Hell is Burning over in San Diego - Come on Baby, Light my Fire!

FIRE ALL AROUND US - but we are safe in San Diego! As you have seen on the news, a firestorm has raged in our area. Out on the water bordering our RV park, you can see all the soot on top of the water in this picture. We have our Kayak blown up and ready to go if that darn line of fire should threaten us here! The fire actually creeped up to within a few miles of our daughter, Jessica's condo - but for now seems to have veered away.



On our car, each day there is an accumulation of fallen ash which needs to be cleaned off....


Blending in with the local surfer boys, Bill engages in a fierce episode of "in your face" competitive volleyball......... (FOOT NOTE -please pardon the pun- check out the huge "Big Foot" sized sandals in the picture, which belong to Bill & compare them with the others nearby!)


Help!! I have fallen and I can't get up!! As an outstanding athlete, Bill made a diving attempt to return a volley.


At the Chula Vista RV Resort we are staying at, Ilea visits with some fine feathered friends..... it is a $20,000 fine to feed them!!

San Diego Part 2 - Blown away by a Chopper & Air Supply

Jessica's guy, Gary is the commander in chief of a United States Coast Guard ship. He invited us out on the vessel one night, for some helicopter manuevers and it literally blew you away!! Bill was up for the 'total experience' of being on deck, but Ilea chose the less intimidating view from the enclosed captain's bridge. After getting suited up in official Coast Guard attire- 20 miles offshore, Bill proceeded to the deck where hurricane force winds generated from a helicopter hovering several yards above actually pushed the skin on his face back like the g-forces from a launch on the space shuttle would. Water was violently kicked up simulating a water spout. Later we learned that the chopper pilot was 'new' and he came quite a bit closer to the ship than 'normal'.... living life on the edge, oh yeah!


Out on the dangerous waters near the Mexican border, Ilea gets into combat pose, ready to take down any illegal drug trafficers we may encounter while patrolling the pacific.........


We finally caught up with the most awesome music group in the world - our old friends, Graham and Russell of the group AIR SUPPLY! We had hoped to see them in Mexico earlier in the year, but RV repairs slowed us down. This concert was as usual, FANTASTIC! Timing was amazing as we pulled up just as their tour bus arrived. We watched their sound check too. After the show, we stayed around a bit to talk with them.


We all had plans of doing a bit of apple picking while we toured the countryside together - that is , until we learned what they charged! All we wanted was one bags worth of apples. That was expensive enough at $10 - B U T - in order to walk thru the orchard, EACH PERSON WAS REQUIRED TO PAY $10, even if they did not pick, nor want any apples!!! The owner explained that its "Not so much about just the apples, but about the EXPERIENCE." So, as $40 for a single bag of apples was obviously ridiculous, we bid Jessica a fond farewell as she ventured off to pick - ALONE !


Jessica and Gary after a grueling mission of picking the perfect pumpkin during our trip into the surrounding California hillsides.