Beach Cities

Finally we have sunny weather!  On the agenda for today was a harbor tour and then a drive down the coast to the beach cities.

First we drove with Bob and Elaine over to the Fun Zone where the boat tour was to begin, while others on the caravan arrived via car, bicycle and foot.  Since we got there early, we took the ferry to Balboa Island and walked to the shopping area, found a Starbucks, and then ferried back again.

The boat ride took us past many homes of the rich and famous, including Peter Falk, Vanna White, Wayne Gretzsky, and Roy Rogers.  The real estate prices are exorbitant, to say the least!

About 12 of us strolled to the Shore House for lunch.  It was outstanding.  Then it was off for our tour of the Beach Cities, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Doheny Beach State Park, a quick look at Mission San Juan Capistrano (too late to take the tour) and then dinner in San Clemente at the wharf.  Fisherman's on the wharf was perfect.  We ate on deck with the sun setting on the horizon.  

A quick trip back by way of the toll road and then games of Joker back at the RV park.

Deanna reported on the dog birthday party.  It didn't go well...Dodger, the birthday boy, decided that Larry and Martha Jones's dog had eaten enough doggie cake and didn't need more, so when he tried to take extra bites, Dodger did his own biting - of Doggie Jones's tongue!  

Dogs seem quite important around here.  At the Fashion Island outdoor shopping mall, there were almost as many dogs as people, both in and outside the stores.  We're not in Northern California anymore! 

The Fishing Pelicans

Newport Beach

Not much new today other than the drive to Newport Beach.  Luckily, it's Sunday and the traffic was relatively light for LA.  And, the weather is crisp, clear and windy.  The views were spectacular along the coast, especially in the Malibu area.

Our RV park is only a mile from Fashion Island (large mall) and we went to check it out after squeezing into our assigned space.  Not much room!  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a thing I couldn't live without - although the La Brea Bakery looks promising.  But when I'm hungrier and earlier in the day before all the good bread is gone.  We'll be here for 3 nights.

Santa Barbara

We left at 8:45 for Santa Barbara with Bob and Elaine driving.  First stop was the Ty Warner Sea Center where we saw many different varieties of marine life.  My favorites were the decorator crabs.  They actually decorate themselves with "things they find around the house".   Their little habitats had been given several colorful pom poms and they snatched bits and pieces until they, themselves looked like little colored pom poms.  Cam Murray saw another snatch a bit of seaweed and add it to his appendage.  

Once we'd seen everything we wanted to see at the Sea Center, we decided to take a tour of Santa Barbara using public transit.  The shuttle driver took us to the end of State Street for a quarter apiece and let us off.

We headed for the Santa Barbara Civic Center and courthouse.  What a gorgeous old building with many murals adorning its walls and ceilings.  The bell tower gave us a great view of the entire city.  Luckily, the rains decided to leave us alone for awhile.  

By this time we were getting hungry and Bob and Elaine wanted to see the place where their son, Jason, lived while attending Santa Barbara City College.  It was right over a bakery, coincidentally.  Our sandwiches were delicious!  

Continuing down State Street, we stopped at a couple of shops (including Lululemon, Shelby and Roxanne).  

Eventually we got back to the car which was parked along the waterfront and headed for the mission.  We watched the movie and took the self guided tour.  Then it was on to see Santa Barbara City College and after that, UCSB.  Apparently, UCSB used to be located where Santa Barbara City College now is.  UCSB is actually in Goleta and doesn't have quite as beautiful a location, in our opinion.

The drive home was much prettier with all the rain and fog gone.  Tomorrow is a driving day - to Newport Beach, where we'll stay for 3 nights.  

The game players all met in the meeting room for games after our respective dinners.  Don't ask!  Several went off to the casino to try their luck, as the campground gave us each a $50 coupon from the casino.  

Pismo Beach to Buellton

Yesterday I forgot to mention the drive on the beach.  Four-wheeling in the Chevy truck!  Cool.

And, the trip to SLO (San Luis Obispo) and the Farmers Market, which takes place every Thursday night of the year.  Larry and Bob got mochas and we strolled the street fair looking for items of interest.  Harold and Jane Higgins are former residents of SLO and pointed our way to the interesting "Bubblegum Alley".  Quite an interesting place and I'm afraid it reminded me way too much of my teaching days with the desktop undersides coated with dried chewed-up gum!

