SUNDAY
& MONDAY, JULY 5 & 6:
Checked
out around noon on
Sunday
from the Oceanside RV Park. This was a nice alternative to Paradise,
across the street, and $40/nite cheaper. If we came to Oceanside
again for a “beach vacation” (which would undoubtedly mean with
Beth & Landon), I'd opt for Paradise – just a nicer feel all
the way around, and a few minutes' closer to the beach itself. But
if for some reason it were just the two of us, or if we needed to
really save $$, this place would do fine. It
definitely had some of the nicest, mellow managers/owners we've ever
encountered.
Got
to our campground at Santee Lakes around 1:30. And, predictably, as
we got further inland, the overcast skies began to clear and we had
blue sky overhead. We were so ready for that! Santee Lakes was how
we remembered it . . . a very lovely, very inviting
place.
The Recreation Preserve, as it's called (owned & operated by the
Padre Dam Municipal Water District of San Diego), contains 7 lakes, 5
of which are open to the general public for day use, and 2 more at
the northern end of the area, which are strictly for the use of
registered campers. All of the campsites (nearly 300 of them) are at
this end. The entire preserve is connected by wonderful walking and
bike paths, meandering around the lakes and streams. The campground
itself has won several awards; it's easy to see why. Both times
we've been here, our campsite has been stellar: a back-in, but easy,
since the sites are so large and wide.
We
again are backed up to a creek running behind us.
Rested
after getting set up, and then took the bikes out for a short ride.
Recognized our campsite from 3 years ago – one of the prime ones in
the entire campground, although our current one is an easy runner-up
(just a little further away from showers, laundry, pool, etc., not as
shady)
Grilled
ribs and veggies for dinner (are discovering that this is one of our
go-to meals – we always get at least 2, and sometimes 3, delicious
dinners out of a package of ribs) and ate outside. Clouds began
coming in at evening.
The
clouds blanketed the sky on Monday morning – just like on the coast
– but began to break up around noon, and the afternoon was
California perfect. I was outside on a Jonathan chair the entire
afternoon . . . first luxuriating under the sunshine, and then moved
under the shade. Just read (A
Spool
of
Blue Thread
by Anne Tyler) and dozed.
Bill
spent part of this time dealing with the truck and its starting
issues. He was going to go somewhere this morning, and it wouldn't
start. So he asked around for recommendations of shops that worked
on diesels, and made arrangements with one to bring it in. After it
still wouldn't start after more than hour, he decided to call AAA to
have it towed, so that it would be sure to be there 1st
thing tomorrow morning. Even after the truck arrived at the shop,
and Bill talked with them, it still wouldn't start . . . so, whatever
the problem is, it's definitely getting worse – more frequent, and
lasting much longer. It can't be ignored any longer. Thanks, Lord,
for the provision of a repair place close by and for the time here to
take it in.
So
we're kind of “stuck at home” for a couple of days – but that's
fine. A WalMart is within biking distance if we need anything. We
would like to drive down to the San Diego Bay and harbor area one day
while we're here. But if it continues to be overcast and murky all
day long at the coast, it wouldn't be a terrific experience anyway.
So we'll see what later in the week brings. (We're already busy
Thursday & part of Friday – going up to Laguna to meet Loretta
& Steve for the Art Festival there, and probably staying the
night with them.)
After
a relatively early dinner, took a longer bike ride around the whole
preserve. California evening cool – needed our jackets. Again,
saw the clouds coming in. So I think this will be the typical
weather pattern while we're here, at least for the next few days – cool, overcast mornings, clear
warm afternoons.
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