San Diego from the Coronado bay.

 

Coronado , CA, Aug. 20

We leave Gila Bend at 8:30 a.m. and drive straight through. They told us at the motel it was a 5 hour drive but we do it in four and a half. It’s all desert. We had taken part of this route in the past but neither of us remembers it. Even though it’s morning it’s nearly 100 degrees outside and the first time on the trip that we turn the air conditioning on. Desert, long, brown hot desert. Then huge mountains of brown and gray stone. Sandstone? Climbing up around curves with warning signs about overheating. 70 mph. Up from 1,000 ft elevation to 2,000, 3,000, peaking at 4,000. And nothing but mountains of boulders. It’s like moving through another planet, a dead planet. At one point there’s virtually no visible life at all. Just rocks sitting in a silent no-time as we race along the road between them.

We hit El Cajon and the traffic picks up in a serious way with four, then five lanes of vehicles going 70 mph, whipping in and out of lanes around us. It’s as bad as I’d remembered. Finally make it to the Coronado bridge. I grit my teeth and follow a truck. I hate that damned bridge. It’s high, it curves and all you see is water hundreds of feet below. It was built high enough to allow the tallest ships to pass under. It’s windy. People who want to die jump off it. I focus on the truck ahead of me and look down only once. Then I look quickly back at the truck.

It’s a huge relief to hit 3rd street and make the quiet drive in. Marianne is overjoyed to see us. Donald is happy but not feeling well. In addition to his breathing problems, he broke two ribs last week and is pretty miserable.

While Donald watches TV and Leigh and Marianne talk (and tour the new kitchen), I walk three blocks down to the bay. It’s a pleasant walk past tidy, expensive houses, orange trees, huge jade bushes and cacti. I come back and get the camera for some paper shots. I get all the way back down to the bay and find the camera is full. Back to the house again. Download the shots and return to the bay for the third time.

We spend the evening watching the Olympics, something I’ve never done before. I’m glad I did this time. Carley’s incredible performance was awe-inspiring.

* * *

 

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