Longboards and Grass Skirts - in PB

Longboards:
Saturday was the 30th annual Longboard Surfing Festival.  The event is held annually at Crystal Pier in PB (Pacific Beach, not Peanut Butter).  And hence my bike ride destination that morning.

Crystal Pier is closed past the cottages

Unfortunately, like the OB pier, PB’s Crystal Pier is also closed due to Storm Damage.

Although the City will eventually reopen the Crystal Pier, it has been closed since December 2023 with no plan in place for the repairs. That leaves the IB Pier as the last pier standing.

Here’s a couple telephoto shots of men's longboard division.

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Grass Skirts:

I decided not to stay long at Crystal Pier, and rode over to the Pacific Island Fest (PIFA), being held on Mission Bay’s Ski Beach.  This is a FREE family friendly event that celebrates Pacific Island traditions.  Even a Haole, like me, is welcome.

I was walking past the stage where ‘cute’ was performing.

Ok so the skirts are cellophane now, rather than grass.  They are a lot more colorful.

Hula gals continued to show experience, as the teens came to the stage.

It’s nice to see the grace of the gals, but I like the terror the drums can instill.

Much too late getting here for scrambled eggs and SPAM, but L&L has Musubi.  It’s easier to eat anyway, and my SPAM cravings are good for another year.

After Suzi reported in her blog ‘Home’, that MonaLiza brought fresh home-made lumpia.  (you can find that post HERE), I’m on a mission to have some lumpia to compliment my SPAM.

Lunch procured: Musubi, lumpia and BBQ.

MonaLisa need not worry of her lumpia being replaced.  These are the smallest ever!  I didn’t know they could be rolled that tight!  ARG!  About the size of an unfiltered cigarette.

There are lots of merchants available.

want a Tonga T

or jewelry

Hanna Tattoos, clothes, fabric, candies, etc.  It’s all here.

Catch-up Misc:

Last post I mentioned new tires for my truck.  I again added the BFG KO T/A,  not the newer KO 2/3 just the original 10 ply.  With just about 400,000 on KO tires neither the Jeep nor the truck has ever been stranded nor had a flat.  The reason for the tires was a planned  trip to Tuweep in the Toroweap of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

In picking the permit dates for Tuweep  I totally forgot I had a DMV appointment to renew my driver's license.  I'm sure it's easier to request a new permit than it is to request a new appointment.  I passed!

That left me a couple days for a road trip.  The truck was already packed for camping.  The desert awaits!

I chose Ocotillo Wells, as it’s FREE, has shade ramadas and showers.

A SpaceX launch was scheduled for dusk.  I really didn't expect to see much as the rocket plume would be hidden in the twilight, but the wind came up, just in time.

SpaceX plume

The ‘Lithium Valley’ at the Salton Sea is about an hour away, as is the Sonny Bono Wildlife Refuge.

This is a great place for burrowing owls!  There were lots of burrows, but the owls seem to have already called it a night.  This cute little Jackalope hung out for a bit.

I did not see any new-to-me activity near the lithium deposits.  The several geo-thermal power plants have been here,

With temperatures rising I did not try very hard to find the ‘Mud Volcanoes’.  I think they are now on the lithium leased land.

Fran's Jeep tossed an error P0441, Emissions Regen Failure.  I reset the code, but of course …  The membrane in the carbon canister had failed, but there is not an OEM replacement available!  A bit of research revealed a Chevy canister could fit.

It took a bit of a MacGyver to fit it, but seems to work fine.

And there was a nibble out of the harvest moon.

This was a bit long, I’ll try to hold it back a bit next time.  Until then! … Hint MonaLisa also had something else for Suzi … and I have a birthday coming!