Wrapping my arms around Southern California

Leaving Arizona I was excited to trade the desertscapes for some seascapes in San Diego, California. As a child I grew up for a very short time in Northern California in Marin County and have been to San Diego as an adult before but visiting there is still a treat. San Diego, and Southern California in general, is a wonderful place although I find it hard to wrap my arms completely around its unique lifestyle. For people-watching though it's hard to beat. Having worked in Human Resources for a time I found myself constantly fascinated by the mix and blend of behaviors along the coast this Spring.

My wife Sophie and I stayed at a place called "Campland on the Bay" and it is indeed located on beautiful Marina Bay which is minutes away from the coastal beaches as well as a short drive (or bike ride!) from downtown San Diego. Sophie was in town for this year's American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conference and I had used that, and the fact that San Diego is only a five hour drive from Phoenix, as an excuse to tag along.

Campland on the Bay is an all-inclusive RV campground and if you were so inclined you'd never have to leave. They have their own beach, swimming pools, game rooms, restaurant, store, boat rentals, etc. And every night at 11:30 they come over the speakers reminding folks that it's now quiet hours, a very pleasant change from the sometimes rowdy late night behavior I had experienced at Lake Pleasant in Arizona. But as nice as COTB is, the real attractions lie outside its gates on the public beaches, boardwalks, and other destinations this part of the country offer.

"Good Rhino..."

One of our first jaunts was to Safari Park, an offshoot of the world famous San Diego Zoo. Located in Escondido the Safari Park is a wild animal preserve primarily featuring African big game traipsing around in somewhat similar habitat to their original homes. Sophie, as a child, had visited the Park after it had just opened many years (45) ago when visitors would drive their own vehicles through the preserve but with today's crowds they now shuttle you on open-top buses where you can get up close and personal with the resident fauna. I've actually been to Africa but I had never had the chance to feed a Rhinoceros or Giraffe by hand, both things you can do at the Safari Park. We saw a lot of baby animals including Sharifa, a baby Giraffe born the day before we visited, who was already walking around exploring her new home. Now, I'm a little suspect of any place that names (personifies) animals who I respect enough in their own right that I don't think they need human monikers attached, but the Safari Park turned out to be a fun day worth the visit and the very hefty (this is Southern California folks) admission price.

Of course no one heads to San Diego without wanting to go to the ocean and with our trusty bike steeds beneath us we explored beaches, boardwalks, and attractions from Coronado Island to La Jolla.  There are beaches galore - Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Imperial Beach - and all the ones we visited were extremely clean and seemed family friendly. And for those with furry companions, there are even dog beaches. The beaches all seemed to have well-equipped lifeguards driving some very nice rescue vehicles. Just offshore there were the requisite surfers, windsurfers, kite surfers, and body boarders while on the warm sands were the ubiquitous beach volleyball players and sunbathers. I'm happy to report that this year's swimwear for the ladies is scantier than ever ("David!!! Keep your eyes on the bike path!") and the Southern California women seem to have worked out hard over the winter months to be in good shape to model the latest fashion trends. Thank you ladies, your efforts were very much appreciated!

Aah! Love, beachfront weddings
and no limit on your Mastercard...
Priceless!

Now I have to admit that my pocketbook doesn't allow me to partake in all the things Southern California has to offer including the Hotel Del Coronado which appropriately enough is on the beach on Coronado Island. Still the epitome of luxury, when it opened in 1888 it was the largest resort hotel in the world. I've hinted that Southern California may perhaps be prone to excess but even the sand castles take it to the extreme on this island's beach. On our next visit we'd like to stay at this beautiful resort. With rates "from" $289/night this is a bucket list item that we'll be saving our pennies (and nickels, dimes, and quarters) for. Coronado Island also hosts some great recreational cycling as well as restaurants and shopping and is a short ferry ride (or car drive across the Coronado Bridge) from downtown San Diego.

