Hi again All1 Sorry it seemed like I left you all in suspense but I had a really busy weekend. Our battery dedicated 2 more headstones this weekend, doesn't look quite right for a civil war lady to whip out a laptop and start typing. Anyways here is Dad's Big Day! by the way in answer to someones question about California Adventure, Yes Dad and I rode California Screamin and Loved it. The loop around Mickey's head was the best in my opinion.
Day 5
June 20, 2003 (Our last full day )
We again woke really early (as in 5:45am) and had our usual morning ritual. Get dressed, eat breakfast only this time our own breakfast since we left before the hotel had theirs out. we then hopped in the car and joined the seeminly millions of people heading south out of Anaheim. Luckly we were going far enough where it realy paid to get in the diamond lane, in parts that wasn't any better than any other lane though. Eventually we left the city behind and entered in to Camp Pendelton.
Dad was a Marine out in LA for 3 years and spent some time training on Pendelton. Mom claims that is the only hunk of land keeping San Diego from Becoming a LA Suburb. We did get to see a tank of some sort going through the Mountians/hills which was kind of neat. (I say Mountians/hills because to a minnesotan who has never been to CA before they looked like Mountians while anyone who has been out there before claim they're only hills) We found a wayside rest to stop at so I could take a few pictures of a section of buildings in Pendelton and the section of buildings the Navy has on Pendelton for when they run beach assults.
Once on the road again we drove into San Diego. We originally thought there was a battery member buried there but just before we left home we found out he wasn't so he's really lost to us. We decided to go to San Diego anyway so I could see some more of CA and because there was 2 lighthouses there.
Both lighthouses are in or visible from the Cabrillo National Monument which is where we went. This is where Dad and I got really distracted. The Bluff the park is located on over looks North Island Naval Air Station and the Channel from Coronado Naval Base and the San Diego Harbor. When we first got there we saw an anphibious assult ship coming into port. The park had an ID board Set up so you could figure out which type of ship you saw. It was a tarawa class ship. Once we got home we tried to find out which one and narrowed it down to one of 3. Shortly after that we looked at North Island and saw a number of different aircraft. F-14 Tomcats, F-18 Hornets, SH-60B Seahawks, S-3 Vikings, Dad and I were having a ball with all of this stuff around, Mom was interested but more interested in the lighthouse on the hill behind us. Just as she was convinceing us to leave the overlook a guided Missle Frigiate came cruising out of port. We got close enough to it we got the hull number and at home eventually id'ed it as the USS Jarret, Oliver HAzard Perry Class. There was also an Oiler coming into port and we got that number too. It was the USS Walter Diehl who's homeport is not San Diego. The Diehl was bing helped into port by a Dock Landing Ship which we also tried to id and was only able to narroe it down to 3 ships too.
Finally Mom tore us away from the overlook and we went into the old point Loma lighthouse and took a bunch of pictures. From there if you go out the back door and to the edge of the cliff you can look down and see the "new" point Loma Lighthouse (new being built in 1870 something I believe) we took lots of pictures of both then continued hiking around. While heading to an artillery exhibit a tomcat (we think, a fighter anyway) took off and kicked in the afterburners. I told mom the ground litterally sook and it was either from that plane or there was a strangly times earthquake. I had never heard a fighter take off before, lots of military cargo planes and helos but never fighters.
Finished with the National Monument we headed to the Coronado Bridge and went to Silver Strand State Park. The really cool part was we drove between the naval bases situated on the island including a training center for the elite Navy Seals. I was snapping pictures the entire way with Mom's Telephoto lens and managed to get pictures of 2 carriers (one is still to be ID'ed and the other was the USS Constellation) and a hospital ship (the USS Mercy) on the way.
At the beach I got to play in the Pacific Ocean for the first time in my life and I was suprised that I was actually cold while doing it. We picked up a few shells and sand dollars to add to our Nation wide collection then returned to San Diego for a late lunch. We actually found the resturant on the north side of San Diego and it was called Lottsa Pasta. It was GREAT food. We then decided to continue north back to LA but stopping at the Mission at San Juan Capistrano.
We got to the mission an hour before it closed so we didn't have much time but in the time we had I took an entire roll of fim myself. That is one of the most Beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. I could have spent an entire day there, the gardens are immaculate and the whole thing is really neat.
From there we took a little detour going north and drove by the Old El Toro Marine Corps Air Station where dad spent 3 years of service. It was closed by the government several years ago but we were suprised how much was still there and (according to Mom and Dad) how much had not changed. They said it was just like when they left only there was no one there. The last marine out shut off the light and locked the gate, that was it. It's a good thing they didn't have anything posted about crusing laws as we passed the base 3 times taking pictures out the car windows. Mom pointed out the 2 places they lived on base and dad showed me the building he worked in on the flightline.
From there we senic drove through Santa Ana and Mom showed me a few places where she used to shop and the first place they lived when they were moved to CA.
When we got back to the hotel we decided to give Fantasmic another shot so we re packed our waist packs with kleenex and snacks and went back to Disneyland. We thought we would hang around the back of the crowd before the first and when it was finished make our way to the front while everyone is moving. During our wait we rode Pirates and Haunted Mansion again then sat on a bench playing games until we could move.
Our first spot where we wtched the fireworks from was good for that but would have been lousey again for Fantasmic so following the fireworks we made our way further to the center. I was getting a little dismayed because every place we picked, people either stood infront of us or a cast member told us we couldn't be there. We ended up further back but on an elevated railing which turned out to be really awesome seats (even thought we had to stand there for an hour and a half) Dad got some good pictures with his digital and after the show we herded back to the hotel with the thousands of others leaving the resort only this night we had to pack to go home.
We spent some time packing up then went to bed, in our squeaky beds.
