San Diego

For once I was very happy that there was a mix up and delay in starting the Sports Authority jobs. The company who makes the fixtures shipped out the parts UPS ground from Rhode Island on Wednesday, October 27. Originally we had been told they would be at the UPS Distribution Center in Chula Vista on Saturday the 30th so we could start right away. Well, I guess they didn't tell them that there is no way a ground shipment will go across the entire country in two days. The delivery was not expected to arrive to Chula Vista until Tuesday, November 2 which then gave us two whole days to do some sightseeing.  We decided to move to a campground as it would have been a bit difficult to boondock at the same Walmart for 4 nights in a row. We debated going to Silver Strand State Beach on Coronado Island but after stopping there we found out it was $50 just to PARK overnight next to the beach with no hookups and $35 just to park in the middle of the lot. Plus dogs could not be on the beach at all. Granted it would have been great being on the Pacific like that but part of it is getting Dozey to run and exercise and go swimming.


http://www.sandiego.org/article_set/Visitors/5/45


So we went farther north to the Mission Bay RV Park which ended up being only about $35 per night with full hookups and Dozey was able to swim in the bay.


http://missionbayrvresort.com/

On Monday we decided to visit the San Diego Zoo which has been on my bucket list for many years now.  I was definitely not disappointed. The zoo is known as one of the top three zoos in the country as well as in the world. It participates in conservation efforts for many species including the giant panda.  Unfortunately, that was the one exhibit that we were very disappointed in as both pandas were sleeping in their tree during our visit! I did get to see some of my favorites though including the koala and the meerkats, as well as some species unknown before like the Secretary bird.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/






Here are a few clips of some of the more than 4,000 animals of 800 species at the zoo. Towards the end of the video when you see the male lion making a fuss and lunging at the fence, it is the real thing. He is the biggest cat at the zoo and sometimes he gets a bit crabby when his beef hearts are forthcoming!

All in all I personally am loving Southern California except for the traffic.....there must have been a reason that I never visited here before as I probably would have never come back to Wisconsin. Bill and I have said that we want water, mountains and warm weather. Well, the San Diego area has all that. The temperatures are pretty temperate too with average highs all year in the 60s and 70s and average lows in the 50s and 60s. If, as they say, snowbirds are chasing the elusive 70 degree mark then this here is it year around. I could see us spending winters here after we have checked out the rest of the country. To me it has a different feel than Phoenix, maybe because subconsciously I know water is nearby. Bill is not so convinced due to the traffic but once you don't have to work or you work at a campground, you don't have to deal with the traffic so much! We are debating returning to California after the two stores in Las Vegas are done and spend the time exploring until Bill starts work again. There are tons of my work in this area just like there was in Phoenix. I didn't think I would like this area as much as I do, which is both good and bad.