Day 11 - Redondo Beach to San Diego

October 29, 2019
Tuesday evening, San Diego, CA

We left out of Redondo Beach knowing that, before the day ended, we would leave CA1. We had been on her since we left US101 near Leggett in Mendocino County. It had given us many wondrous sights and more than one gut wrenching scare. It gave us giant redwoods, fragrant eucalyptus and one lone cyprus on the 17 mile drive. It gave us magnificent vistas from craggy cliffs 600 feet above the Pacific Ocean and long sandy beaches, both deserted and covered with surfers. It gave us a long drive through sunburned lands with brown parched mountains to our left. And it gave us the Golden Gate Bridge, lighthouses, bridges and Tamales. It was, in truth, my reason for the entire journey.

Somewhere just south of Dana Point in Orange County as we took the on ramp to I-5, it came to an end. It ended not with a monument nor even a sign (we spent much time backtracking looking for such), but we parted ways with no more than a whimper. A sad end for our path and guide for the last week. FYI, we saw no evidence of the fires today. No smoke (it was hazy but I guess that's normal), nobody wearing masks. So it looks like we are home free.

As we neared LA we began to see oil rigs off the coast. You can see a second to the right on the horizon in the haze. We also saw oil wells on the land.

As we neared LA we began to see oil rigs off the coast. You can see a second to the right on the horizon in the haze. We also saw oil wells on the land.

More houses on the hillside reminiscent of Italy.

I love the palm tree lined streets of the towns along CA1.

Looking back up the CA1 to where we had recently passed.

I love the Art Deco look of the OceanPlace in Ocean Place.

What a great name for a cafe. Too bad it’s not lunch time.

Love this old 54 Caddy Fleetwood. Can’t seem to get the whole car in the photo.

All the towns along CA1 run together so they have signs to let you know which you were entering. I believe this is Carlsbad.

Another coastal scene on our trip south.

The Golden Lotus Tower of the Self-<wbr>Realization Fellowship in Encinitas. SRF is an eastern based international religious organization. Obviously not one of the Baptist sects.

More of what we saw as we motored on. Note the cyclist on the left. These folks were everywhere. Even in the mountains of the north.

For lunch today I had a delicious poke bowl of yellowfin tuna, a shrimp taco and a glass of black currant tea.

I ate it here at Mitch's Seafood Diner right on the pier.

The Old Point Loma Lighthouse stands on the grounds of the Cabrillo National Monument.

Looking down on the San Diego Naval Air Station from the Cabrillo National Monument.

From the Cabrillo National Monument I saw this naval vessel moored at the San Diego NAS. It is the USS Ralph Johnson, an Arleigh Burke class Destroyer.

Just part of the stone gardens at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. A total of 112,000 military personnel from military conflicts dating back to the 1800s including 23 Congressional Medal of Honor winners rest here.

To Day 12