1987--Southern CA/Arizona
Day One--August 2, 1987
Margo and I had gotten married back in April, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we didn't get to take a honeymoon trip until August. Even though my Dad had been in the Air Force, and we had lived in several locales before he retired, I had never flown before. Margo's travels had consisted of road trips as well. We have a daughter, Jolene, that would nearly be 3 years old at the end of August. So she had never flown before either. Yes, a combination of poverty and a sheltered existence had conspired to confine us to the state of Colorado, for most of our lives. But that would all change. This year, 1987, we would be going to San Diego. Here we would visit my best friend, and best man, Dennis. He and his girlfriend, Carrie, lived in an apartment complex in a San Diego suburb, El Cajon.
Up early, showered, dressed, and finished with the packing. Then we loaded up and were off to Stapleton International Airport in Denver. We were all very excited about both the trip, and the flight before it. We arrived way too early, but we didn't care. Having never had a reason to be in an airport before, we did a little exploring once we got through security and to our terminal. We looked in shops and got something to eat, and then finally got to board the plane.
We sat together and gave Jolene the window seat (even though we all wanted to see!), got strapped in and waited. It seemed like it took forever, but I'm sure it was only about 20 minutes before everyone was seated and their carry-ons stowed. Soon we started to move. We kept moving. We rolled along and just kept rolling. We thought this was a little unusual and soon a few of the more seasoned travelers were commenting on it. About that time the Captain came on and told us not to worry. We weren't going to taxi to San Diego. We had just been sent to the other end to take advantage of the wind.
We taxied over I-70. Stapleton had what were known as the runway tunnels. These were runways (well, taxiways) that crossed busy I-70 on the east side of Denver. I worked in this area, and at first it was a little weird to see a jumbo jet cross the highway in front of you, but after awhile you don't hardly notice. But, this was the first time I had seen the cars from a plane.
We got into position and started down the runway. The acceleration was moderate at first, but then rapidly the pace quickened and you felt yourself pushed back into your seat a bit. Margo and I were alternating between watching out the window and watching Jolene. She loved it. Then you felt the plane rise, and the ground appear to fall away. We were flying! I wouldn't call the feeling a letdown, but it was not the huge adrenaline rush I had pictured. It was smooth, and just felt like forward momentum, like a car. Well, except for that whole up angle part. But even that wasn't new. We did live near the mountains after all, and driving up felt something like this.
The flight settled into something approaching boredom. Which on a craft moving hundreds of miles an hour, tens of thousands of feet in the air, is a good thing. None of us are afraid of flying, but the occasional bump reminded, me at least, that this was still an unnatural act. We had an inflight meal and our complimentary snack and drink. By the time that was over, we were about ready to start the descent. About half and hour later we were there.
We got out of the plane and followed the signs to baggage claim. Dennis and Carrie were going to meet us, but we didn't exactly know where. But, as they weren't at our gate when we got off, we figured our bags might come in handy regardless of what happened, so we headed there. As soon as we got to the Main Terminal they were there waiting. We gathered up the luggage and loaded up into Dennis' car.
Dennis had offered to let us stay with him on the trip and we took him up on the offer. I had not made any plans, and in actuality, on this vacation we left it up to Dennis as what we would be doing. The plan for the day was just to visit, catch up on happenings, a little dinner, and then off to bed. So that is what we did.
Up early, showered, dressed, and finished with the packing. Then we loaded up and were off to Stapleton International Airport in Denver. We were all very excited about both the trip, and the flight before it. We arrived way too early, but we didn't care. Having never had a reason to be in an airport before, we did a little exploring once we got through security and to our terminal. We looked in shops and got something to eat, and then finally got to board the plane.
We sat together and gave Jolene the window seat (even though we all wanted to see!), got strapped in and waited. It seemed like it took forever, but I'm sure it was only about 20 minutes before everyone was seated and their carry-ons stowed. Soon we started to move. We kept moving. We rolled along and just kept rolling. We thought this was a little unusual and soon a few of the more seasoned travelers were commenting on it. About that time the Captain came on and told us not to worry. We weren't going to taxi to San Diego. We had just been sent to the other end to take advantage of the wind.
We taxied over I-70. Stapleton had what were known as the runway tunnels. These were runways (well, taxiways) that crossed busy I-70 on the east side of Denver. I worked in this area, and at first it was a little weird to see a jumbo jet cross the highway in front of you, but after awhile you don't hardly notice. But, this was the first time I had seen the cars from a plane.
We got into position and started down the runway. The acceleration was moderate at first, but then rapidly the pace quickened and you felt yourself pushed back into your seat a bit. Margo and I were alternating between watching out the window and watching Jolene. She loved it. Then you felt the plane rise, and the ground appear to fall away. We were flying! I wouldn't call the feeling a letdown, but it was not the huge adrenaline rush I had pictured. It was smooth, and just felt like forward momentum, like a car. Well, except for that whole up angle part. But even that wasn't new. We did live near the mountains after all, and driving up felt something like this.
