Mormon Battalion flag flies during a special event in Old Town San Diego.
I was invited to a unique event that took place yesterday. A special Flag Day Ceremony was held at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in San Diego’s Old Town. The event remembered World War I and saluted all American veterans.
During the ceremony five veterans from different military services were made honorary members of the Mormon Battalion. A cake was cut with a military saber and an American flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capital and over Fort Leavenworth (where the historic Mormon Battalion originated) was raised.
The patriotic ceremony was organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members composed the Mormon Battalion, the only religiously based unit in United States military history. Commanded by regular U.S. Army officers, members of the battalion marched almost 2,000 miles from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to San Diego, California to help secure the region during the Mexican–American War. Much of the difficult march was over mountains and through desert. They saw no fighting.
I have noticed that Mormons treasure liberty–religious freedom in particular. I’m not a Mormon–very far from it–but I do happen to be a strong believer in personal liberty. That’s because I’m a writer. Also, as a child I traveled with my family behind the Iron Curtain twice. I have briefly seen how dark life is without liberty.
A friendly Mormon lady in pioneer dress welcomes guests to the Flag Day Celebration.This 2017 celebration of Flag Day honored veterans who served with distinction.Guests are welcomed by Director of the San Diego Mormon Battalion Historic Site, Elder Michael Hemingway.The United States flag is posted after the National Anthem.Folding of the flag. Each of the thirteen folds is invested with a special meaning.Four American veterans on stage are applauded and made honorary members of the Mormon Battalion.Keynote speaker General Bruce Carlson, USAF, Ret. talks about liberty. He is also made an honorary member of the Mormon Battalion.Many voices sing God Bless America.Young members of Marine Band San Diego after the ceremony.The United States Marine Corps bus contains an image of the flag being raised during the Battle of Iwo Jima.Pageantry and remembrance at a Flag Day Ceremony in Old Town San Diego.
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The facade of the Casa del Prado is just one of many wonders in Balboa Park.
Balboa Park is one of the most magical places in the world. Spells are cast, revealing life and wonder.
Please enjoy a few photos.
Another magical day in the park. The California Tower rises in the distance.Spirits are lifted by the Woman of Tehuantepec in the courtyard of the House of Hospitality.Ranger Kim relates the history of Balboa Park to a tour group. They stand by the original Administration Building, which was the first building erected for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.Ranger Kim talks about the historic Botanical Building and its rich collection of beautiful flowers and plants.A wicker Electriquette slowly moves through the wonderful park.Daisy Girl Scouts plant living flowers by the reflecting pool.Photo from the Alcazar Garden of the House of Charm’s tower.Learning to tap dance at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.Three life friends together at Nate’s Point Dog Park.A short but magical excursion on the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad.A view across El Prado of the San Diego Natural History Museum.The splashing Bea Evenson Fountain in the Plaza de Balboa attracts young and old.Gazing from a balcony of the House of Hospitality down at the life-filled Plaza de Panama and the San Diego Museum of Art.Bicycles and sunshine along El Prado.Big Slim plays guitar by the Casa del Prado.A musician strums in Spanish Village.A magic trick produces many smiles.
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Someone walks toward the Nature Center on Tecolote Family Day.
Today I headed over to Tecolote Canyon Natural Park. While I frequently drive around this narrow San Diego city park, which serves as a nature preserve inside Tecolote Canyon east of Mission Bay, I’ve never taken a single step inside. When I saw that an event called Family Day would be happening today, I decided to pay a visit!
What did I discover? Read the photo captions to find out!
