Santee Lakes, Santee, CA:  Today was spent mostly doing some housekeeping chores.  After I got up I cleaned the bathroom and changed the sheets.  Then we went over and did the laundry.  Came back and put that away.  Relaxed a little.  Then we cleaned the front of the fifth wheel.  Made a Walgreens run and then came back and had a cocktail under the awning.  Tonight we actually dined in.  Grilled up some fillets, accompanied by Southwestern rice and corn on the cob.  Tomorrow we leave for Long Beach.  Really enjoyed our stay here in Santee.  A cute little town in the mountains about 15 miles northeast of San Diego.  And it’s really easy to get around here.  Lots of freeways and they have a great rapid rail system which leaves from right here in Santee.  We never took advantage of it however. 

This guy was doing an amazing balancing job with these rocks
Seaport Village--San Diego

Amazing balanced rocks
Seaport Village--San Diego

Santee Lakes, Santee, CA:  Drove over to Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument today.  Both are on a hilly peninsula of land south of the city that forms the bay.  Beautiful views of the Pacific and the bay from this high point.  Cabrillo discovered what is now San Diego bay back in the 1500s.  The little town of Point Loma is very nice with older homes clustered in the hills.  Cute little homes very close together with lush vegetation which affords privacy and most of the homes have neat little manicured yards.  From their high vantage point they have beautiful views of the marinas, the bay, and the city of San Diego beyond.  After exploring around Point Loma we drove over this very high bridge to the island of Coronado which is in San Diego Bay.  Most of the island is a Navy base.  We went there to see the historic Hotel del Coronado which was built in 1887.  A huge wooden structure, it is one of only a few still standing.  Had lunch there in this elegant hotel and walked around the grounds for a while.  Drove back to Santee and relaxed the rest of the day.  Mid-70s today.

View from Point Loma

Good day for a sail.

Point Loma Light

Really high bridge going over to Coronado Island

View of San Diego from the high bridge

The beautiful Hotel del Coronado

View of Point Loma across the bay from the beach at the Hotel del Coronado

Santee Lakes, Santee, CA:  Went down to Seaside Village on the San Diego Bay waterfront today.  Got down there about noon and had lunch at the Bay Café right on the water.  Then went aboard the USS Midway aircraft carrier which was enormous.  The USS Carl Vinson was docked across the bay.  That’s the aircraft carrier where Bin Laden’s body was taken and where they performed the burial at sea.  Also toured the historic ships at the maritime museum.  A beautiful, clear day with temps in the mid-70s.  On the way back home we drove through the historic Gas Lamp district.  I really like San Diego.  Very nice city.  Back to Santee Lakes around 8:00.  Did a lot of walking today along the waterfront.  Felt good. 

On board the USS Midway--San Diego, CA

Star of India--built in 1863 in San Diego.  Sailed around the world 21 times.   A merchant ship that also took passengers--mainly immigrants to Australia and New Zealand.

HMS Surprise--replica of a late 18th century Royal Navy frigate--used in the production of "Master and Commander"

San Diego skyline

Santee Lakes, Santee, CA:  After a light breakfast we decided to drive to Old Town San Diego.  This historic park depicts Old Town between 1821 and 1872  The central plaza is lined with buildings—some dating back to the 1820s—and gives a picture of the lifestyle of both ordinary residents and the wealthy and influential.  Old Town really started by the Spanish in 1769 with the construction of the royal Presidio and the first of a chain of 21 California missions.  We had lunch at the historic Cosmopolitan Hotel and then walked around this historic place.  Headed back around 4:00 and stopped in Santee for some groceries.  Back home by 5:30 or so.  Started out cloudy but cleared off nicely.  Mid-70s today.

The historic Cosmopolitan Hotel--we had lunch here in the courtyard

The Saloon in the Cosmopolitan Hotel--cute sheriff yes?

La Casa de Estudillo
This shows half of the front wing.  The place is huge, dominated by a large central courtyard and a large walled garden beyond.  Built in 1827 by Jose Antonio Estudillo and his brother-in-law Juan Bandini.  They were one of the wealthier families.