The flight settled into something approaching boredom. Which on a craft moving hundreds of miles an hour, tens of thousands of feet in the air, is a good thing. None of us are afraid of flying, but the occasional bump reminded, me at least, that this was still an unnatural act. We had an inflight meal and our complimentary snack and drink. By the time that was over, we were about ready to start the descent. About half and hour later we were there.
We got out of the plane and followed the signs to baggage claim. Dennis and Carrie were going to meet us, but we didn't exactly know where. But, as they weren't at our gate when we got off, we figured our bags might come in handy regardless of what happened, so we headed there. As soon as we got to the Main Terminal they were there waiting. We gathered up the luggage and loaded up into Dennis' car.
Dennis had offered to let us stay with him on the trip and we took him up on the offer. I had not made any plans, and in actuality, on this vacation we left it up to Dennis as what we would be doing. The plan for the day was just to visit, catch up on happenings, a little dinner, and then off to bed. So that is what we did.
Day Two--August 3, 1987
We slept in as we were on vacation and had nothing planned. After a bite to eat, and just doing a lot of nothing for awhile, we decided to take Jolene to the beach. None of us, excluding Dennis and Carrie, had ever been to the ocean before, so this was definitely something we wanted to do. Dennis was most familiar with Mission Bay Beach, so that was where we decided to go.
It was a beautiful day and we got there sometime in the early afternoon. Carrie had to work, so it was just the four of us. But that was OK. We brought towels and sunscreen and a cooler full of ice cold drinks and found ourselves a spot. It was crowded, but not terribly so. It wasn't long before Margo, Jolene, and I all headed to the water. I took the video camera to capture the event.
Jolene was not sure about this at all. Jolene is not quite three years old, and had spent her whole life in Colorado and had never seen this much water in one spot ever. But the most disconcerting part for her was the waves. The lakes that she had played on the shores back home did not have waves that came rushing in. The ones today were not huge, but there were people surfing. Trust me, there are no surfers on the lakes of Colorado, so this was new.
Her mother coaxed her out about three feet out into the wet sand. That meant she would get hit by the waves, but then the water would retreat back. Her mother hovered over the top of her, and after a taking another step or two closer to the danger zone, Jolene decided that she would just hang on to her mother and pull her feet up. This avoided the waves all together. After about 10 minutes they decided to retreat back to the towels.
I went out into the water, but I didn't really see the allure. It's salty and while not dirty, it was not what I would call clean either. Not with the various seaweeds and other plants. Dennis and I had rented boogie boards and we messed around with them for awhile. But we also decided that a cool drink and a little lounging around would be fun too. We all did the back and forth thing. In the water for awhile, back on the towels for awhile, water, towels, water, towels. This lasted for about an hour and a half. By then we had enjoyed the beach enough. We rinsed off, got into clean cloths, and decided to head to Seaport Village.
Seaport Village was located a few miles south of Mission Bay on I-5, so we were there in no time. Seaport Village is right on the water at the center of San Diego Bay. Out in bay you can see North Island Naval Air Station and then off to your left (south-ish) you can see the Coronado Bridge. The Village itself has lots of little shops and restaurants to explore. It didn't take us long to get something cold to drink as it was about 4:00 and still plenty hot.
We saw a military helicopter fly in and a number of large pleasure boats sail by. Jolene enjoyed the fountain that we came across. She played in that some and enjoyed getting her hands wet and then "splashing" one of us with them. We had arrived at a fortuitous time as the Seaport Village Juggler was to put on one of his shows at 4:40. So we gathered around with the rest of the crowd and watched him do his thing. He was pretty talented and amusing enough to coax a dollar or two out of us when he was finished.
After the juggler we wander around a bit more, ate a pretzel, took in the shops, and called it day long before the sun was to go down. So it was back to Dennis' place, where we cooked up dinner, watched a little TV, and talked. Kind of an unexciting and leisurely day, but as we had two weeks, it wasn't like we were in a hurry. We decided to try the San Diego Zoo tomorrow.
It was a beautiful day and we got there sometime in the early afternoon. Carrie had to work, so it was just the four of us. But that was OK. We brought towels and sunscreen and a cooler full of ice cold drinks and found ourselves a spot. It was crowded, but not terribly so. It wasn't long before Margo, Jolene, and I all headed to the water. I took the video camera to capture the event.
Jolene was not sure about this at all. Jolene is not quite three years old, and had spent her whole life in Colorado and had never seen this much water in one spot ever. But the most disconcerting part for her was the waves. The lakes that she had played on the shores back home did not have waves that came rushing in. The ones today were not huge, but there were people surfing. Trust me, there are no surfers on the lakes of Colorado, so this was new.
Her mother coaxed her out about three feet out into the wet sand. That meant she would get hit by the waves, but then the water would retreat back. Her mother hovered over the top of her, and after a taking another step or two closer to the danger zone, Jolene decided that she would just hang on to her mother and pull her feet up. This avoided the waves all together. After about 10 minutes they decided to retreat back to the towels.
