Even in Southern California, it rains every now and then and last night we got a taste of something plants and people here probably look forward to: a light misting rain that touched everything except for us as we cooked a chicken fajita dinner on our camp stove under a bushy pine tree. Today, we woke to sun streaming through the van's windows, a reminder that even as winter begins to pelt most of the country, we've found one of the few corners where it hasn't.
Right now I'm typing this post under the same tree as I sit at our campsite picnic table at a KOA in Chula Vista, just south of San Diego. For a campground, it's a really nice spot and Scotty and I are both happy to stop here for a few days to unwind and get stuff done. Because even while on the road, the laundry must get done, the bills paid, and emails answered.
We also decided to re-organize the van today, which seems like something we've done for the millionth time by now (see photo below from only a few days ago in Carpinteria).
But after some reconfiguration, it looks and feels much, much better. I even got a hanging mesh organizer to keep little things we use often like computer cords, headlamps, and toiletries. Scotty wasn't skeptical at all, so fortunately for me it worked out pretty well. ;)
And now it's time for a re-cap of where we've been since San Francisco:
We extended our stay in the City by the Bay for one night, for a total of three. It was just the right amount of time, since we have been there so many times before, though I'm sure having plenty of time to stay there would be fun as well. Hanging out in the city tends to take a little bit of this ($$) even with the measures we took to be frugal, like eating takeout, taking advantage of happy hour, and staying at a hostel.
Also, we parked at the San Francisco airport and took the BART into the city which proved to be a good move, but a complicated one given the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. In the end, we saved some money and the van was intact upon our return, which is always a good thing...
Next, in perpetual stubbornness for seeing the ocean as we drive, Scotty and I headed down coastal Highway 1 to Carpinteria, a charming little beach town just 13 miles south of Santa Barbara.
In Carpinteria, we parked for two solid days of sun and 60-something weather, dipping to some slightly chilly temps in the 40s at night. I know it's nothing compared to shoveling snow, so for that I'm grateful; after all, I've put my time in, in Minnesota and Alaska. ;)
I really like Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, like to the point where if I could park the Wind-Lass there I totally would. But it's about $15K just to "transfer" a slip at the SB Harbor and then more to buy the boat you're transferring from, never mind associated fees, taxes and paperwork. Maybe someday...
We stayed at Carpinteria State Beach for two nights, a night longer than I'd originally planned. So many sites were booked when I checked into reserving it for during the holiday weekend that I'd thought it best to follow suit. So for $68 I'd reserved an ocean-front campsite via Reserve America.com. The second night we paid only $50 at the park ranger station for an off-season rate- go figure... but it was worth it to hear the crashing surf, even audible from the showers!
On Monday, we packed up (which really doesn't take much thanks to the van) and got on the road again only to hit heavy traffic going through Los Angeles.
We made it to Long Beach before calling it quits and getting a hotel via Hotwire.com. It was a four-star Hyatt in downtown Long Beach and the very nice front desk agent gave us a water-view room. We arrived just in time to catch one of the most colorful sunsets I've ever seen. Photos never do it justice, but here are a handful of the best:
Also, I talked to my dad that night and found out my grandfather sailed on the USS Queen Mary all the way to England while serving in the Army during World War II. Here she is, docked in the harbor at Long Beach.
Having also learned a lesson about LA traffic, we left mid-morning for San Diego and happily sailed through the rest of the LA metro area. It's nearly impossible not to rubber-neck a bit at the rubber-neck a bit going through some of these ritzy places:
And now we're hanging out at the awesome "2013 KOA of the year" in Chula Vista, our temporary home for the last 48 hours.
For only $36, we can have a campfire, take free hot showers, and even access a heated outdoor pool and hot tub. We're liking it so much here that we plan to stay for one more night before bearing east and making some time towards the Wind-Lass.
Now, since pretty much all of the chores were accomplished today, we've dedicated tomorrow to focus solely on having fun in San Diego! Ideas include taking a beachfront bike ride, visiting Balboa Park, and stopping at this Harbor Island restaurant we've been to before for a refreshingly inexpensive happy hour. If you have any suggestions for things to see or do, please comment!
No comments:
Post a Comment