A sign near entrance to the Nature Center provides information about Tecolote Canyon Natural Park.A narrow strip of natural habitat preserved in San Diego. Tecolote Canyon features hiking trails and a refuge for wildlife.Sign inside the Tecolote Nature Center. The park was originally dedicated in 1977. Houses, yards and streets surround this area where the native environment still survives.Many interpretive displays can be found in the Nature Center. The coyote is Tecolote Canyon’s largest predator.One sign describes San Diego’s Coastal Sage Scrub habitat, which is found in a small part of the world, along the coast of Southern California into Mexico.The Brown Towhee is one of many birds one might spot in the canyon.Along Tecolote Creek lies the Riparian Woodland habitat. Water attracts animals from the dry hills, and native trees like willows, cottonwoods and sycamores grow near the creek’s banks.One of the displays shows Lemonadeberry (a common chaparral shrub in San Diego), Fuchsia Flowered Gooseberry, and a California Thrasher.A topographical representation of curving Tecolote Canyon, which you can see directly below Mission Bay. Up is west, right is north.Many of the plants and animals now in Tecolote Canyon are the same as those here 200 years ago. Golden eagles and mountain lions, however, have vanished because this natural space is too limited in size.Families enjoy a special day and learn about the canyon’s environment. It’s Tecolote Family Day! There were lots of educational displays and activities at the Nature Center.Activities at Tecolote Family Day included a scavenger hunt for kids, art, music, dance and a silent auction.Inside the Nature Center, one table had lots of displays concerning insects! Another one had snakes.At another table I was shown a coyote skull.I believe these beautiful poppy paintings were part of the silent auction.A friendly parrot was at a booth promoting Zovargo, a local business that offers animal summer camps for kids.These kids were dancing to a fun song about pollination!Nearby I discovered the Tecolote Native Plant Nursery.Work is ongoing to take back the native habitat from invading plant species.I saw some signs about the importance of composting. It enhances soil and protects watersheds.Behind the Nature Center, near an amphitheater and native garden, I saw this example of an e’waa, a simple willow branch structure built by the Native American Kumeyaay.A sign depicts the Tecolote Watershed. Pollutants can flow down the creek and enter the soil, Mission Bay and eventually the Pacific Ocean.Several signs can be found around the small native garden. This one, Aromas of the Canyon, depicts Black Sage, White Sage and California Sagebrush.On the way to the hiking trail that leads into Tecolote Canyon, one might spot this owl!Hikers read the sign at the Battle Trail trailhead.Welcome to the Battle Trail – Nature’s haven in the city.I start up the easy trail. The vegetation in Tecolote Canyon is still green in late spring, after a very rainy winter.This lush greenery will soon dry out in the Southern California summer and turn mostly brown.I am greeted by cheerful yellow flowers.I believe this house on a post is for bats. I’ve seen similar boxes in other open space parks around San Diego.A family heads into Tecolote Canyon to explore nature.
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Cowboys on horseback drive cattle down Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego. They are promoting this year’s San Diego County Fair.
This morning there was a big cattle drive through downtown San Diego!
Huh? What?
It’s true! About 200 head of cattle were driven by cowboys on horseback and herding dogs down Harbor Drive, then up Fifth Avenue, then back west along Market Street. The intention of this unusual spectacle was to promote the San Diego County Fair, whose theme this year is How the West is Fun!
I followed along much of the way! Here are some photos!
At Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway, police escorts gets ready for the big cattle drive!The 2017 theme for the San Diego County Fair, which opened yesterday at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, is Where the West is Fun.Excitement mounts nearby as the cattle drive is about to get underway.A temporary corral set up by Ruocco Park contained about 200 head of cattle.Here they go, starting down Harbor Drive!Lots of cowboys on horses and some excited herding dogs start the cows along the street.Hundreds of people lined the sidewalk to watch the unusual spectacle. It seemed like the Old West was being relived in San Diego!The downtown cattle drive will head along Harbor Drive, turn north up Fifth Avenue, then head back west along Market Street.You don’t see this every day!Neither does this city dog! What is going on?A guy in a crazy cow costume gets a photograph of the cattle drive.Cowboys keep a close eye on the cattle as they head along San Diego’s waterfront.Not your ordinary Saturday morning in the big city!Skyscrapers in the background. The cows didn’t seem to notice.The cattle drive heads past the San Diego Convention Center. So does a jogger.The downtown cattle drive has turned onto Fifth Avenue. Here they come!Cowboys ride under the famous Gaslamp Quarter landmark sign.The Gaslamp hasn’t seen so many cowboys on horseback in a good century and a half!The cattle are driven up Fifth Avenue into the heart of San Diego.Folks ride in a wagon that promotes the 2017 San Diego County Fair – Where the West is Fun!A rather unusual sight proceeds north up through San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter.The Old West has come back to life in downtown San Diego!
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Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
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The 2017 Fiesta Botanica in Balboa Park featured lots of plants, flowers and useful botanical information.
Of course I had to go to Fiesta Botanica! I love flowers, plants, sunshine and Balboa Park!
What used to be called Balboa Park’s Garden Party is now Fiesta Botanica, in keeping with the surrounding Spanish-style architecture. And who would want to miss a colorful fiesta!
I’m sorry to say I missed the floral wagon parade this year, because I was privileged to receive a very special morning tour at the San Diego Museum of Art. I’ll probably blog about that tomorrow.
