Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 71
  1. #1
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017

    This is the second of several promised (or threatened) threads of the wife's and my recent times working and living in Phoenix Arizona. The first thread 'Arizona Times' seemed to be enjoyed by several folks although I think the second half of it may have slipped the attention of many because I posted in during a week day. My bad. Here is the link to it:

    https://teakdoor.com/travel-the-world...ona-times.html (Arizona Times)

    In this thread I'll share our trip to San Diego. We hired a car on the Friday afternoon and headed to Blythe just across into California and stayed the night. Next day took a meandering route across the farmlands, dessert and mountains of southern California before hitting the coast a bit north of it. Spend two days exploring Sand Diego before driving back to Phoenix on a more southern and direct route.

    Hope you enjoy. This will be posted progressively over 2-3 days.

    Regards,
    -BiP

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    Wanting to explore the USA as much as possible while the wife was with me we made many trips. In 2017 July 4 was a Tuesday so I decided to take the Monday off work, hire a car and drive to Sand Diego and back. Left work early on Friday afternoon, took an Uber to the airport car rental centre and picked up the rental car. Then we started west on I10 having booked a motel in Blythe just across the state border in California. Blythe is not the arse end of the world, but you can smell it from there.

    We had a recommendation to have dinner in this BBQ place. The guy raved about it but we found it to be just ordinary. I think the fact he rode in a (push) bike group from Phoenix may have resulted in him being a little more hungry than us and impaired his judgement.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6462r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-bbqfood-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6462r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-bbqfood-jpg  

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    The motel was basic. I've stayed in hotels, motels, etc at least 3,000 nights and this one easily fell into the bottom ten. Sometimes you can lament the lack of decore, charm and amenities and say 'well, at least it's clean', but not this one. We skipped the free continental breakfast out of hygiene concerns and had McDonalds I regret to inform.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-blythehotel-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-blythehotel-jpg  

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    Leaving Blythe on Saturday morning we turned south and headed down California road #78 across fertile (Colorado) river plains. This is the southern end of the California food bowl. Although flat, there was some pleasant scenery and with the windows down we got some farm smells as well.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6474r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6069a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6074a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6474r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6069a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6074a-jpg  

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    The road skirts around the southern edge of the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness so we spent a bit of time there. Reminded us of the Dubai deserts we visiting 2013-16. Also noticed how similar the colour of the sand and rental car were...decided not to go dune bashing in case we lost it.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6476r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6083a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6476r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6083a-jpg  

  6. #6
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    Driving on we came across a date farm, another reminder of our Dubai days.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6096a-jpg

    We were not sure if this was a cattle feedlot or diary farm. Either way, it smelt. There were several of these in this area around the north of Brawley.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6102a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6096a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6102a-jpg  
    Last edited by BoganInParasite; 31-08-2019 at 11:06 AM.

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    By now we were heading north on road #111 towards the Salton Sea. This is an inland lake approximately 72 meters below sea level and was formed in the 1920s (I think) when a flood of the Colorado River broke through some engineering works. It is also feed by three local rivers however whether due to climate change or other factors, it is now slowly drying up. I explored the west coast of it with my first wife and kids twenty years ago. This time we were on the west side of it. I think the southern end of the San Andreas fault runs under it as well.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6113a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-deadfish-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6541r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6542r-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6113a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-deadfish-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6541r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6542r-jpg  

  8. #8
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    We continued north on #111 through flat farm lands.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6127a-jpg

    It was hot and there was sufficient convection to kick up this dust devil. In Australia as a kid we used to get these a lot in the Riverina and called them willy willys. At school there was a game to try to run into one as it crossed the school grounds. Cannot imagine how dirty we must have been coming home.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-willywilly-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6127a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-willywilly-jpg  

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    At Palm Desert we turned south onto road #74 and headed up into the mountains.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6131a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6138a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6139a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6143a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6131a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6138a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6139a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6143a-jpg  

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    Eventually arrived in Mountain Centre and had some lunch.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-mountainlunch-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-smartarse-signs-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6556r-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-mountainlunch-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-smartarse-signs-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6556r-jpg  

  11. #11
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    Then continued west on #74 to connect with I15 south. Got some nice vistas to the west just before descending out of the higher country.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6151a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6158a-jpg

    A pest control car.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6160a-jpg

    I15 south shortly before the two hour traffic jam because there was a fire on the side of it.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6161a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6151a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6158a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6160a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6161a-jpg  

  12. #12
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    Made it to San Diego a little later than we hoped. This is the view out our hotel window. You can see the retired aircraft carrier USS Midway, a key attraction on our to do list for the weekend. We had a bit of a wander around the hotel precinct.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6560r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-sandiegodowntown-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-dsc_0365-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6560r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-sandiegodowntown-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-dsc_0365-jpg  

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    A bit more of the area around the hotel.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-dsc_0366-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-dsc_0375-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6579r-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-dsc_0366-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-dsc_0375-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6579r-jpg  

  14. #14
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    17,214
    Quote Originally Posted by BoganInParasite View Post
    a meandering route across the farmlands, dessert
    ...creme brulee is my favorite stop...

  15. #15
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    In my defence...spellcheck is failing me here TC. You get lazy.

    Quote Originally Posted by tomcat View Post
    ...creme brulee is my favorite stop...

  16. #16
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    On Sunday morning we headed down to the bayside waterfront and gravitated towards the USS Midway.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-harbourvillage-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6199a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6204a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6207a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-harbourvillage-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6199a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6204a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6207a-jpg  

  17. #17
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6209a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6596r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6216a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6601r-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6209a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6596r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6216a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6601r-jpg  

  18. #18
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    The USS Midway was amazing. We wandered over and through it for several hours. Just going to post a ton of pictures from it without commentary.
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6604r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6607r-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6231a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6604r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6607r-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6231a-jpg  

  19. #19
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6235a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6245a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6246a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6235a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6245a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6246a-jpg  

  20. #20
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6247a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6249a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6610r-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6247a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6249a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6610r-jpg  

  21. #21
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6252a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6253a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6613r-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6252a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6253a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6613r-jpg  

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6260a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6268a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6270a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6260a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6268a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6270a-jpg  

  23. #23
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6272a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6274a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6276a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6272a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6274a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6276a-jpg  

  24. #24
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6277a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6280a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6282a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6277a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6280a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6282a-jpg  

  25. #25
    Thailand Expat
    BoganInParasite's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Last Online
    30-07-2023 @ 02:51 PM
    Location
    Northern Thailand
    Posts
    2,074
    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6283a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6431a-jpg

    San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6434a-jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6283a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6431a-jpg   San Diego Trip Long July 4 Weekend 2017-img_6434a-jpg  

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •