Watching an NCIS Marathon

Saturday, March 24, 2012
Pescadero, CA

Well, Mark and I are on our fifth day here at the Costanoa KOA park.  After the second day, Mark started coming down with the cold that we both caught and Jessica and Ben's house.  This is Mark's third day of lying around on the couch.

We are hoping to get on the road Sunday to head for Jack and Sandy's.

The Cuddle Puddle

Wednesday, March 20, 2012
Santa Cruz, CA

Our next stop on the adventure is Santa Cruz, CA.  The Santa Ynes Valley is the area we traveled through on our way.  We were amazed at the miles of grape vineyards we traveled through on our way.  It was beautiful.

Mark was the driver today.  I would like to point out that the last picture in the last post was of Jackson and Cruise playing in the drivers seat.  Today Mark is coming down with the cold that the boys had while playing in the drivers seat.  Glad I didn't take the wheel for that drive.

Lindsey turned us on to a tourist destination in Santa Cruz so our first stop was the Mystery Spot.  It is a small area where everything is affected by a mystery force and everything seems to lean down this hill more so than normal.  This is the cabin.

Mark as he walked up a wall.

Mark also took part in a demonstration for the group.  Mark was quick to point out how everything they did was a trick (optical illusion) but we did have a great time.

On our way to the Mystery Spot we were witness to how the financial crisis has impacted California.  Instead of fixing the road that had been partially washed out, they just installed a traffic light and made the road a one way road.  Ingenious.

Next was the Pier in Santa Cruz.  We were able to park right out on the pier and walk around.  At the far end we found this "cuddle puddle".  About 30 sea lions basking in the sun.  It was funny because all along the pier were square openings where people would look down to try to find sea lions below the pier.  Nobody was looking off the end of the pier and that is where I happened to find the biggest herd of them.

I think this small boat would work well when Mark and I move to Mexico and I need a shrimping boat to do some fishing.....

A view from the pier back towards shore where the amusement park is.

These are surfers that we watched from the cliffs.  There is about a mile of cliffs along the coastline north of Santa Cruz where the surfers hang out and surf.

You Want How Much for that Little Flag?

Monday March 19, 2012
San Luis Obispo

Here we are in San Luis Obispo.  Beautiful town.  Mark and I drove down the highway 101 to check things out the first day and Mark recognized the place where Ben and Jessica were married.  I was amazed that he had such a sharp memory.  I called Jessica to verify.

We went to San Luis Obispo dunes right off the bat, had a burger at a little burger bar right off the beach and then went out to buy a flag for the jeep.

Yes, that looks a little dorky to have your flag hanging off the front but it was the the quickest and least permanent way to attach it.  Mark went into one of the local places that sold flags and ended up getting the flag for free.  The guy lent us the flag for a couple of hours cuz Mark was whining so much about having to spend $10 for a flag he would only use for such a short time.  The guy even came out and used tie wraps to attach it to our tow bar.  The tight-ass strikes again!

The dunes were fun but we really did need a sand rail to do them justice.  There were a lot of steep dunes that we could not go up and down in our jeep.

The other end of the beach had kite-boarders.  There really were quite a few guys out there.  It just was a little too windy and cold for Mark, though.  I think he was spoiled in LaVentana, Mexico and South Padre.

Ben and Jessy stayed home while we were doing the sightseeing.  They both were coming down with colds as well as the boys.  They fixed us King Ranch Casserole with Chili Rellonos for dinner.  It was really great.

Jackson and Cruise tried out the drivers seat in the motorhome before we headed down the road.  Those two never stopped the entire time we were there.  Ben and Jess have their hands full.  The great part is that they are both really good boys with smiles on their faces all the time.