Anyway, I just happily wandered about Fiesta Botanica after leaving the museum and did my best to learn a little about gardening and the miraculous world of nature. There was quite a lot to see!
As the annual event got underway, a large crowd gathered on El Prado to enjoy gardening displays and San Diego sunshine.I missed the Floral Wagon Parade this year. A number of tours and lectures were held in the beautiful gardens of Balboa Park.The Southern California Plumeria Society had a very active booth.So did the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society!I learned this is a fig atop a huge Ficus dammaropsis leaf.As I walked about I spotted this colorful banner with a hummingbird and American flag. Perfect for Memorial Day weekend!Gorgeous blooms were being shown by the San Diego Epiphyllum Society.The Friends of Balboa Park has a number of great future projects. I like the idea of a platform around the giant, now-fenced-off Moreton Bay Fig, which stands near the Natural History Museum. A raised platform would allow visitors to more closely approach the majestic giant, while preventing the pressure of human feet from compressing the soil and endangering the roots.Photograph taken in the Alcazar Garden.Amazing blooms in the Alcazar Garden. Not sure what they are.As I walked back along El Prado, I got another photo of the smiling plumeria folks.Artist Michelle Gonzalez of Spanish Village was sitting in the Plaza de Panama painting three of Balboa Park’s landmark towers: the iconic California Tower and towers from the House of Hospitality and the House of Charm.The Zoro Garden had a number of butterfly releases which proved very popular with families. I saw butterflies flitting all over the place!Checking out one of the floral wagons that participated in the morning parade down El Prado. I believe this one was sponsored by Save Starlight.In Spanish Village, I was stopped in my tracks by this amazing painting by artist RD Riccoboni. An image of Claude Monet composed of flowers!
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I learned a past visitor to the Whaley House photographed these old dolls and was surprised to see the eyes–which are painted–closed!
Did I see any ghosts inside the Whaley House?
During my recent visit to Old Town San Diego, I ventured into the unknown. I took my very first look inside the Whaley House, widely considered to be the most haunted house in America. I also took lots of photographs, which you are about to see!
The Whaley House has been the subject of many serious paranormal investigations, and has appeared on many television programs. It was featured on Syfy Channel’s Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, the Travel Channel’s episode America’s Most Haunted on Ghost Adventures, and the Biography Channel’s show The Haunting of Regis Philbin. The house’s reputation for supernatural activity has been discussed widely in the media and adopted by the popular culture.
LIFE magazine, a serious publication, has stated that the Whaley House is “the most haunted house in America.” The Travel Channel has agreed with that conclusion.
So, did I see any ghosts, spirits or apparitions–any spooky or weird stuff?
As I took the self-guided tour and peered into the various rooms, my eyes were primarily searching for ideal shots for my camera. But in the back of my mind, I also anticipated perhaps glimpsing something unusual.
Perhaps I’d see the ghost of Yankee Jim, who was hanged in a particularly gruesome way in 1852, on the same plot of land where the Whaley House was built in 1857. The Whaley’s youngest daughter Lillian was absolutely convinced that he haunted their home.
Or I might see the ghosts of Thomas or Anna Whaley who built the house when they came to San Diego from San Francisco. Thomas is said to appear in the parlor or on the upper landing; Anna in the downstairs rooms or outside garden.
Or perhaps I might get a ghostly glimpse of someone or something else…
Three of the docents I spoke to during my recent visit related their own bizarre experiences. Two docents once saw a gilded cup in a display case begin to vibrate for no apparent reason. Nothing had shaken the house or case. No other artifacts near the cup moved. The cup’s peculiar motion continued for 30 to 45 seconds, they attested. Another docent told me that she twice smelled lavender perfume inexplicably while sitting near a window in the upstairs theater. Nobody was nearby.
Several years ago, when I passed the Whaley House and spoke to a docent standing outside the front door, they told me they’d heard inexplicable footsteps in the theater and had seen a strange shadow moving on an upstairs wall. The cashier in the gift shop next door had seen the same weird shadow. I blogged about that here.
Okay. So what exactly did I see? Look at the photographs! And read the captions for more history concerning this fascinating and historically important house.
If I experienced anything unusual inside the Whaley House, it was that I felt a bit like a time traveler. A tour through this historic house is like stepping back into another time, when day-to-day life was both simpler and in many ways more dangerous, unpredictable and difficult. In my mind’s eye I could almost see the people of that era moving about the house–performing ordinary tasks–people who really weren’t that different than you or me. I could almost put myself in their shoes. In my imagination.