San Diego is also home to more museums than I can count but with every visit I try to check out at least one. This year, while Sophie was slaving away at her conference I took in the San Diego Maritime Museum adjacent to the Broadway Pier. This particular museum has an eclectic assortment of vintage sailing ships along with two submarines. I love working with wood and put me on a sailing ship where you can smell the varnish and be blinded by the sunlight shining off the brightwork and I'm in hog heaven. The Maritime Museum is also one of the less expensive museums and for an additional small fee you can also take a 45 minute ride on a pilot boat around the San Diego Harbor where you'll see lots of naval ships, yachts and sailing ships, and even see Navy Seals conducting their small-boat training.

Biking in San Diego  is at times fun and at times challenging. The city has its share of bike paths as well as bike routes along some pretty high traffic roads. Even Google Maps got lost a couple of times while we were out riding but sometimes that's when you discover the most interesting things. And riding on the boardwalks (yes, the boardwalks are open to not just pedestrians but cyclists, roller bladers, skateboarders, runners, and any other form of non-motorized conveyance you can think of) is truly an experience and a test of one's bike handling skills.  Crowds are a part of the San Diego experience whether you are on foot, on bike, or in a car. I think some of the surfers patiently floating offshore are actually out there more for the relative solitude than waiting for the perfect wave.

Yup... Just happy to be here!

A trip to this part of the country is a journey into sensory overload and it will take some time to fully digest this year's San Diego/SoCal visit. As much traveling as I have done the more I realize how lucky I am to live in Colorado and as much as I'll miss the sights and sounds of my California Dreaming it will be nice to finally get home.

Now where'd I leave that winter parka?

Fresh sea air, great museums, and beautiful weather...
Tough to go wrong in San Diego!

To see additional pictures please click here!

Farewell to Spring Training 2017

Spring Training is over for 2017 and the baseball teams are making their way back to their home stadiums across the country full of eager hopes and dreams for the soon to start regular season. Having worked the final game yesterday between the KC Royals and the Texas Rangers, which perhaps fittingly ended in a 0-0 tie, I turned in my shirts, punched out and am heading toward my next destination of San Diego. My wife Sophie has an ASCM (American College of Sports Medicine) annual conference she'll be attending but we'll also get to spend some time together sightseeing and relaxing.

A special thank you to Chris, Danny, Bob, Larry, Griselda, Sue, Nadine, Shoey, and all the rest of the Aramark 2017 Spring Training crew. It was quite an experience! Though the names will slowly blur with time the friendliness of this great group of folks will not soon be forgotten.

At the end of yesterday's game there was a celebration for the "Sundancers", the volunteer group that act as ushers, parking attendants, and general help around the stadium during games. Founded in 2002  the group boasts more than 750 members and raises charitable donations supporting area youth-related programs and projects. In 2016 the Surprise Sundancers gave out more than $200,000 in college scholarships. I don't know if I'll ever reside in the area but if I did this is a group I'd love to be a part of. When

Sundancers pose for their 2017 end of
Season picture at Surprise Stadium

my wife was down visiting me a week or so ago she was 'adopted' by one of the Sundancer volunteers by the name of Melvin during one of the games. He couldn't have been nicer to her and for that and all the larger group does, many thanks.

They say it's a small world and yesterday I had Sara B., another Pinnacol retiree, swing by and say hi during the game. She and her family were down enjoying a couple of games and the excuse to escape the cold wet weather at home in Denver. She had retired after 30 years with Pinnacol and was looking fresh and rejuvenated as it seems a lot of Pinnacol retirees appear. Sarah had been a Sr. Underwriter at Pinnacol, something I would have loved to be if I hadn't gotten called to the 'dark side' 😉 of Human Resources way back when.

A word to the wise for future fans planning on coming to Spring Training. If you want Spring Training gear - hats, shirts, pins, etc. - try to attend games early in the season. The merchandise ordered for Spring Training's run of six weeks is gone when gone. Yesterday's final game saw all merchandise discounted 40% but fans were selecting from what little merchandise remained. Some seemed surprised at how little was left, especially of Royals gear, but a 2017 Spring Training shirt isn't worth much at the start of the 2018 season so Aramark, the retail vendor at Surprise Stadium, had been careful not to over-order.