Santee Lakes, Santee, CA:  Spent the day at the San Diego Zoo today, which did not disappoint.  The habitats are clean and large.  The animals all look like they are shampooed and brushed every day.  The land the zoo sits on comprises three canyons.  Lots of up and down walking, but they have two areas where they have motorized walkways for the steep uphill areas.  And they have busses that are accessible in several areas.  Getting around was confusing sometimes.  We had a great lunch at Albert’s Restaurant high up in the park.  Started out cloudy this morning with temps in the 60s.  Cleared up for a while, but when we left it was even cloudier by the coast.  When we got back to Santee though, the clouds were gone, as if by magic.  All in all, the zoo was great, but the St. Louis Zoo runs a close second.  The San Diego Zoo costs $40 each.  The St. Louis Zoo is FREE.  Need I say more?

Topiary at the zoo entrance

Beautiful peacock

One of the pandas

Adorable koala

Elephant habitat

29 Palms Golf & RV Resort, 29 Palms, CA, to Santee Lakes, Santee, CA:  Left 29 Palms this morning at around 8:15.  I decided to drive, even though I was really nervous about going down Morongo Canyon again—especially with the fifth wheel in tow.  Luckily, we have an exhaust brake on the truck which, when turned on, keeps the speed wherever it was when turned on, without touching the brake.  So I just kept my speed down and the exhaust brake on and had no problem—even through all the twisty turns.  At the bottom of Morongo Canyon we took Interstate 10 west heading toward LA.  Interstate 10 was 4 lanes here in each direction.  Now we’re looking for Rt. 60 south. Unfortunately, the exit for Rt. 60 was on the left, so I had to go over three lanes to get to the exit—with a lot of traffic.  Made it okay and the short drive down Rt. 60 was so nice through the pretty rolling hills.  With real trees and greenness. And the temperature is in the mid-70s.  Things are definitely looking better.  On Rt. 60 for only about 20 miles and then we headed south on the 215.  I thought that would be multiple lanes each side, but it was only two or three lanes on each side.  No problem at all.  We’re seeing a lot of smog.  Hard to see some of the mountains because of the smog.  It’s really funny that California is so adamant about not smoking, and here’s all this smog everyone is breathing.  Such irony.  Anyway after I drove for about 2-1/2 hours and no sign of a rest area or truck stop, I pulled off 215 and we switched and pulled right back on.  Shortly after that we got on 15 south.  This was a three-laner on each side until Escondido.  South of that it blew out to 7 lanes each with about 4 express lanes in the middle of the south- and north-bound lanes.  So glad Mike was driving.  We exited 15 onto Rt. 52 east to Santee Lakes and breathed a sigh of relief.  A friend of ours from the Keys recommended this place to us.  She lives here most of the year.  It’s a pretty place with a chain of about 7 little lakes.  And we’re about 15 minutes from San Diego.  Heading there tomorrow.

Pretty desert flowers--Joshua Tree National Park

Cracked Rock--Joshua Tree National Park

Boulders of all shapes and sizes--Joshua Tree National Park

Our friend, Jo Cryder, with her dog, Suzie.  She's the one who recommended this great park for our stay in the San Diego area.  Thanks Jo!

29 Palms Golf & RV Resort, 29 Palms, CA:  Got an early start this morning and by 8:30 we were headed to Joshua Tree National Park.  What a beautiful place!  I can see how someone could fall in love with the desert.  The vastness and peacefulness gives it an almost spectral aura. The only sounds are the buzzing of the insects, the twittering of the birds, and the gentle breezes rustling the unusual vegetation.  The Joshua Trees are very unusual.  They're actually giant Yuccas. Started seeing them around Las Vegas.  The early Mormon pioneers gave them their name.  The limbs of this tree resembled the upstretched arms of Joshua beckoning them to the promised land.  I can’t imagine the Mormon pioneers coming across this vast desert either on foot or with wagons.  Hope they did it in the winter.   The park is huge and there are lots of places to explore—old mines, ranches, and a dam one of the cattle ranchers built to fill up a reservoir and water their cattle.  Plenty of places to hike, but it was way too hot and we didn’t have enough water with us.  Should have spent two days here.  Had an early dinner at the Carousel Café in 29 Palms.  Our waitress was really cute and friendly.  She used to be in the movie business in LA and was in several movies.  She was fun to talk to.  Came back and the fifth wheel was relatively cool.  It was 103 by now outside and 87 inside. Not too bad.  

The beautiful Joshua Trees

The cell towers in this area are disguised to look like palm trees.

Joshua Trees with a snow-capped peak in the distance.

Pretty flower--but poisonous

Desert bird

Huge granite boulders all over the park.

Cactus garden

Pretty desert flower

View from high point in the park.  Palm Springs off in the distance in a haze of smog, and  that gully-looking thing in the middle of the picture is the San Andreas Fault.