Coming soon: Our last Day in California and the interesting time we had getting home. Did we all get home on the same flight? Did we get all our luggage? and what about those allergies? Find out soon!
Minnesota
Day 5
June 20, 2003 (Our last full day )
We again woke really early (as in 5:45am) and had our usual morning ritual. Get dressed, eat breakfast only this time our own breakfast since we left before the hotel had theirs out. we then hopped in the car and joined the seeminly millions of people heading south out of Anaheim. Luckly we were going far enough where it realy paid to get in the diamond lane, in parts that wasn't any better than any other lane though. Eventually we left the city behind and entered in to Camp Pendelton.
Dad was a Marine out in LA for 3 years and spent some time training on Pendelton. Mom claims that is the only hunk of land keeping San Diego from Becoming a LA Suburb. We did get to see a tank of some sort going through the Mountians/hills which was kind of neat. (I say Mountians/hills because to a minnesotan who has never been to CA before they looked like Mountians while anyone who has been out there before claim they're only hills) We found a wayside rest to stop at so I could take a few pictures of a section of buildings in Pendelton and the section of buildings the Navy has on Pendelton for when they run beach assults.
Once on the road again we drove into San Diego. We originally thought there was a battery member buried there but just before we left home we found out he wasn't so he's really lost to us. We decided to go to San Diego anyway so I could see some more of CA and because there was 2 lighthouses there.
Both lighthouses are in or visible from the Cabrillo National Monument which is where we went. This is where Dad and I got really distracted. The Bluff the park is located on over looks North Island Naval Air Station and the Channel from Coronado Naval Base and the San Diego Harbor. When we first got there we saw an anphibious assult ship coming into port. The park had an ID board Set up so you could figure out which type of ship you saw. It was a tarawa class ship. Once we got home we tried to find out which one and narrowed it down to one of 3. Shortly after that we looked at North Island and saw a number of different aircraft. F-14 Tomcats, F-18 Hornets, SH-60B Seahawks, S-3 Vikings, Dad and I were having a ball with all of this stuff around, Mom was interested but more interested in the lighthouse on the hill behind us. Just as she was convinceing us to leave the overlook a guided Missle Frigiate came cruising out of port. We got close enough to it we got the hull number and at home eventually id'ed it as the USS Jarret, Oliver HAzard Perry Class. There was also an Oiler coming into port and we got that number too. It was the USS Walter Diehl who's homeport is not San Diego. The Diehl was bing helped into port by a Dock Landing Ship which we also tried to id and was only able to narroe it down to 3 ships too.
Finally Mom tore us away from the overlook and we went into the old point Loma lighthouse and took a bunch of pictures. From there if you go out the back door and to the edge of the cliff you can look down and see the "new" point Loma Lighthouse (new being built in 1870 something I believe) we took lots of pictures of both then continued hiking around. While heading to an artillery exhibit a tomcat (we think, a fighter anyway) took off and kicked in the afterburners. I told mom the ground litterally sook and it was either from that plane or there was a strangly times earthquake. I had never heard a fighter take off before, lots of military cargo planes and helos but never fighters.
Finished with the National Monument we headed to the Coronado Bridge and went to Silver Strand State Park. The really cool part was we drove between the naval bases situated on the island including a training center for the elite Navy Seals. I was snapping pictures the entire way with Mom's Telephoto lens and managed to get pictures of 2 carriers (one is still to be ID'ed and the other was the USS Constellation) and a hospital ship (the USS Mercy) on the way.
At the beach I got to play in the Pacific Ocean for the first time in my life and I was suprised that I was actually cold while doing it. We picked up a few shells and sand dollars to add to our Nation wide collection then returned to San Diego for a late lunch. We actually found the resturant on the north side of San Diego and it was called Lottsa Pasta. It was GREAT food. We then decided to continue north back to LA but stopping at the Mission at San Juan Capistrano.
We got to the mission an hour before it closed so we didn't have much time but in the time we had I took an entire roll of fim myself. That is one of the most Beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. I could have spent an entire day there, the gardens are immaculate and the whole thing is really neat.
From there we took a little detour going north and drove by the Old El Toro Marine Corps Air Station where dad spent 3 years of service. It was closed by the government several years ago but we were suprised how much was still there and (according to Mom and Dad) how much had not changed. They said it was just like when they left only there was no one there. The last marine out shut off the light and locked the gate, that was it. It's a good thing they didn't have anything posted about crusing laws as we passed the base 3 times taking pictures out the car windows. Mom pointed out the 2 places they lived on base and dad showed me the building he worked in on the flightline.
From there we senic drove through Santa Ana and Mom showed me a few places where she used to shop and the first place they lived when they were moved to CA.
When we got back to the hotel we decided to give Fantasmic another shot so we re packed our waist packs with kleenex and snacks and went back to Disneyland. We thought we would hang around the back of the crowd before the first and when it was finished make our way to the front while everyone is moving. During our wait we rode Pirates and Haunted Mansion again then sat on a bench playing games until we could move.
Our first spot where we wtched the fireworks from was good for that but would have been lousey again for Fantasmic so following the fireworks we made our way further to the center. I was getting a little dismayed because every place we picked, people either stood infront of us or a cast member told us we couldn't be there. We ended up further back but on an elevated railing which turned out to be really awesome seats (even thought we had to stand there for an hour and a half) Dad got some good pictures with his digital and after the show we herded back to the hotel with the thousands of others leaving the resort only this night we had to pack to go home.
We spent some time packing up then went to bed, in our squeaky beds.
Coming soon: Our last Day in California and the interesting time we had getting home. Did we all get home on the same flight? Did we get all our luggage? and what about those allergies? Find out soon!
Minnesota