So that's it from Surprise Spring Training 2017. Thanks for bearing with me through this chronicle and I hope to see you on down the road!

A Little Rain Must Fall...

Today's game at Surprise Stadium featured the Colorado Rockies taking on, and unfortunately losing to, the Texas Rangers.

Driving back to Lake Pleasant afterwards the weather in the distance looked a little foreboding  and soon enough the first scattered drops began to fall. Reaching the campground the skies let loose with what was my first Thunderstorm of the year complete with thunder, lightning, and even a little bit of hail. The desert never ceases to surprise. So for those where the precipitation is still white and cold this video is for you. Stay warm and dry wherever you may be!

Final Four

Last night's game featured the Texas Rangers versus the LA Dodgers with the Rangers winning with a 10th inning home run after 9 innings of scoreless play. Temperatures were in the 70's and low 80's under clear blue skies. In other words another perfect day for a baseball game. It was also the last weekend game of the 2017 Spring Training season and was the fourth to last game on the schedule for Surprise Stadium.

Phoenix is also hosting some of the March Madness basketball games. I'm not much of a basketball fan but Larry, the coworker I've mentioned in prior blogs, is a devout fan of his almamater's team the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks have made the Final Four, having not been in the "Sweet 16" in the modern era before this season. I know he'll be rooting them on in style as he makes his way cross country to West Virginia for his next 'workamping' gig.

With the season coming to a close there are things I'll miss about Arizona and some things I could have done without.

I'll miss Lake Pleasant on a quiet and peaceful morning. It really is a very beautiful place. I won't miss the weekend and the occasional mid-week rowdy campers who bring the term noisy campground to a whole new level. I've mentioned before Lake Pleasant seems primarily a locals Park and they seem fine with the rowdiness but if you like tranquility in a beautiful desert setting stay far away from here or bring a good pair of ear plugs.

I'll miss the flowers. The desert in bloom is amazing.

I'll miss the sound of wild burros as they make their way not so stealthily through the campground in the middle of the night. Last night, being Sunday, the campground was as quiet as it ever gets and the burros seem to know when to come and nibble on the grasses that grow in the tent sites. Last night I had a burro eating about fifteen feet from my camper at 12:45 am. He had made quite the ruckus as he came into camp which gave me time to grab my camera and attempt to take his picture.

My apologies that the pic didn't turn out better but the ghostlike quality gives a hint at the elusiveness of these beautiful animals.

I'll miss the beauty of a quiet baseball stadium before the crowds arrive. There is a serenity of a well-kept but empty ball field that hints in anticipation of what is to come.

I'll miss the playing of the National anthem before each game. As divided as our country is these days it's one remaining instance that allows us to remember that beneath the animosity we are all still Americans.

I'll miss the uncrowded drive to the stadium on the 303. The lack of congestion is something Colorado drivers can only vaguely remember, if at all. I won't miss the aggressiveness of Arizona drivers who think nothing of going 20-30 mph over the speed limit. They also have a penchant for not tolerating being behind an out of state car for more than thirty seconds so beware they'll try to pass no matter how fast you are going.

I'll miss the weather. Who could complain about sunshine and warm conditions in March? Even for the couple of days it was already approaching triple digits it was better than the cold snow and slush much of the country was dealing with.

I could go on and on but suffice it to say there was more good than bad, more happiness than sorrow which to me is the hallmark of a good trip... May all your journeys be so favored.

Stayin' on the trail...

Stayin' on the trail.... Or not. With five days to go until the end of Spring Training I'm starting to collect quite a stash of memories from this trip. In the last week I've had two visitors join me at "Camp David". The love of my life, Sophie, flew down for her Spring Break to enjoy the Arizona heat and she got a full taste of what temps in the high 90's in March feel like. While I was slaving away at the old ballgame she was out hiking and biking. I did get a chance to take her to old town Scottsdale one day and another day we rented a boat on Lake Pleasant to see its pristine waters in style.

