Ridgecrest California

I left Agua Caliente, stopping in Borrego Springs and headed up Montezuma. I traveled through Hemet and stopped at Beaumont. The next day I arrived at Ridgecrest in good time and Jimmy directed me to the Half Ass Ranch. What a neat place.

Jimmy and Dee Dee greeted me at the gate.

Jimmy had back surgery a week ago so he had on his Bob Marley Pj's.

This is in their back door. They have so many great antiques and memorabilia.

Dee Dee and I headed to town for groceries in their 39 Plymouth coupe.

I stayed for 3 days. What a delightful visit. I helped cook a delicious stew the first night and the next day at lunch we were having cheese from Wisconsin and crackers for lunch when their neighbor came in with fresh baked multigrain bread. Wonderful!

 

Two African spurred tortoises.  Torak and Frank.  

This is the bar Jimmy made. He built the whole house.

Dee Dee left her Christmas Tree up for me.

This is the bathroom. The Alaskan connection.

 

 

 

The Mexican Room with all these lovely paintings.

 

 

The Sierra Nevada's in the background.

Some more of their special lovely old cars and trucks.

 

Outside amidst several of the antiques was this old sidecar.

 

2 cats Tigre my special friend and another that pretty much avoided me.

To complete the menagerie are Scruffy and Spirit

Second nights dinner. Stuffed green peppers. Oh so good. Thursday I got up and packed and continued my journey. Went through Trono and over the Panamints and down through Death Valley. There was about a mile of gravel but the bike did well. A little worrisome as I seemed to be the only vehicle on the road for miles. Will edit this as soon as the Reese's call me back. Will continue my journey to Las Vegas in my next episode.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agua Caliente Airhead campout

Arrived around noon and set up and it was not long before I had company.

 

The inevitable campfire got burning and it was sorely needed as the temperature plummeted. I have my rock heating on the edge as you can see to keep me warm at night.

 

People gathered around the fire like moths to a light.

 

Sunrise with the moon still up. We had a full moon so light at night was not an issue.

 

One fellow rented the new Honda Gold Wing and brought it to the campout.

 

Kelly our host and wonderful cook with Kevin. They do everything in that smoker and the pots. We have gourmet food with steak and steelhead trout on Saturday. Wonderful salads and vegetables.

 

Here are Kelly and Kevin busy preparing something for us to eat.

 

Then as quickly as we come we fold up and steal away. I stopped at Borrego Springs in hopes of connecting with my friend Turk. Sure enough went into a café/coffee shop and asked for a phone book and the lady said " Who are you looking for"? Before I could get Ersin Konuk out she said Speak of the devil and he walked in the door. Love it. I went up Montezuma and through Hemet and stayed at Motel 6 in Beaumont. The next day I headed north and to Ridgecrest. Next episode.

 

 

 

 

 

San Diego

After visiting Old Town I headed back to my motel. The next day I went to SeaWorld.

$11.00 to park the motorcycle and the motorcycle parking is right outside the entrance.

Then $86.00 to get in. I went up in the Sea Tower.

This way one can see all over the park.

Unfortunately the windows are screened but you get the jist. The pools hold Shamu the whale and the porpoises and seals and otters. I then had lunch at this place. Sustainable fish and chips. I have never heard of a kind of fish called sustainable but it was okay.

 

 

This wonderful fig tree is at the base of the tower.

I really loved the penquin house.

 

They cancelled the seal and otter show so I took in the pet show instead.

Amazing to see all kinds of animals performing.

Cats pigs dogs ducks wallabies all doing tricks to decorate the stage. Fun.

Then I went to the porpoise show.

 

These are fish in the aquarium.

I found these beautiful poinsettas everywhere.

The gondola ride over the bay was lovely.

This was taken in the shark house. At one place you walk under the sharks but my photos in there did not turn out very well.

This sea lion was waving his flipper and barking begging for fish. There were a lot of seals and otters but I did miss their show. The park was terribly expensive for what I did see. They have a lot to see and do but I think one needs a game plan for when you get there to take full advantage. I returned to my motel that evening and had dinner at Denny's. The next morning it was time to pack up and head for Agua Caliente. I rode up through Julian. The previous day it snowed in Julian and there was a 6 hour traffic delay because everyone was driving from San Diego to play in the snow. The next day there were still cars turned over in the ditch and I am driving by on the motorcycle? Every pullout was full of parked cars and everyone playing in the snow.  If I had known Southern Californians liked snow so much I would have brought more.

 

Flamingos

Over the Bay

Christmas Tree at the entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Diego trolley ride

I started the trolley ride in Old Town and we went to the Embarcadero where we saw a cruise ship, a naval base, an aircraft carrier , sailing ships and on to Coronado, Little Italy, Gaslight are and Balboa Park where I got off and spent several hours. This was a great way to learn about the city. Our driver commentator was excellent and gave us a lot of insight of what we are looking at.

 

 

 

One of the tall beautiful buildings downtown.

Balboa Hotel

The bridge on the skyline is the one we will be on going to Coronado.

From the bridge looking at False Bay

Looking from Coronado back on San Diego

This house was airlifted on to Coronado after being built elsewhere.

Back on the bridge and off to the right is a large naval base.

Japanese garden at Balboa Park

Statue in Balboa Park. This great place was on the trolley route. I had never heard of it before but it was like a step back in time. Lots of museums but I did not pay to go in. I did however have a lovely lunch of a veggie flatbread at El Prado. This was the view from my table.

There was a botanical building here and of course you know where I stand when flowers and plants are concerned.

 

Orchids

Pointsetta

The facades on these many buildings looks a lot like back in Europe.

A piece of art in the sculpture garden

Another beautiful building on the grounds with the Balboa tower attached. Meanwhile back at the trolley and the ride back to Old Town.

Once back I was taken with the blooms on these Yucca like plants that bend over.

This young man was entertaining on his many flutes in a square at Old Town.

Bourgainvilla

After checking out this beautiful area