I went out into the water, but I didn't really see the allure. It's salty and while not dirty, it was not what I would call clean either. Not with the various seaweeds and other plants. Dennis and I had rented boogie boards and we messed around with them for awhile. But we also decided that a cool drink and a little lounging around would be fun too. We all did the back and forth thing. In the water for awhile, back on the towels for awhile, water, towels, water, towels. This lasted for about an hour and a half. By then we had enjoyed the beach enough. We rinsed off, got into clean cloths, and decided to head to Seaport Village.
Seaport Village was located a few miles south of Mission Bay on I-5, so we were there in no time. Seaport Village is right on the water at the center of San Diego Bay. Out in bay you can see North Island Naval Air Station and then off to your left (south-ish) you can see the Coronado Bridge. The Village itself has lots of little shops and restaurants to explore. It didn't take us long to get something cold to drink as it was about 4:00 and still plenty hot.
We saw a military helicopter fly in and a number of large pleasure boats sail by. Jolene enjoyed the fountain that we came across. She played in that some and enjoyed getting her hands wet and then "splashing" one of us with them. We had arrived at a fortuitous time as the Seaport Village Juggler was to put on one of his shows at 4:40. So we gathered around with the rest of the crowd and watched him do his thing. He was pretty talented and amusing enough to coax a dollar or two out of us when he was finished.
After the juggler we wander around a bit more, ate a pretzel, took in the shops, and called it day long before the sun was to go down. So it was back to Dennis' place, where we cooked up dinner, watched a little TV, and talked. Kind of an unexciting and leisurely day, but as we had two weeks, it wasn't like we were in a hurry. We decided to try the San Diego Zoo tomorrow.
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Day Three-August 4, 1987
Anyone who has watched the Tonight Show on even a semi-regular basis has been exposed to the animals of the San Diego Zoo. For years they would send one person or another bringing some furry or feathered critter to educate the public and do something to embarrass either Johnny Carson or Jay Leno. So as we were going to be in the San Diego area for nearly two weeks, how could we not go?
As was getting to be our normal routine, we were in no real hurry to get up and seize the day. We were more into the lulling the day into a state of complacency and then sneaking up on it in the afternoon. So we didn't get to the zoo until after noon. But as it was open into the evening we weren't concerned about not having enough time.
The big draw to Zoo this year were the Panda Bears from China. China had loaned two pandas, Basi and Yuan Yuan, to the San Diego Zoo for a period of 200 days. These were the only pandas in the United States, so we had to see them. But, they weren’t the first things that we did, as the Panda Exhibit was towards the back of the zoo. So first we had to wander past reindeer and ostriches, giraffes and zebras, water buffalo and a few big cats. We also happened upon a pair of antelope who were doing their part to perpetuate the species. We did manage to divert Jolene's attention and avoid awkward questions.
We did make it to the Panda Exhibit about half an hour into our visit. The line was unbelievable! Perhaps in Southern California, home of Disneyland and such, people are accustomed to seeing line like this.
But outside of the line outside the lady's restroom at a Bronco game, Denver doesn't have lines like this. In truth the San Diego Zoo doesn't normally either. I later found out that 2 million people saw the pandas in the time they spent in San Diego. We waited in that line for probably only 30-45 minutes, but for a zoo exhibit that was like camping out to get concert tickets. When we finally got to walk past the glass viewing area, we were pretty disappointed. The cage area for the animals was pretty large. That is great for the bears, so they get plenty of room to play and exercise. It even would have been great for us visitors, except our pair were content to sleep the most distant corner. They could have been black and white rugs stuffed in the corner and we wouldn't have known the difference.
But, we snapped a picture or two and kept going with the flow of the crowd. That was another disappointing part, you really couldn't linger very long, as you knew there were a ton of people behind you too. But hey, we saw the pandas and there weren't a lot of people in this part of the world who could say that.
Well it was all down hill after that excitement. We saw the hippos and elephants. The tigers and rhinos, and even some snakes. We took a bus tour around the zoo, which we enjoyed, as we could sit down and see the zoo. Plus we had someone telling us stories too. You could really tell we were relaxing on this vacation. We particularly enjoyed the bear exhibit. Here they had several bears that put on an impromptu show, rearing up on their hind legs and "waving" and pandering to the crowd. The driver stopped the bus and let us be entertained by the bears for awhile, but we had to go, and the bears got bored with us too.
We hung around the zoo early evening, and then we called it a day. So we all went back to Dennis'. We were settling into a routine here too. Dinner, general conversation, and some TV. It was good to be able to visit with my best friend. He had moved to San Diego just a few years ago. We kept in contact, but it sucked not being able to go grab a beer. We did a bit of that now. We also decided that tomorrow we head south, and visit Mexico.
As was getting to be our normal routine, we were in no real hurry to get up and seize the day. We were more into the lulling the day into a state of complacency and then sneaking up on it in the afternoon. So we didn't get to the zoo until after noon. But as it was open into the evening we weren't concerned about not having enough time.
The big draw to Zoo this year were the Panda Bears from China. China had loaned two pandas, Basi and Yuan Yuan, to the San Diego Zoo for a period of 200 days. These were the only pandas in the United States, so we had to see them. But, they weren’t the first things that we did, as the Panda Exhibit was towards the back of the zoo. So first we had to wander past reindeer and ostriches, giraffes and zebras, water buffalo and a few big cats. We also happened upon a pair of antelope who were doing their part to perpetuate the species. We did manage to divert Jolene's attention and avoid awkward questions.
