San Diego "The Land of Ahhh's"

Ahhhh, San Diego.  Despite controversy surrounding the meaning of its name (see “Anchorman”), the city is still a beautiful one.  Diane and I arrived here yesterday; staying at the Santa Fe RV Campground which is sandwiched between I-5 and the Amtrak commuter line running north.  Though not entirely akin to the sound of a burbling stream or the waves on a beach, the constant drone of traffic does become somewhat melodic.  We jumped right in the pool and caught an hour of Southern California sunshine after getting “The Whealhouse” set up; then headed to visit friends, Charles and Donna, for the evening after swinging by our old house – they must have watered it well, it sure grew in the past 25 years.

Today we continued our sojourn of sorts; driving to an even earlier habitat location in Ocean Beach…. “OB” to those who’ve lived there.  It’s just not the same without the original “Spaceman of OB” walking on Newport Avenue and hipsters replacing so many hippies we remember.  I suppose time moves on.  We walked out the OB pier and chatted with fishermen not having much luck.  Sand is being scooped and pushed into giant berms along the beach in preparation for El Nino and winter storms.  We managed to split a Hodad’s double bacon cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate malt…. they used to go down so much easier.  Five hours later and I’m still not hungry (a far cry from a Chinese buffet).  Don’t misunderstand; Hodad’s is still a “top ten” place to grab food in San Diego.  The line was twenty or thirty appetites long minutes before the door opened.  We sat at the bar looking out toward “The Black”; a still in operation head shop dating to the late 60’s.

Following lunch we drove through Mission Beach and headed to PB… ok, Pacific Beach to you novices.  We strolled to the end of the Crystal Pier and had a pic taken of us in front of the Capri by the Sea, our first night’s honeymoon stay some 36 years ago.  Then we headed up the hill to Kate Sessions Park, the location of our wedding vows; though today the weather was far from the sun, clouds and sail boats on Mission Bay for a background.  A group of “twenty somethings” found it fun to take our picture where we were married before any of them were born.  One thing I noticed was how many people here have dogs; there seems to be pooches everywhere.  Tons of folks were out today, enjoying a much cooler and cloudy day than has been the norm this summer and fall.  The drought out here is noticeable and a sprinkle today was welcome.  Tonight… more visiting of family and swinging by familiar sites from long ago. 

We’ve driven some 4,000 miles to get to this point; when we leave San Diego we’ll be heading in a generally homeward direction (east and north).  We still have many places to go and some friends to visit along the way.  I’m sure, as well, that we’ll be meeting many new faces around campfires and on hiking trails before the Midwest looms in the windshield.  One favor please; keep autumn around long enough for us to get back.