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20050518 Lakeside CA (outside San Diego) (350 miles) Picture Link
Overnight, I came down with a toothache in a tooth that has given me problems before. We decided not to go to breakfast, but to hasten to San Diego and have it attended to.
I remembered Eva had said she was a dental technician, so I called the McCoys and explained the circumstances. They understood and put Eva on the phone. She said she'd see if she could line up an oral surgeon for tomorrow when they get back to San Diego tonight. I'm to call the Morales's tomorrow morning and see what we can do.
Once again, we expressed our thanks for the great evening.
Then we hit the roads - I-40, US-95, CA-78, CA-111, and I-8 thru the southern California desert. It's another big bunch of nothing. Lots of mesquite and little else. Later, we heard the temperature at El Centro got up in the high 90's.
It was warm, but the truck did all right. The transmission temp got a little high once when climbing from below sea level to above 4,000 feet to get over the passes into San Diego. We slowed to keep the temps where they belong and turned on the blinkers once to let people know we were moving slowly.
We finally arrived at Rancho los Coches in Lakeside in the afternoon. We got all hot and sweaty setting up the trailer in a very tight spot (nice campground, though). So we cooled off and just loafed the remainder of the day. We did get out to an Albertson's for a few grocery items. Traffic's just as goofy here as in Virginia (or in PCB with snowbirds and spring breakers).
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20050519 Lakeside CA (outside San Diego)
After breakfast, we got busy. I called Eva Morales about finding an oral surgeon to fix the tooth problem. They had just arrived home, but she went to work on it and soon called back with a number and a referral from one of the dentists in her office.
I called Dr. Cutri's office and got the earliest appointment possible - 1:30pm tomorrow.
Then we took all our laundry to the campground's room and did it. Six loads in the small washers. Finally got done around noon.
Then we went to MCAS Miramar, the Marine Corps air station close to us, and raided their exchange for some items we needed, or thought we did.
When we returned, we called daugher Susan's godparents, Glenn & Marylou Jackson, and invited them over for a glass of wine. They showed up a little after 5pm with a home-made bottle of sauvignon blanc. We did it in, and one of ours while chatting about old times and kids and real-estate prices and crooked politicians and some philosophical thoughts.
We went to dinner at a place easily within walking distance and had a nice Italian dinner. They went home and we returned to the little house and took it easy.
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20050519 Lakeside CA (outside San Diego)
We started by going to Von's supermarket for a few grocery items.
Then we took the truck on a visit to San Diego, stopping at our first apartment (4811 Bermuda Ave #7), and its little beach. Then to Cabrillo National Monument for views of the harbor and city. Then we wandered around, refreshing our memory of what's here.
Later, we went to Glenn & Lou's house for mexican dinner and lots of talking. Their son Allen was there with his son Blake. Blake wanted to swim, so Allen stripped him and put him in the spa and turned on the jets. That kept him happy for a hour, splashing around in it.
Finally, we left and came home & to bed. Much fun.
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20050521 Lakeside CA (outside San Diego) Picture Link
We got started a little late. Then we decided not to go tour the Midway, but do other things.
Instead, we went to Balboa Park and looked around. We came to Balboa several times while resident here.
We stumbled over the San Diego Model Railroad clubs (plural) and their model layouts (several). They were operating a massive "O" Scale and an equally huge "HO" Scale layout. A three-rail layout was also running, and the start of an "N" scale layout. Very impressive.
Dolores wandered over to the Botanical Gardens and took a bunch of pictures. It's a really nice place if you're into flowers.
Eventually, we left there and took the truck to Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of Point Loma. We took pictures of the harbor (lots of smog, unfortunately), submarine base, NAS North Island, etc.
We wandered over Point Loma, looking at our old apartment and its beach, and downtown Ocean Beach. We took a trip to Fry's Electronics near Montgomery Field and bought some computer and DVD stuff.
Then we went back to the NTC area of Point Loma to Saint Charles Borromeo church (where Susan was baptized). After church, we went to the Seaport Village thing at the end of Pacific Highway and shopped for an hour killing time until our dinner reservation.
We showed up at the Boathouse Restaurant on Harbor Island (another of our old places) and had a nice dinner while overlooking the marina and the airport. Really nice.
Then we returned to the trailer and started working on pictures. Gradually, the lights in the trailer grew more and more dim. Then the 12v supply got so low that the refrigerator turned off. I went to the truck and got the battery charger, then connected it to the batteries in the battery compartment. That restored the 12vdc (including control power to the refrigerator) and the refrigerator came back on. I started looking at the 115-to-12vdc power supply; when I wiggled the input cable an arc occurred. So I removed it from its location and put it on the floor.
I got all sorts of goofy indications - I'd unscrew a lead and put it back only to have power go down. After a lot of fooling around, the power supply fan started and we went back to normal. I put the power supply back into its place after taking down the details so I can get another one soon. I could also run on the battery charger if I have to.
This trailer is starting to act like the one horse shay.
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20050522 Lakeside CA (outside San Diego) Picture Link
We took off in the truck for San Marcos (30 miles north) to go to Camping World (only place we could find that had Sunday hours). We bought a replacement for the trailer's 12VDC power supply that we'll install soon. We also bought some consumables and a tripod stabilizer one can put under the kingpin to keep the trailer more firm and less wiggly as we move around inside.
We came back to the trailer, showered, made deviled eggs and then left for the Jackson's for a small party they held. Zemog & wife Joyce were there, Mike Howard (who dated Dolores a few times before we met), Eleanor Boxburger (old camping buddy), and Jacksons daughter Carla with her two girls.
Mike brought out two cases of the wine this community makes (they buy the grapes but do everything else). Some of it was absolutely great! All of it could be sold in stores. They have a private label, "Chateau los Cabos", on each bottle.
We talked, and ate, and talked some more. The other guests left, but we stayed on, still having all sorts of fun. Finally, we just had to leave so we can move on tomorrow.
At the end of the day, Glenn got a phone call that his dad's brother had passed on. Not unexpected, but still a shock. So sad.
So we'll try to get out of the lower California basin tomorrow and see where we wind up - no specific goal.
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