We did make it to the Panda Exhibit about half an hour into our visit. The line was unbelievable! Perhaps in Southern California, home of Disneyland and such, people are accustomed to seeing line like this.
But outside of the line outside the lady's restroom at a Bronco game, Denver doesn't have lines like this. In truth the San Diego Zoo doesn't normally either. I later found out that 2 million people saw the pandas in the time they spent in San Diego. We waited in that line for probably only 30-45 minutes, but for a zoo exhibit that was like camping out to get concert tickets. When we finally got to walk past the glass viewing area, we were pretty disappointed. The cage area for the animals was pretty large. That is great for the bears, so they get plenty of room to play and exercise. It even would have been great for us visitors, except our pair were content to sleep the most distant corner. They could have been black and white rugs stuffed in the corner and we wouldn't have known the difference.
But, we snapped a picture or two and kept going with the flow of the crowd. That was another disappointing part, you really couldn't linger very long, as you knew there were a ton of people behind you too. But hey, we saw the pandas and there weren't a lot of people in this part of the world who could say that.
Well it was all down hill after that excitement. We saw the hippos and elephants. The tigers and rhinos, and even some snakes. We took a bus tour around the zoo, which we enjoyed, as we could sit down and see the zoo. Plus we had someone telling us stories too. You could really tell we were relaxing on this vacation. We particularly enjoyed the bear exhibit. Here they had several bears that put on an impromptu show, rearing up on their hind legs and "waving" and pandering to the crowd. The driver stopped the bus and let us be entertained by the bears for awhile, but we had to go, and the bears got bored with us too.
We hung around the zoo early evening, and then we called it a day. So we all went back to Dennis'. We were settling into a routine here too. Dinner, general conversation, and some TV. It was good to be able to visit with my best friend. He had moved to San Diego just a few years ago. We kept in contact, but it sucked not being able to go grab a beer. We did a bit of that now. We also decided that tomorrow we head south, and visit Mexico.
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Day Four-August 5, 1987
Today we were going to Mexico. San Diego is only about a half hour drive from the Mexican border, so a trip to Tijuana (TJ) is almost expected when you visit. Dennis and I had been to Mexico before, when we hit another border town, Nogales, a few years before. But neither Margo nor Jolene had ever been to another country. I know going to border towns barely count as in another country, but still.
We got up, had breakfast, and got ready to sneak up on another beautiful San Diego day. August is hot and humid in San Diego, but it's not unbearable, as hot doesn't usually mean much over 80. So we loaded up in Dennis's car and jumped on the highway, that lead to another, and finally on I-5 which got us to TJ.
The "we" today, consisted of Me, Margo, Jolene, Dennis, and a neighbor of Dennis', Karen. Dennis' girlfriend, Carrie, had to work, and couldn't go. Karen used to live in Mexico and spoke fluent Spanish, so she was going to be a big help.
We really didn't have any set plan of what to see or do. Margo wanted to look in the shops. Jolene was happy with that too. She always likes to see the pretty things and especially to have someone buy them for her. So that's what we did we wandered a bit, going from shop to shop. Karen would help with the haggling when we wanted to buy something. She was not timid about her tactics. We never knew what she was saying, but she often had an almost contemptible attitude towards the shop owners. It was definitely adversarial. Sometimes we just walked away. We ended up with a dress for Jolene and a foam lizard on a stiff wire. It was set up in such a way that she could "walk" this lizard down the sidewalk. Which she did regardless if there was room or not.
Perhaps our most interesting part of the day was when we had a picture taken. We spent most of our time on a main road. I think, translated, it was Revolution Avenue. On this very touristy road were several street photographers set up with carts and donkeys. The donkeys were painted up to look like zebras. For whatever reason we decided that we wanted to have a picture taken. And we did, eventually. We kept running into a problem. You see these were male donkeys, and Jolene would notice and ask "What's that?" Not ready to broach that subject yet, we would steer her and the conversation down the street.
When we finally decided on a vendor, Karen took over again, which we were all fine with. But she and the Mexican photographer did not see eye to eye on the sombrero he wanted everyone to where. She was not going to where it, and he kept putting it back on her head. Of course, he back down before his third attempt to re-hat her, as he did not want to risk his fee. We thought it was funny listening to them go back and forth in Spanish. It was akin to watching an old "I Love Lucy", as Ricky would unleash a Spanish tirade at Lucy. You could tell by the tone what was being said, if not by the actual words. The actual picture itself was in black and white, and the photographer developed it, in chemicals, right there on the street.
We spent several hours going from shop to shop and looking at various things. But we really didn't spend a whole heck of a lot. One thing that did disturb us a bit, was the level of poverty that was evident even in the border town. There were a lot of children, elderly, and infirmed who were begging for money. They would have discarded beer cups that they used to collect coins. It was really sad that the Mexican government is such that more people don't have to opportunity to be successful, it their own country. They have a lot or resources. Oil, mining, agriculture, and tourism. But it is much easier to leave and earn a living in the United States.
