Wednesday May 9th:

Took a drive up to see San Diego Old Town. We enjoyed the stroll around the town area, stopping in small stores and museums, and the lunch which was great. We will be coming back into town on another day to visit Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo.

Even this early, I must mention that the world wide reputation of "California drivers" has a very real basis in fact. They seem to my inexperienced eye to be rather impulsive in their habits. Sudden lane changes, three or four lanes simultaneously, is almost normal as it thier ability, which I envy, to shoot between two cars with only inches to spare at 75 mph, then realize that their exit ramp in right there and shoot over four lanes, barely missing bumpers, in three seconds and make their scheduled turn. Everyone else seems to take all of this "bumper car" mentality as quite unremarkable, but Carolyn and I both have a bad case of nervous hiccups when we finally turn the engine off at the campground. Sigh.

Thursday May 10th:
Drove up to "Valley Center", CA to visit with John and Patti Marlatt at their home. We immediately came downwith home envy as they have a big beautiful home on a hill overlooking the 18th hole of a golf course. John is in love with it as he loves to golf and thinks that he has gone to heaven. We stayed the night and really appreciate their hospitality as they cooked steaks on the grill and made home made potato salad for dinner. Wonderful, warm friends.