Take a look at these photographs and what do you see? If a few images seem to contain glare or strange effects of light, it was probably caused by my camera’s flash and the necessity of taking some photos through glass. The photo of the children’s bedroom, for example, was taken through a glass pane.
The only adjustments I made to these photos were cropping, brightness, contrast and the GIMP filter for sharpness. And the photos I altered were changed just slightly to make them appear a little bit nicer on your screen!
Leave a comment if you see something ghostly!
Sign in front of America’s most haunted Whaley House. Like various other historic structures in San Diego, the house is preserved by SOHO–the Save Our Heritage Organisation.Photo of the 1857 Greek Revival-style Whaley House from across San Diego Avenue. The famous house is located in Old Town, the birthplace of San Diego.The Whaley House, once designated an official haunted house by the United States Commerce Department, has appeared on many television programs, including the Travel Channel’s show America’s Most Haunted.The Whaley house is the oldest brick building in Southern California. It served as home, granary, store, courthouse, school and theater. It was the most luxurious residence in early San Diego.Visitors to Old Town San Diego peer into the Whaley House window just left of the front door. That is where the Whaley and Crosthwaite General Store was located.The self-guided tour begins in the courtroom, which is located directly behind the store. Originally a granary whose brick walls failed to stop rats, at different times the room served as school, church, ballroom and billiard hall.Photograph on the courtroom’s back wall shows the Whaley House on the outskirts of tiny San Diego. It stands alone in a barren place. It was built on a hanging ground not far from old El Campo Santo Cemetery.Another photo inside the courtroom. This served as the second County Courthouse in San Diego, in operation from 1869 to 1871.Inside the courtroom you’ll find the Centennial Cannon. It was cast in 1876 and was used for various ceremonies before being moved to Horton Plaza.Another photo in the courtroom shows San Diego’s old stone jail in a crumbling state. It stands next to the chapel cabin and the old graveyard.The Whaley and Crosthwaite General Store. Many items available for purchase included whiskey, wine, buckwheat, macaroni, codfish, pickles, catsup, tin ware, hardware, stationery, clothing and shoes.Shelves behind the store’s counter contain products one might buy in the mid to late 1800’s in San Diego. Goods that arrived by ship around Cape Horn were later obtained via transcontinental railroad.A nearby display case contains items belonging to various members of the Whaley family, including engraved silverware and china.Inside the display case one can see an old photograph of George H. R. Whaley, one of the six children of Thomas and Anna Whaley.Two docents told me how they were both present when the gilded cup began to vibrate without explanation. It did so for about 30 to 45 seconds. No other objects moved.More historical objects that belonged to the Whaley family, including a small snubnosed revolver.Next on the self-guided tour is the circa 1860s dining room. The chairs are upholstered with woven horse hair. They’ve survived a century and a half in pretty good condition.The wallpaper with fleur-de-lis patterns reflects light like a sky full of shining, golden stars. The furnishings and silver are original.The tour proceeds to the reconstructed kitchen, which seeks to replicate the original board and batten structure. The checked floor is typical of the era.Many of the dishes and utensils are original. Prepared food would be passed through a window (that we are looking through) to the adjacent dining room.Photo of rear of Whaley House. The white detached room is the kitchen. In case of fire, the burning walls of the kitchen would be pulled away from the main building by horse. This type of construction was common in those days.These stairs lead up to the second floor of the Whaley House museum, where there is a theater and three bedrooms.A docent explains the history of this first commercial theater in San Diego. The Tanner Troupe performed here from October 1868 to January 1869. The first performance reportedly attracted an audience of 150. The docent thought this number was improbable–for just one performance in this rather small room!The painted backdrop of the stage, an original family trunk, and a raven, recalling the famous poem of Victorian-era American horror writer Edgar Allan Poe.Another photo showing painted curtains. On two occasions, a docent was sitting to the left of this stage by one of the second floor windows when she smelled sudden, mysterious lavender perfume. Nobody was nearby, she told me.Advertisement framed on theater wall. Admission to see the Tanner Troupe perform was 50 cents. Audiences saw moral, chaste and versatile entertainments–drama, farce, comedy, singing and dancing.Print in a gilded frame in the upstairs theater. It’s from a painting depicting Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. On the opposite wall hangs similar artwork depicting Othello.Outdoor stairs back then ascended to this outside balcony. Audiences entered the theater that way, without disturbing the Whaley House living quarters.Photo of Thomas and Anna Whaley’s master bedroom. According to the self-guided tour info, the walnut bedroom set is in the