Dry Run

At the Vista Station. (Tomasito photo, 2010)

I have been selected by random to do jury duty next week.

To see if it could be done by bicycle and electric train, I went on a dry run yesterday to the Vista, CA Courthouse--and can report that it can.

The main difference it this trip from my others was that the train was full--mainly of members of "The Tattooed Generation"--people from about 16 years of age to about 30.

There was an armed security man aboard and the riders were pretty polite for afternoon on a Very Hot Day. For example when four obvious thugs got on, I said to myself--"Here comes Trouble"--the security--a big black man, moved right into their midst and they became the sweetest little sweetie-pies you ever saw.

Nothing like a uniform and size and strength and the law on your hip to calm things down.

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New Doves?

New Doves? (Tomasito photo, 2010)

Now there are several doves that pretty much hang out in this general area--sporting in the big trees across the street at the rest home or lollygagging on the telephone pole near our bedroom window.

BUT--today there was a pair of them and they look a little younger--maybe smaller--than the usual suspects. They let me approach to within a few feet of them too--highly suspicious behavior for OUR doves!

Maybe they are a NEW pair?

I hope so! The same old doves all the time can be QUITE boring!

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zxc

A Gift of Flowers

A Gift of Flowers

(Tomasito photo, 2010)

We visited San Luis Rey Mission last week.

The old place is being maintained in very good condition.

There was a funeral being held for some important person so we could not enter the main church--it is part of a living congregation after all--but the cemetery, gift shop and other portions of the complex were open to visitors like us.

The mission congregation offers workshops. lectures and retreats but all are pricey.

Well, it takes lots of money to keep the thing going, of course so if you want to be religious--in this way--you've gotta have bucks.

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Visit Valley Center

T &T & Stuffed Bear. (Museum Volunteer photo.)

Just over a pass in the foothills north of Escondido lies the very odd "community" --I guess you could call it--of Valley Center which used to be called Bear Valley Center.

The "Center" consists of a broad valley ringed by foothills with some very expensive looking mansions and some fixer-upper shacks set into groves, orchards and pastures. It looks to me like the southern California I knew sixty or so years ago. There is no "town" here but there are a few roadside businesses--a branch bank, a couple of gas stations and an eatery or two.

We went to visit the local history museum and found it after a back and forth search next to a very new public library building.

The museum is small but crammed with artifacts and historic junk. Very interesting, of course--and the public library is so spacious and commands such a beautiful view of the valley that it is really a marvelous one of a kind. (The library is a part of the San Diego County library system so you can check out their DVDs for FREE! You gotta PAY 50 cents each at the Escondido library.)

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North County Transportation

Oceanside Pier

Sprinter Tickets

Bike Route Datura

My bike had a flat tire the other day and I had the fun of buying a new tire and repairing the punctured tube. I hadn't repaired a puncture in a long time--in fact I think it was back in my pilgrim days when the old bike I was using had awfully thin tires--it was nothing for me to repair flat tires two or three times a day back then.

Anyway, to test my brand new tire I made a couple of nice rides.

I found a pretty datura plant blooming near the Escondido Bike Route which goes several miles through Escondido town (photo) and I took the very nice Breeze electric train down to the Oceanside Beach for a solitary picnic lunch. (tickets and view above) You can take your bike with you on the train free.

As you can see a Senior with a bike can make a pretty good, inexpensive day of it transportation-wise here in the north of San Diego County, California.

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Santa Ysabel Visit

Santa Ysabel Parish Cemetery. (Tomasito photo, 2010)

Grotto at Santa Ysabel.

This assistancia to the San Diego Mission is located near Julian, California, which is a pleasant scenic drive from our apartment--about twenty miles of rolling hills oaks and sunburned wild oat grass at this time of year.

The assistancia today is a small but active Catholic church with a museum and a gift shop.

It was the center of a large cattle ranch in the days of Spanish California--now it stands pretty much alone in a wide valley.

Local families keep the assistancia in very good repair and the community cemetery adjacent to the church is very typically "Mexican"--with imaginatively decorated graves and lots of bright colors.

We especially like to visit this quiet place--and there is hot coffee and tasty "Julian Pie" for sale to visitors like us--by the piece or by the whole--at a nearby crossroads bakery and cafe.

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