That was our day there. We left Mexico and went back to El Cajon. Later Dennis and I attended a beach party, that a friend of his told us about. Lots of beer and a bonfire. Hard to beat that. It was a bit strange to listen to how different the ocean sounded and felt in the dark. I didn't go swimming, but the aura was different, if that makes any sense. It was both peaceful and ominous all at the same time. I guess you beach people already know what I am talking about. But being landlocked it was new to me. We got home at a fairly reasonable hour. Tomorrow we would be hitting the last major tourist attraction left for us in San Diego, SeaWorld.
We got up, had breakfast, and got ready to sneak up on another beautiful San Diego day. August is hot and humid in San Diego, but it's not unbearable, as hot doesn't usually mean much over 80. So we loaded up in Dennis's car and jumped on the highway, that lead to another, and finally on I-5 which got us to TJ.
The "we" today, consisted of Me, Margo, Jolene, Dennis, and a neighbor of Dennis', Karen. Dennis' girlfriend, Carrie, had to work, and couldn't go. Karen used to live in Mexico and spoke fluent Spanish, so she was going to be a big help.
We really didn't have any set plan of what to see or do. Margo wanted to look in the shops. Jolene was happy with that too. She always likes to see the pretty things and especially to have someone buy them for her. So that's what we did we wandered a bit, going from shop to shop. Karen would help with the haggling when we wanted to buy something. She was not timid about her tactics. We never knew what she was saying, but she often had an almost contemptible attitude towards the shop owners. It was definitely adversarial. Sometimes we just walked away. We ended up with a dress for Jolene and a foam lizard on a stiff wire. It was set up in such a way that she could "walk" this lizard down the sidewalk. Which she did regardless if there was room or not.
Perhaps our most interesting part of the day was when we had a picture taken. We spent most of our time on a main road. I think, translated, it was Revolution Avenue. On this very touristy road were several street photographers set up with carts and donkeys. The donkeys were painted up to look like zebras. For whatever reason we decided that we wanted to have a picture taken. And we did, eventually. We kept running into a problem. You see these were male donkeys, and Jolene would notice and ask "What's that?" Not ready to broach that subject yet, we would steer her and the conversation down the street.
When we finally decided on a vendor, Karen took over again, which we were all fine with. But she and the Mexican photographer did not see eye to eye on the sombrero he wanted everyone to where. She was not going to where it, and he kept putting it back on her head. Of course, he back down before his third attempt to re-hat her, as he did not want to risk his fee. We thought it was funny listening to them go back and forth in Spanish. It was akin to watching an old "I Love Lucy", as Ricky would unleash a Spanish tirade at Lucy. You could tell by the tone what was being said, if not by the actual words. The actual picture itself was in black and white, and the photographer developed it, in chemicals, right there on the street.
We spent several hours going from shop to shop and looking at various things. But we really didn't spend a whole heck of a lot. One thing that did disturb us a bit, was the level of poverty that was evident even in the border town. There were a lot of children, elderly, and infirmed who were begging for money. They would have discarded beer cups that they used to collect coins. It was really sad that the Mexican government is such that more people don't have to opportunity to be successful, it their own country. They have a lot or resources. Oil, mining, agriculture, and tourism. But it is much easier to leave and earn a living in the United States.
That was our day there. We left Mexico and went back to El Cajon. Later Dennis and I attended a beach party, that a friend of his told us about. Lots of beer and a bonfire. Hard to beat that. It was a bit strange to listen to how different the ocean sounded and felt in the dark. I didn't go swimming, but the aura was different, if that makes any sense. It was both peaceful and ominous all at the same time. I guess you beach people already know what I am talking about. But being landlocked it was new to me. We got home at a fairly reasonable hour. Tomorrow we would be hitting the last major tourist attraction left for us in San Diego, SeaWorld.
Day Five--August 6, 1987
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We had hit all of the major San Diego sites, save one. Today we would be doing SeaWorld. I didn't know what to expect with this one. I knew that it featured marine animals, and that they were on display in some manner. In the back of my mind I supposed it was something more than a zoo, but I didn't really know what. But as had been our habit we were in no real hurry to get there. Part of the reason we didn't generally get started until the afternoon was that Dennis had duties around the apartment complex. He managed the place and was responsible for minor repairs. So part of his day had to be spent staying on top of those.
So we got to SeaWorld somewhere around 3:30 PM. This is actually not a bad time. The people that had been there all day were starting to leave and the lines were not bad when we got in. After paying 20 something per ticket, about 3-4 times the zoo price back home, I was wondering what they would have to justify that price. We would soon find out.
The first thing we, which today was me, Margo, Jolene, Dennis, and his girlfriend, Carrie, did was head over to Dolphin Discovery. This was a pool area, in which we spectators could just about get close enough to touch a dolphin. The animals would swim around the pool and a guide would tell us all about the dolphins as we watched and tried to entice them, with splashes and calls, to come close enough to brush them as they went by. We didn't have any luck. This lasted for about 15 minutes before we decided to move on.
