Natalie, Dick and Wolfgang

Catalina could almost be the "Cinque Terre" in Italy

Brenda practising her "Presidential" departure at the Nixon Library

Rated #3 in the US - It lives up to its billing

Remember the bad, old joke….”What kind of wood does not float?” Answer…….Natalie! For those whose memories may be foggy, Hollywood starlet Natalie Wood drowned while swimming off the stern of a yacht, rented by she and her husband, actor Robert Wagner, while anchored in a bay on Catalina Island. VERY bad joke!! Sunday, we took the ferry to Catalina from Long Beach. The major town on Catalina, Avalon, is reminiscent of Mediterranean, Italian, sea-side hill towns. You wonder what is anchoring some of the houses to the hill. A very unique tourist destination and, very busy on an 85°F winter day. Glad we visited in off-season!

Saturday, we visited the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda. Another excellent history lesson and, in light of events surrounding the Nixon resignation, a very interesting tutorial in marketing!! The facility dealt at great length with the Watergate situation and presented what amounted to a balanced reporting of the events. The Spiro Agnew resignation got almost no mention. I guess Tricky Dick wasn’t responsible for that one!! John Dean was certainly made out to be the Watergate “Bad Guy”. We met Dean and his wife many years ago and……… he seemed pretty sleazy then.

After the library, we talked our way into a dinner reservation at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, in Beverley Hills. (We’re actually getting quite good at last minute tables in good eateries……the first maitre de said “no way” but, a sweet young blonde said……”sure…no problem” ). Our dining success rate has been about 50/50 at celebrity chef restaurants so, our expectations were muted. Often it’s a case of the “emperor has no clothes” but, not at Spago. The staff was the best, the service excellent and the food…….. unbelievable. Brenda was hoping for Puck’s signature smoked salmon pizza appetizer but, it was not on the day’s menu. No problem…..voila……one smoked salmon pizza. That’s service! The entire meal was memorable and excellent.

The air in LA is much more “chewy” than we remember from previous visits and, the razor wire surrounding highway signs suspended from I-10 freeway overpasses to prevent tampering tells a story. Not a happy one methinks. All in all…… LA is nowhere as “livable” as San Diego. Next!

Palm Desert, Springs, etc., etc.

A desert sun rise ........... unretouched......honest!!!

The sun sets on our stay in Palm Springs

We’re smitten!! We traveled all around Florida trying to fall in love with some spot to which we could return in future winters. No joy! So, imagine our surprise when we discovered that we love this place and, WILL be coming back here. The weather is as good as south Florida (likely better based upon historical averages….also….no humidity); it is not crowded in the winter; there is so much to do and, our new favourite city, San Diego, is less than 2 hours away. (LA – 1 ½ hours). Our selection criteria insisted that we MUST be on the water and………..the nearest water here is about 1 ½ hours away, on the coast. Do we know what we want OR WHAT???????

We are sad to be leaving after only 4 days in the area, with so much that we have not seen. But, we plan to return for the month of November in Chapter II of our little journey. Then, hopefully, we will see it all.

The Salton Sea and Joshua Tree

[Hot as Hell but, fun to see!]

The "tree" for which they named a National Park.........white blooms just starting

I thought "Boulder" was in Colorado

I cannot tell a lie.......I did not take this picture but, it is the Salton Sea ...and white Pelicans

Joshua Tree National Park is located north-west of Palm Springs and, is so named for the abundance of Joshua Trees (go figure), which are unique to the Mojave Desert. The park encompasses part of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts (The Colorado being a sub-set of the Sonora……..got it?) The Joshua Tree is actually not a tree at all but, a type of Yucca, which in turn is a type of lily (anyone confused?) We visited the park because this is the peak time of year for the blooming of all the desert wildflowers ………..except for this year!!!!! This winter has been so dry; the wildflower seeds have not had enough moisture to germinate. (“You shoulda been here last year!!!”) But……the Joshua Trees are just beginning to bloom. The south-western US has some of the most interesting geology we have ever seen and this park has its fair share…….granite boulders the size of houses all piled one upon another.

As one drives from the northern edge of the park and out the south end, you descent from a 3,000 foot elevation, until reaching the Salton Sea at 220 feet BELOW sea level. In the process the desert ecosystems continually change with the altitude. We’re getting quite good at identifying all the desert flora and fauna. The Salton Sea, the largest lake in California, was formed from a massive two year flood of the Colorado River in 1905. It is highly saline and endorheic (my new word for the day……no outflow……only evaporation). In fact, in a few years only Tilapia will be able to survive in the high salt environment. Sonny Bono’s widow, Mary, is one of the lead proponents for cleaning up this waterway but, like the Imperial Valley to the south, the presence of water (after filtering and treating) has created a vast agricultural oasis in this area. Figs and dates anyone??

Right turn

Wind generators......they're everywhere.......up, down, and all around!!!!

Not too shabby for an "RV Park" huh????

An oasis in the desert

We wrapped up in San Diego by attending an organ recital in Balboa Park, taking in the vista at Cabrillo National Monument, a few good waterfront restaurants and, lots more. There is so much to do in San Diego. But, we had to leave something for next time!

So now we have turned right and are heading north…..slowly. Based upon the weather we are seeing in Washington and Oregon (and Ontario), we may take our own sweet time making much northern progress. We thought we had seen big wind farms in south Texas. They are nothing compared to the mile after mile of wind generators around Palm Springs. They are in the valleys, on the hill-tops and, everywhere in between. But, how come only about 20% of them are spinning in a stiff breeze????

