The drive to San Diego was a reasonable 330 miles usually at high speed and with a remarkable variety of terrain. First, desert through Yuma, including giant cacti, into California along the Baja border, then the Sand Dunes in the California desert and high mountains covered by piles of huge boulders with steep climbs and drops. The intense heat remained all the way to the peak of the California mountains — I believe the Coyote Mountains, with one peak over 4000 feet — and then the temperatures dramatically dropped as we approached San Diego.
We turned north to visit Ted and Pam in their attractive home in Vista, where we enjoyed their hospitality. While we relaxed on their patio, we were entertained by the resident humming birds who protect their bird feeder from all uninvited guests. Pam produced gorgeous photos of the humming birds catching the speed of their wings in remaining in place to survey their territory.
We proceeded north, primarily along the Pacific, starting with Camp Pendleton — with tank maneuvers going on off the right lane of I-5 — Laguna Beach (beautiful but crowded), Newport Beach and huge open beaches at Huntington Beach. A detour of Route 1 into the western part of LA resulted in a massive 3:30 PM traffic jam. We headed back to the coast at Santa Monica, into Malibu and up into the Santa Monica mountains, providing dramatic views of the coast.
We concluded our current drive at Santa Barbara and enjoyed a meal out on the wharf. This morning, with morning clouds and temperatures in the 60s, we visited the Mission up on a hill over the city and found that it is much larger and active than we realized so we’re staying one more evening.
Eventually on to San Francisco!