Nearby was the Sky Tower. The Sky Tower is a tower with a doughnut shaped capsule around it. The capsule travels slowly up and down, and revolves as it does so. By the time you have finished with this ride, it has taken you up about 250 feet, and turned you completely around about 6 times. It is a slow, very casual ride. It is also air-conditioned, so it is a nice way to escape the heat and to get a good look at the park. Which is exactly what we did. We all rode up and got a good look around. While we did that we also noticed that the Dolphin Show would begin at 4:45, in about 20 minutes, so that became our next stop.
The Dolphin Show (I forget what they officially called it) featured a group of dolphins (Duh.) that were trained to perform various stunts. These stunts were mostly normal dolphin behavior, but when done on command, and in the context of the show was really entertaining. There were plenty of leaps and splashes. A few of which got us wet, as we had sat in the "Splash Zone". There was a spot where two dolphins swum side by side holding a rope, and a trainer stood on their back, ala Aquaman of the DC comic books. That was probably not normal dolphin behavior. The finally had one dolphin leap a rope that was suspended about 20 feet or so in the air. The show lasted about half an hour and was worth seeing.
After the dolphins we were in the mood for more another show, so we headed off to Shamu stadium to see the headliner. Shamu, the killer whale, is what SeaWorld is famous for. And between him and the trainers they put on a good show. They had him swim around the pool making several circuits. Just his shear mass and power had the water churning and sloshing over the top. You wouldn't think something so simple, the act of swimming, could convey such a feeling of power, but it did.
The trainers spend a good deal of time in the water with Shamu. There were several variations of the Shamu pushing a trainer high into the air by swimming underneath and pushing their feet. That was also impressive. They got the audience involved too. They got a young boy to help feet Shamu. They blended teaching with humor as they told us what and how much Shamu would eat in day. Then after the boy had finished and was looking at his fishy hands, the trainer said "Ewwww, you got fish oogies, huh? After the affirmative reply, she told him that to get rid of them he only had to do this, and she wiped her hands off on her wet suit. I'm sure Mom appreciated that, as the boy imitated her.
We also sat in the Splash Zone here as well. Shamu splashes with much more volume than the dolphins do. If you sat in the wrong spot you were in danger of being soaked. We missed the soaking, but did walk out much wetter than we walked in.
We were getting hungry so we made our way to one of the kiosks to get a burger. We did notice that fish was on the menu, and one of us wondered out loud, if the animals that were a bit slow might end up as fish nuggets. This warranted a general chuckle, although I doubt the thought was unique among the patrons.
After our dinner we wandered by where they were having a platform diver about to leap. He was up on a tower above a pool, and we got there just a few minutes before he leaped. As he had to compete with many other exhibits and animal performers this diver added a twist to his dive, by doing it while set on fire. You don't see that everyday. We got a good look at the leap, heard the splash, and then the applause. But there were too many people between us and the pool to see if how he looked. But the absence of gasps or panic pretty much confirmed that he must have survived unscathed or blemished.
There was one other show to see, that was the Sea Lions. The sea lions are trained like the dolphins. They pretty much do the things they would do in the wild, but as the sea lions have appendages and are comfortable on land, their show can be more elaborate. They, with their trainers actually put on a play. The premise of this particular one, was that Uncle Smedley had died and nephews/sea lions Clyde and Seymore would have to show up to the castle for the reading of the will.
There was plenty of humor and bad jokes, but things did not go according to script. As one of the trainers would explain as Seymore decided to swim rather than perform, August was sea lion breeding season, and the two main actors had other things on their mind. But after several delays and improvisations, they muddled through it. Uncle Smedley ended up really still being alive, and a walrus. He made his appearance and promptly sprayed the crowd several times by squirting water from his mouth. We all enjoyed this show, even with the delays.
Jolene was having a good time. She would sit and laugh or clap, or cheer, as the show dictated and got into it. She would ask Margo and occasional question, but was just a great audience. Our price of admission included a ticket for SeaWorld's tram ride, called Bayside SkyRide.
This tram takes you out over Mission Bay. It is relaxing and gives you a great view of the ocean and the yachts that the wealthier residents keep. It was about 9 PM when we boarded for our trip, so it was getting dark. The sun had finished setting and the lights were starting to come on. It was pretty and peaceful at the same time. We had all been our feet for most of the day, so after taking a tour of one of the aquariums, we decided to call it a day. I had decided that I like SeaWorld. We had learned a little, and had been entertained quite a bit. Isn't that what you look for on a vacation?
So we got to SeaWorld somewhere around 3:30 PM. This is actually not a bad time. The people that had been there all day were starting to leave and the lines were not bad when we got in. After paying 20 something per ticket, about 3-4 times the zoo price back home, I was wondering what they would have to justify that price. We would soon find out.
The first thing we, which today was me, Margo, Jolene, Dennis, and his girlfriend, Carrie, did was head over to Dolphin Discovery. This was a pool area, in which we spectators could just about get close enough to touch a dolphin. The animals would swim around the pool and a guide would tell us all about the dolphins as we watched and tried to entice them, with splashes and calls, to come close enough to brush them as they went by. We didn't have any luck. This lasted for about 15 minutes before we decided to move on.
