Now for the good stuff! On Saturday morning I called Rick Negrette, a coworker who rides a Harley and asked him if he wanted to go, he said yeah, give him about 1/2 hour, which was perfect due to the club meeting, which Terry conducted. Rick got there, was able to grab some coffee and wake up. During the 230 meeting a weird, WEIRD thing happened. Barry bought, oh I don't know, $10 or $20 worth of tickets, and won the first prize that they drew for. I went up, got it, drew the second ticket, and it was Barry's. Again. So he gave it to Ken Yunk. Ken drew a ticket, and it was BARRY'S TICKET AGAIN. He gave it to one of the new guys. That was totally weird. Why can't that shit happen when we ride with the Riverside 345 club? THEY have a 50-50 and give out CASH!!!
The meeting broke up, Barry, Rick, Johney and I got on our bikes and zoomed off to the 5 freeway around 8:45 AM. I had Johney lead a lot since we might've had to stop on the way down for something and I wanted him to decide where. (do ya get it??!!) Got gas at the Shell station off of the 5 and Old Town Road,
then got to San Diego Old Town at 10:20 AM, a leetle bit early. 
Went into the restaurant and waited for Johney's friend Karen Neely, who works at the San Diego Zoo, and her granddaughter Jakaida (PLEASE LET ME KNOW THE SPELLING, GUYS!!! I know I'm screwing it up!) The food was pretty good, not too bad, but we said that next time we came down, Karen knows of a really good place. Hey, she's the San Diego expert, her judgement I trust.
I will tell ya that Karen and Ja (that's how I'm gonna refer to you hon, unless you email me differently) are the SWEETEST and coolest people I've met! Plus they laugh at my jokes. (example-I told Karen a 'zoo' joke-"Karen, did you hear that the Warsaw zoo closed down? Their clam died".)
First stop in San Diego, the Old Town Mexican Restaurant. We got there uber early, around 10:20 AM, so I probably could've/should've done a little shopping.
Below, the boys are (as boys always are when it comes to women) impatient. (Or Johney's doing an imitation of a blowfish)
I have NO CLUE why Barry's getting a pat on the head, but in the next pic they seem to be buddies.
Karen and her granddaughter.
(Johney) "I don't know what's good, maybe the chili colorado" (like he orders it EVERY SINGLE TIME)
After lunch, onward to Balboa Park. I had never been there, despite living in SoCal XX years, so I looked up all sorts of stuff online, found out that there was a Science Fair that day and some of the museums would be free, so that was cool. Had to park in the SD zoo parking lot, due to the Science Fair at Balboa park. I don't t
hink we did too badly, actually, but Rick was saying we could've gone way far up and parked there, but either way we'd-a had to walk it.
To the right, Rick, Johney and Barry, and they're waiting impatiently again for the AB.
(Johney) "I don't know what's good, maybe the chili colorado" (like he orders it EVERY SINGLE TIME)
This is a GREAT pic of Karen and Johney. They both have the GREATEST smiles, don't they?!
1/2 of my Gordo burrito-YES, I ate the whole thing. And regretted it the next day.
After lunch, onward to Balboa Park. I had never been there, despite living in SoCal XX years, so I looked up all sorts of stuff online, found out that there was a Science Fair that day and some of the museums would be free, so that was cool. Had to park in the SD zoo parking lot, due to the Science Fair at Balboa park. I don't t
hink we did too badly, actually, but Rick was saying we could've gone way far up and parked there, but either way we'd-a had to walk it.
To the right, Rick, Johney and Barry, and they're waiting impatiently again for the AB.
Johney was the only smart one in the bunch; HE brought tennies to walk in! (I think Karen warned him) The rest of us were feeling it by the end of the day when we left, wearing our heavy clomper motorcycle boots. While walking to Balboa Park proper (the SD Zoo is right next to the park and is part of it), Karen was telling us about the zoo origins, the park origins, and generally being a wonderful tour guide. See, didn't I TELL you she was great! And pretty, too!!! (Karen I mean)
First stop, the Museum of Natural History: cool stuff in there.
WELL, OK, the first stop was TECHNICALLY right in FRONT OF THE MUSEUM. Above right, see the green van? Behind it there's a curb. The curb is marked. Even though it's marked, some AB's are so engrossed in other stuff that they totally miss the fact that the curb is there and DON'T miss it with their foot. This is when the AB went down HARD. Only thing bruised was my ego, but that's ok, we were laughing about it the rest of the day. I was, anyway.
