Family is everything.  Although not all thought it a good idea for me to take this trip, there are those who have offered support and encouragement from the get-go.   I have one more stop to make before heading back up the coast towards home and will spend the afternoon with a trusted backer.  

One of my most staunch supporters, a sage, and someone who has cheered me on all the way along, has extended an invitation for lunch.  Lunch will be served from her garden, but more of the nourishment will come from her company.


Aunt Judy and I instantly hit it off more than 30 years ago when we initially met.  I felt a kindredship, a sisterhood, and an organic ease to being with her.  Make no mistake, I have nothing to do with this as I believe she has this effect on everyone.  

Thank you for everything you are,
 for all that you do, and  for the good
 you bring into this world.
  Love you!

Her optimism and positive outlook are contagious and her garden responds accordingly.


During our lunch together, I learn about her involvement with the RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) group and believe her to be the inspiration behind it.  Giving of herself, her time, and her oranges, this lady is the real deal.  

6

San Juan Capistrano

With the sun in my hair and wind to my back, I leave San Diego for stop #6, San Juan Capistrano.  

The guys continue their conversation after
leaving the donut shop

While charging, I walk across the street to the Donut Hut for a cup of Joe with my computer.  While sitting there, I witness a scene straight out of Cheers.  Each guy that walks in, knows the others there.  Hellos are exchanged, jokes are levied against each other, laughter fills the air and although I know no one, I am happy to be the fly on the wall, listening to it all, including their departing words, "See you tomorrow".

Whatever's in those donuts must be darn good.

Even the non-caffeinated among us will recognize this logo.  It's a popular beverage for over worked college students as well as others needing a bit more zip in their step; Monster Energy Drinks.  I reference it as a toxic waste dump with my kids, but they just laugh, as they love em.


Monster Energy is a major sponsor for the AMA Supercross, a nationwide sporting event televised on FOX Sports, involving off road motorcycles racing on an artificially made dirt track with jumps, tight turns, and whoops.




Typically my family votes for riding the bikes over watching them being ridden, but Petco Park is a downtown icon. What better way of experiencing it than with truck loads of dirt filling the infield?

Ah, but not so fast.  First there's the Pit Party.  Your ticket in? ...an empty Monster can of course.  Kid's have plenty of those, so in we go.

In addition to receiving a can of 
your favorite Monster Energy Drink, including ones not yet released, there are cool bikes to see, Monster merchandise for sale, and a chance to view the bikes being worked on.

We finish up here and join the other 42,441 possible spectators entering the park.  
Festivities begin with hand-held and truck mounted cannons shooting Monster T-shirts into the crowd.





This is a lively, fun loving audience.  The mc is working his magic, getting the audience all revved up.  He then pops the clutch for my first stadium "wave".

The crowd is pumped, the riders are introduced and the race begins.  Actually there are a series of races in two different classes; 250cc bikes and 450cc bikes. 

These guys are fun to watch for sure, but I can't take my eyes off the video cam set up that they have in the arena.  Suspended high above the track, 4 different cables each on their own pulley system attach to a video camera that flies effortlessly across the field.  There's got to be a Starfleet Captain, nimbly controlling this cylindrical time capsule with a joystick from his bridge.  It has me completely transfixed.  Beam me up Scotty!

Both my kids have graduated from San Diego; one with an EE, and the other with a ME.  Each has decided to stay on, making this Shangri-la their home.  While several of their non-engineering counterparts have struggled with employment, Engineering majors seem to have a better time of it here, landing positions in their field.  

Having spent a number of years going to school, they are now the tour guides and my youngest (who begins full time employment later this month) suggests a morning hike to the top of Cowles Mountain.  


This is a popular hiking destination, as it is the highest point (1,593') in San Diego, offering 360 degree panoramic views of the city and beyond. 

The hike to the top is only 1.5 miles, but it's the 950' elevation gain that will get your four chambered metronome a tickin'. 

For many years Cowles Mountain was locally known as "S" Mountain. In 1931, 500 students from San Diego State University (SDSU) painted a 400-foot-tall (120 m) letter "S" on the side of the mountain, after which it took on its popular name.^[3] In April 1942, during World War II, the local military ordered the S covered up for the sake of national security. After the war the painting tradition was resurrected. In the 1970s, the annual repainting tradition was discarded due to complaints from environmentalists but enjoyed a brief resurgence in the late 1980s. The mountain is now a protected area, and the "S" has not been repainted for nearly two decades.