Nearby was the Sky Tower. The Sky Tower is a tower with a doughnut shaped capsule around it. The capsule travels slowly up and down, and revolves as it does so. By the time you have finished with this ride, it has taken you up about 250 feet, and turned you completely around about 6 times. It is a slow, very casual ride. It is also air-conditioned, so it is a nice way to escape the heat and to get a good look at the park. Which is exactly what we did. We all rode up and got a good look around. While we did that we also noticed that the Dolphin Show would begin at 4:45, in about 20 minutes, so that became our next stop.
The Dolphin Show (I forget what they officially called it) featured a group of dolphins (Duh.) that were trained to perform various stunts. These stunts were mostly normal dolphin behavior, but when done on command, and in the context of the show was really entertaining. There were plenty of leaps and splashes. A few of which got us wet, as we had sat in the "Splash Zone". There was a spot where two dolphins swum side by side holding a rope, and a trainer stood on their back, ala Aquaman of the DC comic books. That was probably not normal dolphin behavior. The finally had one dolphin leap a rope that was suspended about 20 feet or so in the air. The show lasted about half an hour and was worth seeing.
After the dolphins we were in the mood for more another show, so we headed off to Shamu stadium to see the headliner. Shamu, the killer whale, is what SeaWorld is famous for. And between him and the trainers they put on a good show. They had him swim around the pool making several circuits. Just his shear mass and power had the water churning and sloshing over the top. You wouldn't think something so simple, the act of swimming, could convey such a feeling of power, but it did.
The trainers spend a good deal of time in the water with Shamu. There were several variations of the Shamu pushing a trainer high into the air by swimming underneath and pushing their feet. That was also impressive. They got the audience involved too. They got a young boy to help feet Shamu. They blended teaching with humor as they told us what and how much Shamu would eat in day. Then after the boy had finished and was looking at his fishy hands, the trainer said "Ewwww, you got fish oogies, huh? After the affirmative reply, she told him that to get rid of them he only had to do this, and she wiped her hands off on her wet suit. I'm sure Mom appreciated that, as the boy imitated her.
We also sat in the Splash Zone here as well. Shamu splashes with much more volume than the dolphins do. If you sat in the wrong spot you were in danger of being soaked. We missed the soaking, but did walk out much wetter than we walked in.
We were getting hungry so we made our way to one of the kiosks to get a burger. We did notice that fish was on the menu, and one of us wondered out loud, if the animals that were a bit slow might end up as fish nuggets. This warranted a general chuckle, although I doubt the thought was unique among the patrons.
After our dinner we wandered by where they were having a platform diver about to leap. He was up on a tower above a pool, and we got there just a few minutes before he leaped. As he had to compete with many other exhibits and animal performers this diver added a twist to his dive, by doing it while set on fire. You don't see that everyday. We got a good look at the leap, heard the splash, and then the applause. But there were too many people between us and the pool to see if how he looked. But the absence of gasps or panic pretty much confirmed that he must have survived unscathed or blemished.
There was one other show to see, that was the Sea Lions. The sea lions are trained like the dolphins. They pretty much do the things they would do in the wild, but as the sea lions have appendages and are comfortable on land, their show can be more elaborate. They, with their trainers actually put on a play. The premise of this particular one, was that Uncle Smedley had died and nephews/sea lions Clyde and Seymore would have to show up to the castle for the reading of the will.
There was plenty of humor and bad jokes, but things did not go according to script. As one of the trainers would explain as Seymore decided to swim rather than perform, August was sea lion breeding season, and the two main actors had other things on their mind. But after several delays and improvisations, they muddled through it. Uncle Smedley ended up really still being alive, and a walrus. He made his appearance and promptly sprayed the crowd several times by squirting water from his mouth. We all enjoyed this show, even with the delays.
Jolene was having a good time. She would sit and laugh or clap, or cheer, as the show dictated and got into it. She would ask Margo and occasional question, but was just a great audience. Our price of admission included a ticket for SeaWorld's tram ride, called Bayside SkyRide.
This tram takes you out over Mission Bay. It is relaxing and gives you a great view of the ocean and the yachts that the wealthier residents keep. It was about 9 PM when we boarded for our trip, so it was getting dark. The sun had finished setting and the lights were starting to come on. It was pretty and peaceful at the same time. We had all been our feet for most of the day, so after taking a tour of one of the aquariums, we decided to call it a day. I had decided that I like SeaWorld. We had learned a little, and had been entertained quite a bit. Isn't that what you look for on a vacation?
Days Six & Seven--August 7 & 8, 1987
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We spent yesterday doing pretty much nothing. Dennis has been pretty generous with his time and he needed to get some things done. So he did. Margo got caught up on laundry and I helped Dennis where I could. We did work out that it would be fun to run up to Los Angeles and see Disneyland. So as the 8th was Saturday again, and both Dennis and Carrie were off, we decided to go.
