Monday, June 16, 2014

Monday Moanin'

Not much time for updates lately, chiefly due to lack of wifi. But I've found some now as I have breakfast at a little California dive surrounded by vegetarians and vegans and other freaks of nature. I left Yuma yesterday and rolled into San Diego a few hours later. Man, I really was not ready for traffic again after all that time out in the open spaces. I made it downtown without killing anybody--barely--after getting lost and having to stop and ask directions at a gas station where I got snark from some joker with an accent who told me how to get where I wanted to go but could not resist stating: "I'm from Germany and I have to tell you how to get around your country." Pompous ass-monkey. I graciously thanked him and told him that times have obviously changed since my grandfather and
his friends had to find their way all the way to the Elbe River without stopping to ask directions. Sadly, I don't think he got it, at least not until after I'd walked out.

I got downtown, paid twenty bucks to park, and spent the afternoon aboard USS Midway (CV41). It was insanely crowded and very little of the ship is open to visitors, but I had a great time wandering around the flight deck touching planes and taking pictures. (And OldAFsarge got me in trouble here, but more on that--with pics--when I get home.)

Oh, and what is it with Asian tourists that they see you raise your camera to take a picture of something and that seems to be a cue for a whole group of them to all rush in to stand in front of that thing while one of their own takes pictures of each of them in turn? If I had a dollar for every time that happened to me yesterday, I'd have covered my parking easily.

When Midway closed, I wandered about downtown for a bit, then drove north along the coast from La Jolla up to a State Park just south of Encinas, where I scored a great campsite on a cliff just above the ocean. After running a group of squatting hippies off the site, I set up camp, walked into town for dinner at a little Mexican place, then returned and built a fire. I sat by my fire, watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean as I drank beer, and then I retired to the sounds of the surf crashing on the beach. It was truly a nice night.

BTW, what is up with Californians that whenever you look at one in passing and bid them a nice day, they act shocked that you dared engage them? These are not exactly friendly people in this land. But I'm about to leave them behind after breakfast.

Oh--and Organ Pipe rifle story is still coming. I didn't forget. Just no time yet. Gotta get back on the road.

4 comments:

  1. Personal communication not delivered by GPS, text or Facebook (or surfboard, "Valley Go Home!") is forbidden in Coastal-California, where Condition White is strictly enforced! :-)
    Whats a Kraut GasMonkey doing here? He's stealing a job that a poor family from Mumbai who's H1B-Visa son abandoned them needs?

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  2. Yeah, San Diego is 'fun' isn't it...

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  3. Anonymous6:16 PM

    California has some beautiful regions. Sadly, most of it's residents, not-so-much. They are similar to New Yorkers in this respect.
    Of course, not all.
    Remember Jeff Cooper was a Californian!
    Friends went shooting in the desert a couple years back - in view of a freeway-and were visited by touring German tourists. While they enjoyed the whole 'wild West' thing, they kept asking what kind of permits were needed to own firearms and shoot there.
    Seems to be a mindset.
    Stay safe in your continued travels, my friend!
    gfa

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  4. I've been on the Midway several times now, and have had a tour or two of several of the 'off limits' areas.

    In most cases it's like on the Iowa, things just aren't pretty enough or sometimes interesting enough) to open them up for the public.

    Other times there are HAZMAT issues with things like asbestos that might not be painted over enough, or PCB's from electrical gear. Since it's in Kaliforniastan, the "exposure limits" are much stricter than what the Federal limits are.

    You've got my contact info, so next time you manage to find your way out here, look me up.

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