Yesterday we arrived at a beautiful RV Park in Cathedral City, between Palm Springs and Palm Desert. This place actually DOES have 8 pools and, with 85º F and sunshine, we made good use of one of them. The RV Park is located around a 27 hole golf course, all of which is beautifully landscaped.

Palm Canyon is a 15 mile long canyon surrounded by hilly scrub desert. In the bottom of the canyon flows a small stream which is sufficient to keep thousands of indigenous California Fan Palms alive in this canyon oasis. We hiked down into the canyon and along part of its length, finding an abundance of wildlife and hundreds of hummingbirds of 5 different species. An amazing experience in the middle of the desert. Hiking down was easy…….coming back up in the heat, a bit of a workout.

USA 34

This boat looks fast tied to its stable mate "Abracadabra". Not enough tourists today to race the two boats. Damn!! Gotta come back in the summer.

Great way to spend a sunny Saturday

My biggest sailing thrill has been racing for 18 years with a great group of guys (and a girl) on Jim and Michelle’s “Express Passage”. Until today!!! I have never followed Americas Cup racing very closely and, did not realize that, over the years, the Dennis Connor syndicate has commissioned 11 different “Stars and Stripes” boats in his numerous quests for the Americas Cup (he has skippered 3 winners). Today, we sailed on his 10’th (USA 34); the boat in which the Connor crew won their last cup challenge series. What a machine.

The winds were fluky, with 180° wind shifts being the order of the day but, “Stars and Stripes” made the best of it, posting an 11 knot top speed in light air. With a 114 foot (11 story), 5 spreader mast, the boat picks up any available wind and, has achieved speeds in excess of 18 knots in heavy downwind air. None of that around today. When newly built, for a current race boat, the high-tech, carbon-fibre main sails cost $115,000 each!! The present owners of USA 34 buy second hand sails, once they have been retired from racing. Makes good sense to me!

Sailing around the San Diego harbour triggers one to realize how militarily significant this port is. Warships are coming and going hourly. Small patrol craft with bow mounted machine guns are everywhere, with F-18’s or Blackhawk helicopters often overhead. An AWACS plane took off from the Navy Airbase as we re-entered the harbour, presumably to circle overhead to “spy”. I doubt they were looking down on the sailing!!!

Pets

If only you could pet these on your lap.........Brenda would get one!!!!!

Feeding a "Land Whale"

Brenda, who is the world’s biggest dog lover that DOES NOT own a dog, is diversifying. We took a photo safari through the San Diego Zoo’s 1800 acre Wild Animal Park where we had an opportunity to see African and Asian animals in an almost natural habitat. I think giraffes have displaced dogs as Brenda’s favourite four legged mammal. She took every possible opportunity to feed them. Both the San Diego Zoo in the city and, their rural Wild Animal Park are world famous with good cause. They are sooo well done and, there are major improvements in process at both locations.

Whales are not quite as cuddly as giraffes but it is always an awesome (one of the correct uses of this word) experience to see them in the wild. The California Grey Whales are in the middle of their northern, spring (you know…..sunny and warm!) migration and, a perfect day on the water was highlighted with “up close and personal” contact with them. Although the large, 400 passenger boat we were on is a less intimate viewing platform than the fishing boats we have been on in the Bay of Fundy, the offset is the extra height of the craft, enabling better distance viewing. We saw a young mother and calf, following them for over ½ hour. Their ability to blow, breathe and dive is faster than my ability to focus and click the shutter. I have many pictures of smooth water where a whale had been an instant before. Oh well….it was a great day.

Wow

A fancy place for lunch. This was a "rainy" day. Works for us

A not so fancy place for lunch.....cuddly though

San Diego is rated as one of America’s most livable cities and…… we’re convinced! What a great place! After driving from Yuma through the most inhospitable desert we have seen yet, the lush landscape of San Diego was a remarkable sight. The Imperial Valley that we drove through is almost like the Sahara in places. In fact part of the valley is known as the Imperial Sand Dunes. However, wherever irrigation is present, the Valley morphs into a lush agricultural oasis, providing a major percentage of all US grown fruits and vegetables. If evidence of the importance of available water was ever needed, this place is the empirical proof.

But…….San Diego……livable doesn’t begin to cover it! The city is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, mountains, deserts, beaches, and beautiful, neighboring hillside towns and villages. All within 1 ½ hour’s drive. Year-round temperatures are temperate. One can golf in the morning, sail in the afternoon, head home in the evening and pack for skiing tomorrow. How cool is that? (The skiing isn’t so good in the summer months) We are already beginning to think that we might not be able to pack everything in to the one week we have allowed here. Today, we hit the zoo, had lunch at El Prado (Zagat actually knows about this place!! Likes it too). Our whale watching trip was cancelled due to high off-shore winds (No place is perfect!!) But, we rescheduled that for Friday and booked a sail on “Stars and Stripes”, the America’s Cup challenger, for Saturday (This IS February…right???). Tomorrow we will take in a safari trip at the San Diego Zoo’s satellite Wild Animal Park, a visit to the San Diego Museum of Art for an Annie Leibovitz exhibit and, dinner back at El Prado (we liked it!!) with old high school friends. AND, we haven’t even scratched the surface of our list yet!!! The sunset from “Sunset Cliffs” is even exactly like the Chamber of Commerce advertises! We’ll just have to return!