WELL, OK, the first stop was TECHNICALLY right in FRONT OF THE MUSEUM. Above right, see the green van? Behind it there's a curb. The curb is marked. Even though it's marked, some AB's are so engrossed in other stuff that they totally miss the fact that the curb is there and DON'T miss it with their foot. This is when the AB went down HARD. Only thing bruised was my ego, but that's ok, we were laughing about it the rest of the day. I was, anyway.
This first museum was HUGE, and I loved the 'cutaway' views of the sea cows and the shark.
This is ONE WEIRD animal. I couldn't figure out if it was, indeed an actual animal (or a mock-up) or someone's LSD trip, but it is (was) an actual 'Clam sucker and fish chaser'. Oohhhhh-kkkkaaaaayyyy. Right.
Moving on to the outside, decided to go to the Reuben H. Fleet Space Museum, really high on my list of priorities. Unfortunately, the line to get IN to the place was longer'n heck, so we said we'd stop by it on the way out. We didn't. Oh, well, next time I have to do that museum FOR SURE.
Interesting architecture, isn't it? Karen was telling us that the builder got PO'd at the City fathers who were telling him what he could and could not put on his building, so he put these under the eaves. Of COURSE everyone who knows anything will look up there and see them! I noticed that the figures were anatomically correct, in that gravity as usual has the last word. If I ever look like that, I'm getting (bigger) implants.
The main plaza, above. Talk about crowded, but it wasn't as bad as Disneyland. Karen was telling us that around Halloween it's really cool. Since Halloween and April Fool's Day are my two fave national holidays, I gotta come back and check this place out.
I loved the drag race to the right, with the girl in the middle giving them the 'green light', and the cotton puffs as exhaust. THAT was some out of the box thinking, there.
This is ONE WEIRD animal. I couldn't figure out if it was, indeed an actual animal (or a mock-up) or someone's LSD trip, but it is (was) an actual 'Clam sucker and fish chaser'. Oohhhhh-kkkkaaaaayyyy. Right.
Moving on to the outside, decided to go to the Reuben H. Fleet Space Museum, really high on my list of priorities. Unfortunately, the line to get IN to the place was longer'n heck, so we said we'd stop by it on the way out. We didn't. Oh, well, next time I have to do that museum FOR SURE.
Interesting architecture, isn't it? Karen was telling us that the builder got PO'd at the City fathers who were telling him what he could and could not put on his building, so he put these under the eaves. Of COURSE everyone who knows anything will look up there and see them! I noticed that the figures were anatomically correct, in that gravity as usual has the last word. If I ever look like that, I'm getting (bigger) implants.
The main plaza, above. Talk about crowded, but it wasn't as bad as Disneyland. Karen was telling us that around Halloween it's really cool. Since Halloween and April Fool's Day are my two fave national holidays, I gotta come back and check this place out.Aren't those azaleas beautiful? This is right by the Japanese Friendship Garden. Wanted to go in there, but Karen was saying it was mostly a chick type of thing and guys aren't really all that in to it. Usually I stamp my foot and just freakin' go where I want to, but this time I caved and let the boys off the hook.
Now, THIS NEXT MUSEUM WAS THE BOMB!!! The Railway Museum. Somebody told me that it was fantastic, and IT WAS. I wanted to take pics of the little details and the size of some of the layouts. I love those little touches, like the guy below who let the forklift get away from him . Where are the EMT's? Hmmm, that would be a cool touch, have an action shot, then have 'reactive' figures.
Below right, you can see the size of some of these layouts!
I loved the drag race to the right, with the girl in the middle giving them the 'green light', and the cotton puffs as exhaust. THAT was some out of the box thinking, there.
See the two little motorcyclists waiting for the train!! And to the lower left, Karen checking out the work-in-progress room where they in the process of building more layouts. One of the gentlemen up there told us that they would have to break the sets apart if they'd have to move them out of the facility. They also told us that they lay the tracks FIRST, and THEN build around the tracks. Kinda makes sense, especially with mountains and things.
Yeah, I guess I like trains. A LOT. I mean, come on, 5 videos??