My wife loves to captain the boat so most of the time I sat back and relaxed while she took me bouncing over the waves (she really likes the waves - the bigger the better!).

I also was visited by Tim from Denver for a couple of days. I worked with Tim's wife for many years at Pinnacol and have gotten to know Tim as well. He was nice enough to take me out to a ballgame and dinner while here and he's flying back to Denver today where apparently snow fell overnight.

We took in the Mariners/Angels game at Peoria Stadium and had great seats along the third base line. I took Tim on a flower-filled walk on a short section of the Wild Burro Trail at Lake Pleasant. Both he and Sophie picked a great time to come as the desert is really in bloom.

At my work some of the folks are leaving for other gigs around the country. When this is all done I'll miss working with Bob and Larry who were with me most days at the 3rd base tent. Larry is quite the free spirit and really made the time fly by. His ability to connect with almost anyone (he was especially fond of those of the female persuasion) is something I wish I had.

As I mentioned, the desert is in bloom. A lot of the snowbirds are readying their rigs in anticipation of heading north when the weather gets too hot here. As one RV'er told me, he leaves when the non-4 legged critters come out to play. Well, that time has definitely come. I'm hearing the rattle of snakes on my mountain bike rides now and the library now sports a sign warning folks to stay on the trails.

And in the Park office you can view live specimens of what you don't want to encounter up close and personal outside.

I'll leave you with a couple of baseball images to get your mind off snakes and the like. A lot of fans go to great lengths to dress up in their team apparel. I caught this fan sporting a great pair of boots the other day.

And finally, while Surprise Stadium really doesn't have a bad seat in the house this young fan at last night's game really did have a fantastic view.

A Bird's-eye view of Surprise Stadium

I've got 9 days left until the end of Spring Training. The time has flown by as quickly as the heat has risen. Yesterday's game between the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners saw temps hit 97 degrees and the folks who had flown down from the Pacific Northwest were paying the price. Lots of creamy white skin left the stadium deep red  and I don't think there was enough sunblock in the stadium to go around. There was though enough beer, brats, hotdogs, and all the other goodies folks consume at ballparks so they all seemed to leave happy and satisfied.

Surprise Stadium was built 15 years ago in 2002. At yesterday's game they honored the Sundancer volunteers who have been helping with games all of those years. These folks, clad in yellow shirts are all volunteers and act as ushers, parking attendants, and all sorts of other duties required to keep upwards of 10,000 fans happy. Each game fans can buy raffle tickets for $5 with the daily winner taking home half of the pot with the reminder going to help fund local charities the Sundancers support. Best known as the spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals the stadium also hosts the Arizona Fall League team, the Surprise Saguaros. The stadium sits in the middle of the Surprise Recreation Campus which is also home to swimming pools, library, ball fields, tennis and pickleball courts as well as a small lake and playgrounds. As is the stadium, everything seems to be immaculately maintained and the people of this Phoenix suburb really have something to be proud of. The drone video above gives a quick bird's-eye view of the stadium. Not quite the same as the pilots of the F35's and F16's from Luke Air Force Base get as they zoom over the stadium on a daily basis but not bad...

Desert in Bloom

My wife Sophie is down visiting me for her Spring Break and this morning we took a hike along the Wild Burro Trail. The round-trip of 7 miles took us along the lakeshore, up and over some rolling hills, and through some beautiful wild flowers. When I first arrived at Lake Pleasant everything was pretty much still brown but just a couple of weeks later the desert is now flowering. Thanks to some February and early March rains the flowers appear to be ready for the warm weather to finally arrive.

Along this morning's hike I took the video above . For those still locked in Winter's icy clutches it's a sneak peak of what you'll be experiencing in another month or two. Enjoy!