Sitting in Solvang, California

Saturday, March 17, 2012
Solvang, California

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Mark and I are in Solvang, Ca.  It is a small Danish village about 60 miles south of San Luis Obispo, our next destination.  We have have traveled from San Diego, not along the coast but a ways inland.  It has been a beautiful trip because we are going through very hilly country with steep grades and hairpin turns at times that make motorhome driving quite exciting.  Loved it.  We also had "one night" stands in casino parking lots along the way that made for great entertainment after a long day on the road.  Mark jokes that we are touring the 50 states hitting all the casinos instead of hitting 50 states and hitting the golf courses.  Maybe a little of both.  We both agree that when you are on the road and only stopping for a night, a casino parking lot or Walmart cannot be beat.

This is one of the many little windmills in Solvang.  It is beautiful.  I have hit one of its bakeries twice already.  Great.

The local golf course is beautiful and tough.  Or we are crummy golfers, I am not sure which.......

See Mark in the distance running to the next tee so that he can have another beautiful drive down the fairway.

We have an ostrich farm about a mile down the road from where we are camped.  There is a whole hers of ostriches.

Blown Out of Borega Springs

Wednesday, March 7, 2012
San Diego, CA

After the big, dirty wind storm yesterday, we decide it is time to head for San Diego.  What a great decision it is.

As we leave Borega Springs we see more metal sculptures in the desert.

You can see the motorhome in the distance.  Mark decided to stay in the motorhome while I walked around to see the sculptures.

And, of course, when I get back he is happily busy, working on the motorhome.  I thank my lucky stars that things continually need "adjusting" and tweaking, and upgrading because Mark has "work" to do and that makes him happy.

We explored submarines.  I was busy watching the tourists up top.

I did the navigating today so I had my trusty map.

This is our trusty trolly.

My favorite building of the day.  Unfortunately on Thursdays it is closed and today is Thursday.

As we walked around the back of the bird cage building (Botanical Building) I came upon the most marvelous tree I have ever seen.  It was my favorite thing of the day.

Our trolly tour also took us out to Coronado Island.  Beautiful beach and much to our surprise, kites!  Mark was right down there, talking to the guys and finding out about the local winds, temperatures, etc.

This is the end of the beach in front of the famous Coronado Hotel.

It's all Happening at the Zoo

March 11, 2012

San Diego, CA

Today we did the San Diego Zoo!  It has been 38 years since I was here.  The last time I was with Chris and Blaine Hopkins with Mike Lynch (first husband).  Chris had a broken leg and a cast up to her knee so we rented a wheel chair for her.  By the end of the day, she was tired of riding and I was tired of walking so she pushed me in the wheelchair.  You should have seen the looks we got!  I was wishing that Chris and her wheelchair were with us by the late afternoon.  I could have used a ride......

Pandas....

Flamingos.

Cherry blossoms in bloom.

Rode the aerial tram.

Said hello to the big bull elephant.

Wonderful day at the zoo.

Haboob!

March 6, 2012

Borega Springs, CA

Today we explore the Galleta Meadows Sky Art Sites.  We were driving down the road last night and all of a sudden saw an elephant!  What the heck?  This thing was huge!  I remembered the gal at the visitors center saying that there were sculptures around town.  We just found them!

These sculptures are along three different roads around town.  Kinda random and really take you by surprise when you drive by.

Ride-em cowboy!

These could be used in a Japanese monster movie!

I was just minding my own business and this grasshopper tried to bite my arm off!

Picking grapes with the locals.....

Momma sloth and it's baby.

What is that in the distance?  Looks like the lochness monster going under the road.

Or maybe it is the "Tremors" monster.

Or a chinese dragon.

Local monk walking his dog.

Mark is lending a hand to one of the locals that got stuck.

After the sculpture gallon we were off to the local golf course.  Mark is getting ready for "battle" on the first tee.

It is beautiful here.  This is the front view from my seat in the golf cart.

This is the rear view.  Hurry up, Honey!

Yikes!  The wind just came up.  High winds were predicted today but we were not sure when.  Now we know.  The skies are turning brown all of a sudden and only one word is screaming in my head.......HABOOB!  Run for the clubhouse.!