Renaissance Revival style. The writing desk was Anna’s.A visitor gazing into the children’s bedroom said the dolls seemed very creepy. The crib just visible was used by four generations. An 18-month old Thomas Whaley Jr. died here from scarlet fever.Visitors look for ghosts in the children’s bedroom. The theater is straight ahead.The rear bedroom could be used by up to four children and multiple visitors. The washbowl and pitcher were used for bathing.Now we are back downstairs. This is part of the elegant guest chamber in the southeast corner of the Whaley House. Important people stayed here, including General Thomas Sedgewick.The study with desk and bookcase. During his time in San Diego, Thomas Whaley held many positions, including merchant, city clerk, notary public, realtor and railroad secretary. That sword was actually a prop used by the Tanner Troupe during their performances in the theater upstairs.Looking from the study into the Rococo Revival Style parlor. The Whaleys were much wealthier than most San Diego residents at the time. The room is full of art, paintings and splendid decorative objects.There’s no guarantee you will see a ghost at the Whaley House. But you will definitely observe a good deal of history and learn about San Diego’s fascinating past.
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Looking across San Diego Bay toward downtown. A spectacular view from Coronado’s beautiful Centennial Park.
Spring will soon become summer. I had to wear shorts for my long walk around Coronado today. A very warm sun was shining and the island was abloom.
Walking west through Centennial Park. Flags line the pathway for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.Gazing from a sheltered area with benches across the green grass. The skyline of downtown San Diego rises in the background.Words on one bench. Don’t be afraid to lean into the wind, love the earth in all of its glories, and take care of each other.Gazing north along the bayside beach toward Navy ships docked at North Island.Roses bloom near the old ticket booth of the original Coronado ferry.A spring bloom in Coronado.Some patriotic art on a wall by the Little Club on Orange Avenue.Walking west along Orange Avenue. Coronado is pleasant, friendly and inviting wherever you roam.Bench near the front of the Coronado Public Library.Plaque on the bench. In memory of June Lenz, founder of Crown Garden Club, whose legacy was to encourage the love of flowers and the beautification of Coronado.Flowers in front of the stately but welcoming Coronado Public Library.The big Torrey Pine on the left side of this photograph is a Coronado Heritage Tree.Flags by the library fly proudly on a spring day.A plaque on a boulder by the flagpole. The Stockdale Tribute. Vice Admiral Stockdale and his wife Sybil were distinguished Coronado residents.A shining, kinetic sculpture by the library turns in the breeze.A flower vendor brightens Orange Avenue.This life-size Marilyn Monroe by an Orange Avenue shop is in her iconic pose. The famous actress starred in the movie Some Like It Hot, which was filmed at the nearby Hotel del Coronado.Flowers along fence of a pleasant house in affluent Coronado.Looking out across the wide beach toward the Point Loma peninsula and the Pacific Ocean.A peek at John D. Spreckels’ “beach house” on Coronado.
On the beachfront, at 1043 Ocean Boulevard, you’ll find one of two historic Spreckels Mansions: his “beach house”. John D. Spreckels’ more impressive “bay-side house” is now the Glorietta Bay Inn, across from the Hotel del Coronado. The successful and very wealthy businessman helped to transform San Diego into a bustling city and center of commerce. One of his business ventures included the world-famous Hotel del Coronado.
Concrete sidewalk in front of the Spreckels “beach house” is stamped 1898.Heading south along the beach toward the Hotel del Coronado, one of the world’s finest resorts.Coronado has one of the best beaches in the United States. It is regularly rated in the nation’s top five.Hotel guests and visitors enjoy the San Diego sunshine on a broad white beach.This cool sand sculpture was built near the Hotel del Coronado by The Sandcastle Man!The Hotel del Coronado is an architectural gem. Numerous world leaders, dignitaries and celebrities have stayed at the resort over the years.Sign by the beach. Hotel del Coronado continues to safeguard this magnificent stretch of Southern California coastline.This is paradise.Biking down toward the Coronado Shores.Old and new maps of Coronado Island on a portable restroom.The Hotel del Coronado’s old boathouse, on Glorietta Bay, built in 1887. It’s now home to the Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill.Bicyclists ride down Glorietta Boulevard, part of the Bayshore Bikeway around San Diego Bay.Golfers enjoy a sunny spring Saturday at the Coronado Municipal Golf Course.Photo taken beneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, which opened in 1969. Locals often call it the Coronado Bay Bridge.Boats moored between Coronado and the bridge. San Diego’s shipyards can be glimpsed on the other side of the bay.Colorful boats piled on the sand near Coronado Tidelands Park.A silly bench by the playground at Coronado Tidelands Park, created by sculptor Douglas Snider of Studio 15 in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village Art Center.I believe this fellow down by the water is a great blue heron.My walk will soon come full circle. What a perfect late spring day.
