Our California Adventure

The Golden State

This will be another multiple trip state. We pulled in from Arizona in mid December, '09. Spent some time in the high desert just west of Twentynine Palms before going to San Diego. We spent almost a week in San Diego, most of it militarally motivated. I went through Marine boot camp here in 1961. We were able to see new recruits get off the bus; late at night of course. We also were able to follow a platoon through their final week. The USS Midway is a must see but allow an entire day. We sandwiched it and the 2 hour harbor tour into the same day and weren't able to cover the Midway as I would have liked. We visited the Nixon and Reagan Presidential libraries and museums. Reagan wins. There was an awesome Lego display being featured in the Nixon library which was great. Also the house Nixon was born in was nice. We got to the Pacific Ocean which means Devyn has been to the big 3 surrounding America; Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific. Traveled some nice 2 lane roads into the mountains and spent some time on Route 66 on our way to the Veterans Memorial in the Mojave Desert. What a shame a court ordered it covered just because it resembled a cross. And now that the Supreme Court has ruled somewhat in favor of it vandals have torn it down. It stood for 75 years. Is nothing sacred any more? Then to I-15 East into Nevada. Just before crossing the state line I saw my first $4 per gallon gas. All I got was a picture. After spending a few days in the Vegas area we went north to Death Valley. There's something about standing 282 feet below sea level and sleeping 190 feet below.