Southern California

We went south from Laurel Bay on US 101 and California 1. Escape is part of the trip on the coast and part inland. We chose the inland route 101 in order to go to a town called Solvang which was founded by a group of Danish settlers in 1911. The settlers have worked very hard to keep that Danish flavor of the downtown section. The buildings are primarily half timber with stucco or decorative brick work between the exposed beams. There are a lot of towers, especially clock towers. The roofs are a variety of substances in an attempt to look like thatch. There were flat tiles which had moss growing on them. There were wood shakes. But mostly, there were wooden shingles width three points instead of a squared and these were laid in such a way as to, at first glance, make you think you are seeing thatch. Many roofs had stork figures. Some roofs had crossed wooden pieces at the ridge line, again as a real thatch roof would. The most impressive part of the town was four bakeries! we went into three before being overcome by the fantastic aromas in the third one. There we bought a special dessert for our lunch.

South of Solvang, we went back to the coast. Off the coast of Santa Barbara County, we saw a bit least nine offshore oil rigs. This beautiful coastline is ever in danger of an oil slick but the people on Cape Cod are worried about unsightly windmills. I wonder if they'd give up their use of oil in order to prevent the building of the windmills.

We drove through part of Santa Barbara because the AAA book highly recommended the mission and the county courthouse. We were in the RV and traffic was horrendous. Mike took one look at Mission Road, narrow, cars parked on both sides and an impossible corner. We went on. I asked a man of the bicycle if he knew where the county courthouse was. He said the next light, on the left but no left turn allowed there. Mike drove on until we could get back to the freeway (not highway, not interstate, but freeway in California). We camped one more night on the California coast north of LA, crossed L. A. in horrendous traffic, and camped just north of San Diego. We turned east on I 8and across three sets of mountains to the desert in Southern California. These mountains were the weirdest thing I've ever seen. From a distance, they looked like some huge being had scattered boulders all over them. You could see the rock standing out from the mountain. As we got closer, you could see that some of what looked like boulders were still attached to the ledge that they were eroding from. Some of the boulders seem totally free and ready to roll down and in a moment. Further into these mountains, Peggy said they look like heaps of rock created by dump trucks. She was so right. The last of the mountains were like the first with boulders and soil. I'm searching for the name of these mountains. Incidentally, on I 8, we went from sea level to 4000 feet in the first hour! I can't find the name of the mountains that straddle I-* in Southern California. Help!

We came into the desert near town called Octillo. Shortly thereafter I asked Peggy what kind of cactus was growing there and she said octillo! It looks like an upside down octopus. Near the border, I could see the outline of major mountains to the north. At their base was a pink undulating strip. After many miles, we get close enough to see that the pink strip was really and dunes. sent in an area and a number of camping sites with campers in circles and dune buggies behind or beside each camper. These buggies were the size of small cars and I was told they fill the dunes on the weekends. on the small dirt roads running beside I 8 were border patrol cars at intervals. We were only a few miles from the Mexican border.

I've noticed in southern California and here in Arizona that there are very long bridges over dry river beds. These riverbeds are as applied as the Mississippi. It makes you realize how flat the country is and how wide the streams spread when there is water.

We're here in Yuma Arizona for a month. I'm not sure what I'll be blogging about. However, a first observation. It was about 90 the first afternoon and we went swimming. The pool was tepid. But when I got out, within it seemed like seconds, my body was frozen wherever my wet bathing suit touched. I think it has to do with the dryness of the air which immediately sucks the moisture away. Anyway, I've adopted a new tactic and change out of my wet suit before walking home! I'm sure I'll have more to say about dry heat as I go along.