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Late this afternoon I discovered strange and wonderful beauty.
As I relaxed on a comfortable wooden bench on the poop deck of the Star of India, enjoying the sea breeze and sunlit bay, my eyes were drawn to the riot of ropes that were coiled, knotted, stretched and dangling all about the deck, in every direction. How strangely beautiful they appeared.
I took a few photos.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Someone rides a bicycle along B Street during San Diego’s Bike to Work Day.
This morning, on my way to catch the trolley downtown, I saw lots of people heading to work by bicycle. Today was Bike to Work Day in San Diego!
I snapped a few photos just for the fun of it. I also took a photo of a cool map showing designated places to bike in San Diego’s downtown and uptown areas. Make copies of it for your own use if you’d like!
The Donut Bar had a Bike to Work Day pit stop in downtown San Diego. Many morning riders swung on by.There were tables full of goodies for those who commuted to work by bike.Another pit stop at Civic Center Plaza. The City of San Diego has a special program that encourages bicycling.A map of the San Diego downtown and uptown bike loop. (Click image to enlarge.)Even a blogger who is more into walking received big smiles!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
A group begins an easy nature hike down a trail at San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
On Saturday I visited Gunpowder Point, just south of where the Sweetwater River empties into San Diego Bay. The marshy area is a wildlife refuge. It’s part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, to be exact, and home of the popular Living Coast Discovery Center.
After visiting the Living Coast Discovery Center, I enjoyed a guided nature hike down a short trail through the Sweetwater Marsh.
I was pleasantly surprised by the bare natural beauty. I didn’t see a whole lot of wildlife during this visit, but I know our region’s marshes and estuaries are often teeming with birds. San Diego is part of the Pacific Flyway, a major route of migratory birds that stretches from Alaska to South America.
A map inside the nearby Living Coast Discovery Center shows the location of the Sweetwater River and the marsh where it enters San Diego Bay.Hiking through Chula Vista’s protected Sweetwater Marsh on a sunny day. It’s mid-May and the once green and flowering plants have begun to dry out. In this photo I see some prickly pear cactus. During the hike I also recognized black sage and coastal sagebrush.Our guide shows us saltbush. It is adapted to the type of salty soil in this coastal marsh. Its leaves taste salty!Sign by the trail. This area is called Gunpowder Point. During World War I, Hercules Powder Co. extracted potash and acetone here from kelp harvested offshore in the Pacific Ocean. These were used to make cordite, also called smokeless gunpowder, for the British.A sail on the bay beyond a drying field of San Diego Sunflowers.The short, easy hike is ideal for families.Some sunflowers are still yellow.The San Diego Sunflower, or Bahiopsis laciniata, is often found in a coastal sage scrub environment.The Silver Strand and Coronado Cays can be seen across San Diego Bay.We’ve arrived at the wildlife refuge’s narrow sandy shore. Birds could be seen here and there in the distance.As the group continues on, I linger to take in the sunshine and wide views. I notice what appears to be remnants of the potash manufacturing operation from years ago. Some benches allow rest and meditation.Stones and debris on a beach in the wildlife refuge.Some mysterious (to me) concrete ruins on Gunpowder Point.I arrived at a bird observation structure. All was very quiet. I saw a California least tern hunting small fish along the water’s edge. Few people seem to come out here.Depending on the tide, the area near the shore can be open water or a mudflat that supports shorebirds searching for food.Bird’s beaks are specially designed for feeding. Some beaks filter plants from the water, some grab flies out of the air, and some probe the mud.The tide must have been out, because this platform stood above a drying mudflat. I believe that might be bright green eelgrass in the shallow pool of water.Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, or crystalline ice plant, is salt tolerant. My hike through the marsh produced some beautiful surprises.Hiking through an expanse of green in San Diego’s South Bay.
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