Views from the top are spectacular, spanning all the way to the ocean.  Feeling like you are at a much higher elevation than 1,600', Cowles proffers healing from the bypass of daily city living.






A walk on the beach never gets old and it's a quintessential California thing to do.

All seem to enjoy it, including
this doggie with a hipster assist.

We stop off at Which Wich, a sandwich shop (chain) that let's you customize your sammich to your heart's content.  

 










This is a first for me.  Lettuce offered as a "roll".  It wraps like a burrito but without the carbs of a tortilla.  Now that's near and dear to my heart.

Downtown San Antonio is anchored by it's 2.5 mile riverwalk also known as the Paseo del Rio.  It's a network of walkways and bridges easily accessible via the back doors of the hotel, and resides one story beneath the streets of the city.

The riverwalk is a pedestrian street whose beginnings can be traced back to 1921 when an area flood claimed the lives of 50 people.  Considered to be a "dangerous area" at one point, declared off limits to military personnel, the area underwent an evolution to control the area's flooding which resulted in the construction of a flood gate, a dam, a trainer gate and the riverwalk.


Today, shops, restaurants, and bars line both sides. 







We stroll most of the way down the walk and come upon the (1859) Guenther House, the private residence of master millwright and Pioneer Flour founder Carl Guenther.   Now a restaurant, museum and store, we walk the gardens and partake in the complimentary offered coffee.

Original grindstone used
for grinding wheat
1859-1893

On the way back we've just gotta get on the river and so we pay the $8pp for a riverboat ride, a deal compared to the $500 fine for jumping in.












Then it's back to the hotel for 5:30 "kickback", a complementary happy hour complete with dinner items such as mac & cheese, chili dogs, soup & salad, build ur own stuffed baked potato, meat balls & pasta, etc.  Way more than I've ever seen any hotel offer and a perfect way to end the day.

Now Serving! Drury will let no guest go hungry... at least every evening from 5:30 to 7:00. All Drury hotels now offer free hot food & cold beverages for guests.*

Our rotating menu features a variety of hot food including macaroni & cheese, hot dogs, baked potatoes, soup and more! Plus, beer, wine, mixed drinks and soft drinks are served every day. There’s something for everyone at Drury’s 5:30 Kickback. It's a snack for some, meal for others and free for all. Please note, the menu varies by location and dates.

EAT PIZZA!

Just ask any of my family members how many times I've talked about ordering and "giving it a go" at consuming, what's got to be the largest pizza in the world.  "How cool would that be?"  I've said over and over and over.  They all know, this is pretty close to the top of my list for this trip, so we all pile into Kitt and head to:

  

Ok, let me just get all the disclaimers out the way.  You don't come here on a Saturday night if you're not willing to wait... and certainly don't come here if your'e not willing to wait even longer for a 42" or 60" (not on the menu) pizza.  They let you know this right up front and YES it does take 2 hours. 

G-whizz, sixty inches... just a few more pepperoni slices and you've got my height!

Everybody weighed in ahead of time on their favorite toppings, so by the time we get to the front of the line we know exactly what we want.  One half Hawaiian, one quarter pepperoni, one quarter vegan.

37" Silver, 42" Black
pizza pans

They won't start making your pizza however until you are seated.  Since seating is limited and assigned, you are given a pager and the multi-hourglass gets turned over.  Even though there are only 5 of us, the wait is even longer because a larger table is needed to accommodate the 42" pie we've ordered. 

18" elongated "plates"

It's close to 9pm by now and I should mention 2 out of the 3 guys get grumpy when they're hungry and don't get fed.  I know the thermometer is reaching that temperature and I expect grumbles, but there are none!  Fast forward a few frames and we're seated with our pizza in the oven.  

And then it arrives

Okay, so there's cheese on the vegan quarter.  So what!  I make the best of it as I'm not a gestapo vegan (more on this later).

Enough photos already... it's time to dig in!  

Picture a human chipper-shredder... Yep that's how long he had to wait for this meal! 

By the time all is said and done, we consume about half the pizza, with everybody pulling their fair share.  

None of it will go to waste as there is a frig and microwave in the hotel room.  Midnight "snacks" are not uncommon with the boys and left over pizza fits that bill just right.