Today we began with "breakfast in a bag", which I'd heard of but never tried.   Basically, it's a unique way of making an omelet.  You put all the ingredients into a plastic boiling bag, seal it shut,  and then drop it into boiling water until it's cooked.  We also made overnight monkey bread, which was delicious.  

Elaine and I walked down into the shopping district and then a sizable group of us left for La Purisima Mission in Lompoc.  We spent quite a long time there and had an excellent guided tour.  

After that, it was a short drive to Buellton and a most attractive RV Park.  Many of us took a trip to nearby Solvang before Happy Hour and dinner.  Larry and I located the Worldmark resort and gave it a quick once-over and seal of approval.  And, did I mention it rained off and on all day????

Dinner was at the Hitching Post steak restaurant.  It was quite expensive and luckily, very very good.  I had grilled shrimp and Larry had a flat iron steak.  Everyone agreed it was outstanding.

Tomorrow - off to Santa Barbara.

Butterflies to Sea Lions

Thursday has been a somewhat rainy day.  In the morning we met as a group at the nearby state park for a talk about monarch butterflies.  They have been staying in the area until mating season, which will take place around Valentine's Day.  Eucalyptus trees work very well for that purpose, and after mating, the females will need to find milkweed plants upon which to lay their eggs.  The docent gave a most interesting talk and we were able to see the pods of butterflies through a scope, as well as the few who fluttered about

For lunch we caravanned to Shell Beach and the restaurant at the end of the pier.  Our fish and chips were delicious and the rest of the group also commented favorably on their lunches as well.

After lunch we took Bob and Elaine and went hunting for the Worldmark Resort.  We located it a short walk from our RV park, in the shadow of a larger resort.  Their advertising is just a bit misleading...Then, since Elaine did not join us last night, we had to take her to Doc Burnstein's for ice cream.  She was properly appreciative.  We then strolled the village of Arroyo Grande and returned to the car just as it started to rain with more authority.  

The Mystery Albino

By The Sea Caravan

This is Day 2 of our latest caravan.  Yesterday we met the group at Casa de Fruta, east of Monterey.  We are 20 rigs strong and met for the first Happy Hour in the RV Park meeting room, after taking a short walk to the fruit and nut stand, stopping at the bakery and deli and wine shop on the way back.  

Dinner was in the resort restaurant.  Larry and I each ate only half of our dinners and took the rest back to the trailer.  

This morning we got up early and took off walking with Bob and Elaine Vasser down to the bakery for breakfast.  On the way back we visited their albino animal of some kind or other.  He looked a bit like a small reindeer with long antlers.  Yes, he was white.  The sign in the office told what he was, but no one remembered.  Friendly little guy, though.  

The drive to Pismo Beach was uneventful, although the CHP's were really out in force.  We didn't see that many law enforcement officers during our whole month-long trip to Texas!  Not counting the Border Patrol!  We heard from the grapevine that one Airstreamer was pulled over, but the informant didn't know or reveal if he did know - who it was.

After unhitching, we took off with Bob and Elaine for the local crab shack and got ourselves some clam chowder in mid afternoon.  Then we walked along the beach and out on the wharf for awhile.  Bob is turning into quite the photographer, and has promised to share his expertise with newly acquired skills.  

Back at the park, we had a drizzly Happy Hour and then headed for the Elks Lodge and its "all you can eat" spaghetti dinner.  The 50/50 raffle prize of $90. was won by our very own Ethelwynne Golden.  Alas, the dinner did not include dessert, so Sue and By Campbell led us to Arroyo Grande and Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab.  Tonight was the weekly "show" at 7:00 and we were just in time to observe and help.  Bob Vasser was one of the volunteers who got to pull the switch that activated the machine.  We had previously voted on the flavor and extra added ingredients and then got to sample the results, which were actually produced very quickly.  English toffee with marshmallows and M&M's.  Interesting... We thought a little more freezing might have helped!  Then we got to choose a name for the concoction.  Mine was:  MMMallowToffee.