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!

Enjoying our first week back home

Fran’s tennis league captain sent an email asking if she could play with her best friend, Debbie, in the match on the 16th.  That gave us a date to be home.

And (more important to me) the OTL Longboard Surfing Contest was on the 17th.  Another reason to return home.

Apparel burgers, dogs and drinks were available on Crystal Pier for purchase.

A long board is at least 9’ in length and is ridden without a leash.  If a rider falls off, he better be a good swimmer.

I was a bit disappointed there were no wooden boards, nor any gals this year.  

The hydroplanes were also running at Bayfair.  But it was no contest, longboards over powerboats.

I spent the next few days catching up on some yard work.  With another fun weekend coming up.  The big event would be PIFA.  The Pacific Islander Festival at Ski Beach. 

We chose to ride our bikes over, rather than fight the traffic.  Good thing or we would have missed the Dragon Boats.

A huge turnout this year, with canopies all along Tecolote Shores.

The big canoes have 16 paddlers, a coxswain in the front drumming out the cadence and in the rear standing is the tillerman.

Here boat 8 easily defeats boat 7 for 1st place.   Just look at the length of the boat!

We rode on, watching crew boats practice along Fiesta Island.  Then to the PIFA Festival, which requires all of Ski Beach. 

I wonder how long this old oak will continue to mark the entrance to Ski Beach.

The main attractions are the live performances on the main stage.

The stage is home to a none stop assortment of music and dance.

OhNo, my camera has added a blue filter.  That's something new ...
The music can be heard throughout the park.  Which is a good thing as it takes awhile to select what to share for lunch.

I had the SPAM Musubi in the past and was looking forward to curing my craving for another year.

What’s not to like about fried SPAM on rice wrapped in Nori seaweed?

In the end we settled on Chinese BBQ chicken.  The line was shorter and with a distant view of the stage.

Served with a good rice and the mandatory macaroni salad.

I saw the queen and her aide in line for the musubi.  I asked her ‘Why does royalty have to wait in line?’  Her reply ‘I’d never take advantage of my subjects’.  Awesome, bet that line has been rehearsed!

I have yet to try a Malasada.  I guess it would be the Portege version of a churro.

We spent a little more time enjoying the entertainment.

It seems somebody in the front row has to standup just as I snap the shutter!  Every time!

Quite a few people here for this event!

As we finished our ride around the bay, into Crown Point, there was a police motorcycle competition.  The bikes were inspected.

Then 4 man teams competed in a dance around an obstacle course.  The riders came from all over, including Tijuana  …

San Diego Police and Sheriff, Albuquerque, Phoenix along with this fine group from Pinal County Arizona.

They completely blocked the Malecon for their selfies.  Yup that’s Fran in the back with her arms crossed.  I can just hear her thinking ‘We’re trying to bike here …’.

Reaching De Anza Cove we missed this event.  The flag is that of Ethiopia, but represents all Pan-African ideology. 

To finish off the weekend we put the bikes on the truck for a ride to Balboa Park.  From there it’s less than a 5 mile ride to Normal Heights and the Adams Avenue Street Fair.

The ride is all on surface streets, but in many places the parking area is off the curb and the bike path along the curb.  Much safer!

Music, crafts and food is what this is about.  There’s 65 entertainment groups on 3 stages over the 2 days.

Now this is for a sweet tooth!

A strawberry kabab, caramel apple wedges or froze cheesecake on a stick!

And way more food vendors!  It must have been easier to get permits here than at PIFA, which had a lot of specialty food, but not enough vendors.

A BBQ pretzel looks good.

But I still need to cure my annual SPAM fix.  And unlike yesterday, there was no line here for a SPAM Wrap!

A wrap with fried egg, secret sauce, SPAM in an onion pancake.

Tasted just ok, but way, Way, WAY too greasy.  I’m good now for at least another year … maybe two!

Interesting pizza option from a wood fired oven.

That might have been a better option.  Next year.

We stopped at the Trolley Carbarn Park on the way back to Balboa Park.

Although I was living in the area back then, I never saw the old trolley barn.

My friend, San Diego’s Armchair Hiker did some research and found photos of early San Diego, including this Trolley Barn, which can be seen HERE.

The Pacific Beach Festival is next weekend.  It includes a taste off for the best fish taco in PB.  Can’t miss that.  Our favorite OB tacos are not invited :(

The San Diego Tennis Open is an easy bike ride away…

And those wonderful grand-girls deserve a visit …

And the EGR valve failed again somewhere in west Iowa.

And the seal on the left rear dually seems to have a leak.

Looks like next week will also be busy with more fun to come.

Certainly good to be home!