Rainy day in Balboa Park

We woke to rain this morning and I cajoled Mike into going to Balboa Park and visiting the museums.  We snagged the free ones on Tuesdays -- The Timken, the Museum of Art and the Mingei International museum. The Timken didn't allow pictures but has a website www.timkenmuseum.org where you can see what we saw.

The Mingei had a special exhibit of African American Quilts from the 1920's to the 70's. Some were a little odd but all hand quilted and pieced.

The Museum of Art had a special exhibit of Asian /India orginal art and many paintings from Spain and Italy.  Again no pictures.  We had lunch near the Museum of Photographic Art, yummy sandwiches on foccia bread with plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

The weather has started to clear up this evening and we're going to go out to eat on our last night here.  Here's a pic from the Botanical Building.  Home soon!

Old Town San Diego

Monday while Mike hung out at the TC I took off on the trolley (a train really) to Old Town San Diego.  I was heading to the huge shopping mall downtown but opted to spend the day exploring the little shops, eateries and museums in Old Town.  The trolley is only $5 to ride all day and goes to Tijuana on the border out to the valley.

Mission San Diego station

The weather was perfect and very relaxing to just wander from shop to shop.  I didn't take many pictures. The Selby Stables were a restored transport business that moved passengers and packages across the West.  The wagons were like todays hummers and I'm sure an uncomfortable ride across desert trails.

   I wonder what kind of succulent this blackish purple plant is - my lighting was poor, it was really almost black.

I headed back home and we had leftovers for dinner and watched some TV.  Tuesday it's suppose to rain so we'll have to find some indoor entertainment.

Sunday's sites

Today we took off in the late morning for The Flower Fields in Carslbad. It was the last day they were open for the season so we were lucky to be able to walk through them.  It was drizzling a bit and a front was moving in from the coast.  The fields stretch across 10 football fields; rannaculus mostly but also

a collection of not yet available in stores poinsettias

and some beautiful roses.  I got lost in a peony maze (had to keep right, who knew?) 

 Mike even got to operate a sluice at the gem mine in the Flower Fields.  He snagged some pretty stones making this an official prospecting post!

Then we took off South to Point Loma and the La Cabrillo National Monument. We picked up a t-shirt for Mike (he's got quite a collection!) and enjoyed the view of Shelter Island, del Coronado, the Naval base and the bay. The lighthouse is no longer in operation but open for view. Folks lived out here 10 miles from San Diego in the mid-1800's. The wind and solitude had to make for a lonely life.  It was a full day and we wandered back to the TC for dinner and relaxing.  Enjoy the pictures!

Our home on the golf course

We've settled in at Admiral Baker campground in San Diego with a view out the back door of the 6th hole.  It's in the upper 60's and a slight breeze, perfect weather for sitting outside with a good book!
Mike is enjoying a round of golf while dinner's bubbling away in the crockpot.  Tomorrow we're off to do some exploring.  

Springtime heading West

We haven't been traveling since before Christmas so this trip is long overdue.  We took off early this morning (5:30 AM!) and headed out through Wickenburg and Quartzsite until we got to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge about 16 miles south of Quartzsite. 

Looking down trail toward our TC

I've been wanting to stop here for years, having seen a story on one of the only native stands of palm trees in Arizona being tucked away in a canyon on the refuge.  We turned off U.S. 95 onto Palm Canyon trail, a dirt road with some pretty wicked washboarding.  Nine miles in the trail dead ended at the hiking trail to Palm Canyon.

It was a short half mile trail with a few steep spots to a view of the canyon. There are big horn sheep out in these mountains but it was almost 10:30 am so they were not out and about.

Palm Canyon palms, Kofa NWR

When we rounded the corner on the trail, we were about 400 yards from the palms, which are tucked away in a very narrow canyon that gets sun only early in the morning.  It was quiet except for the calls of birds and a soft buzz of bees in the early day heat.  The palms have been here for years and without easy access, hopefully they'll remain untouched for years to come.

Tonight we're staying at the FamCamp at the Yuma Proving Grounds, about 20 miles before Yuma.  Tanks and armored vehicles are tested here and its a vast, desolate desert area.  Tomorrow we're onto San Diego.
It's fun to be back on the road in our TC!