in so good.  I always assumed these medium-sized water birds were ducks. I was surprised to learn they are not.  On land, they look more chicken like with a plump body and rounded head, a short tiny tail, and large feet.  Those feet sure caught my eye.

Coots walk instead of waddling and are often clumsy, awkward fliers.  Maybe one reason they mostly stay in the water is that they require a long running takeoff to get airborne.

 

It was one of those beautiful changing sky days.  Looking at the photo below, one would not guess it was mid-day.  My phone documented this picture at 2:05 pm...

this photo at 2:15 pm

and this photo at 2:18 pm.

The metal sculpture, titled The Fisherman, was added to the park in 2006 as part of the Port of San Diego Tidelands Collection. 

Gorgeous windswept trees...

and views of the Bay Bridge and Coronado Island sure give this park a captivating charm in addition to being a place to play.  

I have always enjoyed the ocean and beach.  Growing up my family spent many vacations in Florida along the Atlantic coast and Joe and I and our family enjoyed many vacations along the Gulf.  When deciding to travel full-time back in 2012, I knew the Pacific Coast was a "must go there" destination.  There is something mighty and majestic about the ocean that is certainly a draw for this small-town Georgia gal.

San Diego is definitely a fun get away and a nice change of scenery for us.  But, one thing we did learn about ourselves is that we do miss home...the sticks and stucco home that is.  In real time, we left San Diego a few days early (actually to avoid some very windy travel days that were forecast).  We both agree (well, today that is) that really long trips are no longer in our future.  Home is safe, quiet, comfy, and roomy yet cozy .  And there is always something to do...somewhere behind that mountain of huge tumbleweeds is the gate to the front yard and there is another mountain even bigger in the back corner by the fence.

And every backyard needs violas this time of year.  If you leave, you plant them again.    

We still plan to travel in the MH as that is the only way we can enjoy travels with the pups.  But out goals have changed.   Vacations to explore our home state of Arizona are in the works...there really is a lot to see and do and we have only scratched the surface. 

I am excited as I write this post because Ronnie and Carol will be visiting Tucson the first two weeks in February.  I can't wait to share some favorite places and see new to us places with them.  So, stay tuned !  Until then, I'll close with a few photos from SD.

The puppies had their treats and we did too !

I had pineapple and coconut cheesecake.

 

      

HAPPY TRAILS !

Ocean Beach, Wildlife Refuge, and Point Loma

San Diego Metro KOA
Chula Vista, CA
January 2019

Ocean Beach 
Having visited this colorful neighborhood a couple of years ago with Lisa and Hans, we had an idea of what to expect and where to go at Ocean Beach.  Unfortunately, OB Municipal Pier was closed for repair from damage caused by strong winds and waves.

At 1,971 feet, OB Pier is the longest concrete pier on the West coast.  

 The tide was just right for a walk along the trail.  A small section of the trail is concrete.  Erosion has caused so much damage.

A different view of the Pier... 

 

Small cottages and bungalows line the narrow streets of this beachfront neighborhood.  

It was news to us that wild parrots are also part of the OB (and other urban beach communities in SD) culture.  Native to northern Mexico, it is believed these colorful birds came to California in search of a suitable habitat as areas of Mexico became deforested.  Food is plentiful...they survive on seeds, nectar, and fruit from tropical trees and shrubs.

Lunch at the beach is a real treat...especially when oysters are on the menu.  








In addition to 6 on the half shell, the days special was a fried oyster po-boy.  Yummy !

San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

SD Bay NWR is located at the south end of SD near Chula Vista. Approximately 2,600 acres of land and water not only protects a diversity of migratory and native species of birds, but also protects what remains of SD Bay's historical coastal salt marsh and intercostal mudflat.  

The largest contiguous mudflat in So Cal.

Cabrillo National Monument/Point Loma

In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first European to set foot on what is now California.  

 This sandstone statue stands 14 feet tall,  weighs 14,000 pounds, and was dedicated in 1988.  

The park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.    

In addition to a great story lesson, the park is also home to a wealth of natural resources.  Bayside Trail was our reason for visiting the park.  It's a beautiful 2.5 mile hike with great views of the bay, Ballast Point (where Cabrillo landed), the skyline of San Diego, sandstone cliffs, and plant and animal life.

 

 There is also WWII history along the trail.

When we arrived at the park it was sunny!

The park is also home to one of eight original West Coast lighthouses.  The first lighthouse on Point Loma was in operation from 1855 to 1891.

Low-lying fog rolled in during the morning.  

The lighthouse was built on the highest point at Point Loma. It soon became apparent that low-lying fog obscured the light that shone above the fog bank making it useless.

After some fresh air, fresh seafood hit the spot.  









Known as "The Freshest Thing in Town" Point Loma Seafoods offers a huge selection of fresh caught fish.

Shrimp tacos 

You can choose to dine inside or outside.  But whichever you choose, don't forget Kelly's famous lemonade.  They also make their own sourdough bread.





That's a wrap on our San Diego visit.  We have been settled in at the Lazydays KOA since Feb 1.  The weather has not been all that great with cold nights and breezy, rainy chilly days, but we are visiting with friends, getting things done and necessary appointments taken care of.  More on that later.  

I'll close with a few random pictures from January.  Until next time...

Ocean Beach color...

The marina at Point Loma Seafoods

Quirky art at Ocean Beach

Ummm...

...nope!

Point Loma

Bayside Trail at Cabrillo NM

Galley At the Marina in Chula Vista for a sunset and fish and chips.

HAPPY TRAILS !