Above is a view of the San Diego 3 Tracks layout and the other video is a shot of the train-cam that was on the monitor in the first video. Our Dad (Tori's and mine) raised us on N Gauge trains. While he didn't have such a spectacular setup, it was pretty cool around the Christmas Tree, especially when we made tunnels and mountains of the Christmas presents!
Check out the little cars and the drive in! A member of our party wanted to see if anyone in the cars was making out. I told him that I thought I saw one or two of the cars' windows kinda fogged up; other than that, can't see shit. But you KNOW there were...
To the left, I was asked, "Where are you going NOW, Lynne?" and I said "Up the stairs to take pics, you dorks!" So I did.
Check out the old Jack in the Box drive through speaker box! Haven't seen one of them (or prices like that!) since gas was 45 cents. Below is a scooter, don't know if you can see it, but there are about 20 plus mirrors on it.
The flying car, below.
Now THIS car was pretty interesting. This car could go cross country without stopping. Like, NO STOPPING FOR GAS, NO STOPPING FOR POTTY BREAKS, NOTHING. There was everything in this car, it would be refueled on the road, there were 'catwalks' on either side of the car for guys to walk back and forth, even a mounted shower. I'm assuming there was a catwalk to get to that, too.
Unfortunately, couldn't get into the San Diego Air and Space Museum because they were having a special event that night and closed at 3 PM. We got there around 3:30 PM. Oh, well. Put that on the list of next time, along with the Space Museum. This was kind of cute, it's a 'self-guided tour' car.
Below, the lily pond and entrance to the Botanical Gardens. That was so wonderful and about 15 degrees cooler than the outside air. I go into these venues mainly to see the water features i.e. waterfalls, streams, ponds, etcs. Hey, I'm a water sign, Pisces, the fish.
To the left, I was asked, "Where are you going NOW, Lynne?" and I said "Up the stairs to take pics, you dorks!" So I did. The next museum was pretty cool, also, the Automotive Museum. They were having a special exhibition, "Hot Rods Then And Now" which had some pretty interesting cars in there. I took pics of the stuff I felt was really neat, like the 55 Chevy with the dice in the window and the drive-up car window tray. Below, Barry and Rick are looking at a Black Vincent, I believe it is.
Check out the old Jack in the Box drive through speaker box! Haven't seen one of them (or prices like that!) since gas was 45 cents. Below is a scooter, don't know if you can see it, but there are about 20 plus mirrors on it.
The flying car, below.
Now THIS car was pretty interesting. This car could go cross country without stopping. Like, NO STOPPING FOR GAS, NO STOPPING FOR POTTY BREAKS, NOTHING. There was everything in this car, it would be refueled on the road, there were 'catwalks' on either side of the car for guys to walk back and forth, even a mounted shower. I'm assuming there was a catwalk to get to that, too.
Unfortunately, couldn't get into the San Diego Air and Space Museum because they were having a special event that night and closed at 3 PM. We got there around 3:30 PM. Oh, well. Put that on the list of next time, along with the Space Museum. This was kind of cute, it's a 'self-guided tour' car.
Below, the lily pond and entrance to the Botanical Gardens. That was so wonderful and about 15 degrees cooler than the outside air. I go into these venues mainly to see the water features i.e. waterfalls, streams, ponds, etcs. Hey, I'm a water sign, Pisces, the fish.
The botanical gardens lily and koi pond. Below, we're walking to an end destination in the San Diego Zoo (Karen was able to get us in for free!), namely adult drinks at the Zoo at Albert's, a restaurant that seemed part restaurant, part treehouse.
The adult watering hole-'Alberts'.
The adult watering hole-'Alberts'.
And so ended the day, except for the ride home, which was crowded a lot in North San Diego County, but we followed Johney in between the car lanes. Barry doesn't like it, Johney doesn't like it, I'm not too crazy about it, but we did it or overheat the bikes. The nice thing is that with someone in front of me, the cars will see HIM first and not come over until we all pass.
Hopefully.
So far, it's worked.
I will say that on the way home I kinda reined in a bit, going 70-75, and I'm glad I did because two CHP motors whizzed by us in South OC and frankly came out of nowhere.
Glad I wasn't doing my usual 80.
We got home around, oh, 6 PM-ish, give or take a few minutes. Nice ride, nice day.
Next week/next ride, more technical, less 'to-do' stuff, except I had a request to NOT do a, what was it called, oh yeah, to not do an 'ass freezer'.
I will take that into consideration, friends. If you still want to ride with me.
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