Little Italy - Street art

Tecolote Canyon:

The work on the drainage in Tecolote Canyon continues.

The Nature Center is a interesting stop to learn the history of the canyon and the critters that call it home.

Native Americans have lived in the canyon for several centuries.

recreating native wear

Wildlife has thrived in the canyon

The drainage for the center section of the canyon was completed a couple years ago, now the city is preparing to replace the drainage in the lower section.  The drain lines are tagged and will be dug up and replaced.

Many of the native plants will be retained, but the non-native plants will not.

Unfortunately Coyote Gourds are native.

Fran and I used to use this little foot bridge to enter the canyon.  But now we typically enter at the Nature Center.

Imperial Beach Bike Ride:

The San Diego City Library did not have a copy of the movie  “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”, but the County Library did.

I requested it be sent to Imperial Beach for me to pick it up there.  The book and DVD are based on events of 1942, so deeply classified that it wasn’t made public until 2016.  And the British Spy master Ian Fleming is involved!, the events are said to inspire his James Bond.

The movie takes a bit of romantic license, but is fun.

Normally Fran and I would ride from Pepper Park, but the Padres were in the Playoffs and the sandcastle artist at Hotel del Coronado had a fun tribute on display.  My plan was to park just past the South Bay Salt Works and ride the Silver Strand.

Picture from the web

I took a break at the Entrance to Coronado Cays, a bit less than halfway and noticed a soft rear tire and a faint hissing sound.  I turned around at their entrance.

I didn’t make it far before the ride turned into a walk.

And a long walk back to the Salt Works, waaaay over there!

I figured just over two miles mostly on the bike path.  With a few sections on a well maintained trail.

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The evaporation ponds used to collect salt.

And my ugly old truck with its new KO tires never looked so good!

But my bike tire does not look so good!

Sera Mesa Block Party;

There was only one truck at the car show this year.

With a rebuilt inline 6 cylinder engine.

No  judges this year, the attendees voted.  Despite the fancy and classic cars in the show, the truck won the Peoples Choice Award!  I won’t mention how many times I voted :)

Again this year Love is a Rose is on the main stage.  The first time I heard them I walked out.  They named themselves after my favorite Linda Ronstadt song and butchered it! (IMHO)

So much better now!

Little Italy Bella Vita;

We’ve enjoyed the Little Italy Art Festival in the past.  But a bit different is their Bella Vita Fest where the street is the canvas and the artists all use chalk to create some really inspiring artwork.  Fran and I took the trolley the few stops to Little Italy.

I’ll let a few of their creations speak for themselves.  Enjoy!

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Next week is Day of the Dead!  So much fun!

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Classic Rotors - pie and wine

The Classic Rotors Museum in Ramona has been on my radar for awhile.  It’s one of just a few aviation museums in the world dedicated to rotorcraft.

The museum is located at the far end of the Ramona airport and only open a few days a week.  Visitors are required to have an escort/docent while on the property.

George was way knowledgeable on all the crafts on display in the museum hanger.

This McCulloch is an AutoGyro.  The small propeller at the rear pushes the craft forward and the wind across the top rotor creates lift.  It cannot hover, nor reverse, but an inexpensive craft for the hobbyist.

Yes McCulloch has been much more successful manufacturing chainsaws!

This is a weird propane powered unit, propane mixes air in the pod at the tip of each rotor.  The resulting explosion spins the rotor creating lift.

There have been several land/sea automobiles.  But this is the most successful of the triphibian rotor craft.  Car, boat, helicopter.

Both Russian and Polish helicopters are on display, both are equipped for cold weather.

The flying box carried a crew of up to 6.  Once on the ground it could be collapsed and camouflaged.

The single seat Helipod is powered by 4 chainsaw engines.  McCullough??? 

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Both of these rotorcraft have flown in movies.

My docent was a rescue helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War.  Similar to these.

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There are display cases of model rotorcraft that provide the scope and diversity of the these machines.

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The museum is located in a hanger at the airport.  It gets hot in Ramona and the hanger is not well ventilated.  The docents are extremely knowledgeable.  And sharing that knowledge takes about 90 minutes.

From the airport I continued on to the Anza Borrego Desert and Borrego Springs.

A few weeks ago Christmas Circle was brown. 

Before

But with some water it’s ready for Borrego Days, Oct 19th this year.

After

It’s still pretty hot in the desert, but I did venture to Fonts Point to pay respects to dad. 

We had the place all to ourselves!

Borrego Springs has another grocery store.  DG Market makes 3.

It is on the north end of Airport Road.  Whoever thought of using metal hand rails on a south facing building ... But it’s nice and clean inside and well airconditioned!

I picked up my favorite Julian Pie on the way back.  It’s a Take’n’Bake frozen Apple Mountain Berry.

My last stop was at Edward’s Vineyard and Cellars.

And yes a few bottles did follow me home.

Fran has finally returned home from Ohio! YaHoo!