Point Loma Lighthouse

Last year, I visited the Point Loma Lighthouse at the Cabrillo National Monument for Founder's Day. I had heard KPBS talking about it on the radio and decided to go check it out.

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When I got there, I noticed a fair going on, though it was so windy that a lot of stuff was blowing around.

I also went to look at the statue of Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo, who was the first European to discover this entrance to the bay and record it.


Founder's day is one of only two days a year you can visit the top of the lighthouse. I actually got to go up there that day.

The wait in the line was long, but at least I got to hear this guy's history stories and look at a nice view while waiting.

Muddy Coyote Canyon

Coyote Canyon got some rain recently and a lot of it turned pretty muddy. This was especially true in areas where Coyote Creek flowed. The road was actually pretty suitable for even passenger cars up to first crossing after you pass the first quarter mile.


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Here is Coyote Creek right when you first enter the canyon:



Here's the road down to first crossing. This is pretty much how it always looks:


The creek bed on first crossing:


A couple of park officials came by and said it got really bad after first crossing. I didn't go further as I was on foot and couldn't walk much further.

Mission Trails Hike

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I went around hiking near the San Diego river today. It's close to where I live. Here's a shot of the exercise trail going north from the Jackson Drive dirt road area.


Close up of the San Diego River.



It goes that way.


Some people enjoying a spot by the river further north.




Heading south again towards the Jackson Drive dirt road on the exercise trail.

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

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I've visited a few times, but here are some 35mm photos from when I visited a few years back. It was about a year or so after a major fire went through the area. Lots of the preserve was still burned, but there was also a lot of fresh, green growth.

View from a field looking west. There are trails coming in and out of the preserve from private areas.

Burned tree among the lush green grass and trees.

Walking along by the creek bed towards the south end.

I took this photo near the beginning of my hike after I officially got on the trail.

Biking around/near Avalon

In 2008, I took my first trip to Catalina. I didn't spend a whole lot of time there, but I got to rent a bike and ride around and take photos. If you want to go anywhere in the interior of Catalina Island, you have to be able to climb up hills.

I rented a very comfortable Trek mountain bike from one of the places near the docks.

Here's the map.


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Riding up this hill. The roads are narrow, but most people only drive golf carts. However, once in a while, you get a big honking truck come by and take up the whole road.

Oooh, look at that dirt road running right up this photo! In order to do anything off road, even cycling or hiking, you have to get permission from the conservancy and buy a permit.

Nice alternate view of Avalon Bay.

Time to go back downhill.

The Outside Blog

I thought this was pretty cool. I found this link on Outside Magazine's blog. It's a cool photo of a an Australian surfer woman (Steph Gilmore) riding a huge wave. She won a very prestigious title. You'll have to look at the link to find out more.

The Outside Blog

Coachella Valley Preserve Part 1.

I labeled this "Part One" because I have been to this preserve many times and will post other things about it in the future. I won't do it back to back, though.

This preserve located near 1000 Palms just north of I-10 and north of Palm Springs. The area has a long history dating back to the times the Cahuilla used the area to gather food. Around the early part of the 1900s, Louis Wilhelm built a cabin and a ranch there around the springs. Later, he hoped to preserve the area. Since about 1986, various agencies have worked to buy/transfer land to national and state agencies and private environmental groups to fulfill Wilhelm's dream.

I have been visiting this preserve for about three to four years. There are many parts to this reserve including a big palm grove just off the parking lot. If you're not a hiker, this particular grove may be a good place to visit for a short time.

Here's a map of where I went. Zoom in to see the exact location.


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I took all these photos with a 35mm aperture priority camera.


This is the McCallum Grove which is located on a short trail to the north of the main grove with the cabin.










Peaking through the palm trees to the west.














Oops, out of focus. I was trying to steady myself on the boards. This is in that first palm grove right off the parking lot.

My New Blog

Actually, this is one of many blogs that I've started. I got the idea from the movie "Up" where the girl in the beginning of the movie had a scrapbook she was keeping that was supposed to record all her travels and adventures.

This blog will mostly be about my adventures, mostly local trips that I take. I plan to do it Huell Howser style with mostly photos with descriptions and perhaps a little bit about the people and history of the place I am visiting or photographing. It may (or may not) include places to eat, visit, museums, art galleries, hiking trails and other things to do in that area. I also will post things about urban areas, libraries, coffee shops and malls. I may visit the same area over and over again, too. I will try to keep the blog fresh, though, by not saying or showing the same thing again and again.

If I ever travel to exotic places, I may include those, too. I may also include in this blog stories of interesting activities by friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members, too. I will also include posts by other bloggers or links to other blogs where people do adventurous things.

Or, I may just post a story about places to relax, too.

If you want to see an example of what kind of blog this will be, visit my art and photo blog:

DesertDarlene's Art and Photo Blog