OCTOBER 12, 2016. Mum’s been the word about our future plans. But that’s only because we hadn’t formulated them until now. We’ve made some decisions and plotted our course, so in short order I’ll let you know “what’s next.” And perhaps after you know where we’re headed you’ll have some suggestions for us. What to see and what’s not worth the effort. Which restaurants in an area are special. We’re “all ears.” We value your recommendations. Over the years we’ve followed your tips frequently and been glad we did. So please leave your ideas as comments to this or any other post. Or send me an email. I’ll respond to your thoughts right away.
WHERE ARE WE HEADED? But I’m getting ahead of myself. Before I give you the “heads up” about our future plans, I’ll tell you about my recent visit to San Diego. As most of you know, we began our adventure more than three years ago as we left our home in San Diego, where we’ve lived for more than forty years. We’ll always think of San Diego as home, no matter where we decide to live when we complete our Great American Adventure. “And when will that be?” People ask us that question all the time. My answer is always the same. “Some day we’ll wake up and this gypsy lifestyle won’t be fun anymore. That will be when our Great American Adventure will come to an end. That will be the end of my story.”
BUT FIRST, MY TRIP TO SAN DIEGO. I was in San Diego last week on a business trip. Florence stayed in Pensacola with Molly. The two of them are inseparable. When it comes to a choice between Molly and Greg, it’s a pretty safe bet that my wife will choose her new puppy any day of the week!
MY SCHEDULE WAS TIGHT. My schedule was tight, with almost no time to visit with friends. But I made time to have lunch one afternoon with Diane, a friend from San Marino High School and also from four years at the University of California at Santa Barbara, which we both attended as undergraduates. The next day I had dinner with my 15-year-old buddy Marymay and on the last day of my brief trip I spent an afternoon with my good friend Earl. “It was great to see you guys! With each of you, I have enough history that we could have spent days just catching up and telling war stories. But some time is better than no time and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together!”
I STAYED AT PARADISE POINT RESORT. These pictures were taken at Paradise Point Resort, where I stayed while in San Diego, Most of the bungalow-style rooms have a view of the bay. The landscaping throughout the property is lush and tropical. Beautiful gardens and meandering lagoons punctuate the grounds, located on a private 44-acre island tucked away on Mission Bay, minutes from the heart of downtown San Diego.
THE RESORT IS AT MISSION BAY. As the largest water park of its kind in the world, Mission Bay comprises 4,200 acres in roughly equal parts of land and water, surrounded by 27 miles of bike paths and a meandering shoreline of sandy beaches. The beaches beckon water sports enthusiasts of every kind, from kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding on the calm waters of the bay, to surfing and kite boarding on the waves that crash on the Pacific-facing beaches, just across from the bay at Mission Beach. Years ago, we had three Kawasaki Jet Skis, and we spent many a day at the bay. And when we felt bold, we’d ride from the bay past the jetty and into the open ocean. I was always uneasy out there, as were my daughters. But my son Brad loved it! He’d have ridden all the way to Catalina if he had the time! Fearless. We had lots of good times with those skis at the bay and also on the Colorado River at Laughlin and at Lake Havasu.
ROOMS AT THE RESORT. Most of the bungalows have a view of the bay and some are right smack dab on the beach, just steps from the sand and the water. The landscaping throughout the property is lush, tropical and beautiful. Waking up each morning, fixing coffee and sitting on the patio looking at the calm waters of Mission Bay was pretty special.
THIS IS INTERESTING. As much as I love San Diego and as nice as it was there last week, the pace now seems a bit fast and furious to me. The area is beautiful and the weather is the best in the nation, literally. I enjoyed being a lawyer in the city for more than three decades. We loved our “Wise Old Owl Ranch” in the back country. I definitely began to wind down while we lived there. But I think the last three years meandering down country roads and talking with “the folks” have changed me. I might just be turning into a real country boy! We’ll see how that plays out. What about you guys, Kitty and Jim Wicklund? Is the wanderlust getting to you yet? Are you starting to feel as if Jamul is the big city? Just wait, my friends, just wait.
OUR PLANS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. As I mentioned at the top of this post, we’ve now got a pretty good idea of where and how we’re going to spend the next five or six months. The holidays will be special this year and we’ll bring you a heartwarming Thanksgiving story perhaps unlike any other. And Christmas will be especially meaningful this year. We’ll explain why. We’ll show you the sights and tell you the story. I’ll tell you all about this and more when I publish my next blog post. Give me just a day or two. And thanks for joining us on our Great American Adventure. It wouldn’t be the same without you.
Nice post Greg.
Greg, yes I am feeling the pace is too much in CA. We are in Dickinson, ND now and enjoy the slower pace of things and the incredibly friendly people here (as well as in MT). We are still enjoying our travels, but will probably be heading home next week. We do plan to go back to MT next year. You and Florence have so much to be thankful for this year and I couldn’t he happier for you.
Thanks for your comments. You’re right, my wife and I are very blessed. As I said at the top of the next post, Thanksgiving and Christmas this year will have a meaning beyond anything else in our past. And on a separate note, we should exchange phone numbers privately on Facebook Messenger so we can chat about our travels next year. We’ve been internet “blog friends” for a long time and it would be fun to spend a little time together and get to know one another in person. Looking at my records, you and Jim were my very first subscribers!