We got a reasonable early start, leaving San Diego about 9:30 AM. It’s a bit over 100 miles from El Cajon to Anaheim, so we figured on about two hours. We weren’t far off, even factoring in for a short stop to take a picture of the sign in front on Camp Pendleton just north of San Diego. Camp Pendleton is a Marine base, and most new recruits end up here for their basic training. Margo’s brother was a marine. That is past tense because he died in a training accident, as opposed to him leaving the corp. It was natural for us to stop and at least take a picture.
The drive up the coast was a bit boring. There really wasn’t a lot to see on the way up, as we took I-5, instead of the coastal highway. The coastal highway would have taken quite a bit more time. Oh, well. We got to Mickey’s place about 11:30 and parked in the Robin Hood section of the HUGE Disneyland parking lot. I know this was the section of the lot, as when I took my video camera out to check it, I accidentally turned it on and it recorded our whole trip from the lot to the front gate.
The Disneyland lot is so large they have a tram to pick up patrons and haul them to the main entrance. The person driving the tram makes a point of announcing where they just picked you up from several times and then reminds you to write it down. Sound advice, which we followed.
By the time we got our tickets and finally got through the gate onto Main Street USA it was about noon. The first thing we did was gather with the rest of the masses to have a picture or two taken with the Disney characters. This is very much a Darwinian experience, with only the toughest and most determined being rewarded. Margo got Jolene’s picture taken near Donald Duck, but not really with him. But we did at least get to show her Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and a couple of others.
We took a left and headed into Frontierland, as we really had no real plan. The Mark Twain Riverboat looked interesting so we got in line for it. By the time we got to the front of the line it was closing in on 1 PM. The boat ride itself was a bit relaxing and fun to the extent you got to feel you were really on an old Paddle Wheeler. It lasted about 20 minutes and got us in the spirit of things. That being that we would spend an hour in line for every ride we ended up taking. But, this was our first attempt at a real family vacation and we were still learning about planning these types of things. Plus, waiting in line is part of the game.
After the boat ride we went over to the Big Thunder Ranch (petting zoo) and let Jolene pet the various animals. She was used to cats and dogs, but the goats and others she was not sure about. As she was still shy of three years old, she was also a tad fuzzy on the conjugation of her verbs. Upon being told she could actually pet the animals she asked in a slightly worried voice “Did it bite?” Once assured that the animals wouldn’t bite she was good to move from animal to animal petting and telling her Mom about how each one felt.
We decided to take the Raft to Tom Sawyer’s Island and look around there some. We enjoyed the ride, as it did give you the feeling of being on a raft. Of course this one had its own power and safety ropes to keep passengers from falling off. The island has a rock formation that the kids love to climb on, especially since one of the rocks acts as a large teeter-totter. We played around there for awhile and then took the raft back across the Rivers of America, and to the mainland.
We were getting hungry by now so we stopped for something to eat, before we got in line for the other ship than navigates the Rivers of America in Frontierland, the Columbia. The Columbia is a pirate ship. Ours was commanded by a Captain with a habit of making bad jokes. He told his first officer that he needed to speak up as he was “Deaf in one Eye”. Which complimented him being “Blind in one ear”, a bit later one. We sailed past a mounted Indian in full head dress, who the Captain identified as “Chief Auto Parts” (Chief Auto Parts was a large chain in southern CA).
It went on like that for the whole tour. But we saw all of the sites; like the Burning Settler’s cabin, a waterfall or two, and plenty of Indians. More fun. Jolene enjoyed it all. Whoever happened to be holding her or nearby would make sure that they pointed out the site to be seen, as we went by.
Next we left Frontierland and made our way over to Adventureland. There we got in line for the Jungle Cruise. This is a boat ride that takes you through simulated areas of Africa and Asia. There were lots of animatronic animals, but I thought the best part was that it was cool and we got to sit down and rest.
We are deep into the afternoon by now, and everyone is getting a bit tired. But, the attraction was nice too. Even though you could tell the animals were machines, it was still fun. Our “guide” had a list of bad jokes that he told through out the tour, and at one point “saved” us, by firing his pistol at a hippo to scare him off.
We headed for “the hub”, the central area where the Walt Disney statue is, and where you can enter the various lands. We really didn’t have a plan, but when we saw the Chip and Dale were making an appearance we decided to stop and see them. We didn’t get a picture, as we weren’t the only ones with this idea. By now it was about 7 PM. We were planning to stay until the fireworks show was over around 10:30. So we decided to take another break and get something to eat. After that we had our hearts set on riding the monorail. We had spent the whole day looking up and watching it zip by, and we all wanted to ride it, so off to Tomorrowland we went.
We were able to board sometime around 8:30 and settle in for the ride. The monorail travels through part of the park, leaves it and heads to the Disneyland Hotel. It was relaxing and informative. There was a running commentary playing as we rode. It told us that the monorail could attain a speed of 60 miles per hour, but it never goes that fast. I believe the top speed reached was something like 35 mph. We also learned that the parking lot was 100 acres in size. We joked about being able to spot our car. It was also sunset as we rode, so we got to watch the sunset while we were riding. The whole trip, around the park, to the hotel, and back to Tomorrowland lasted about 15 minutes.
From the monorail we got a good look at the Submarine Voyage attraction and decided we wanted to do that. We waited in line for about half an hour. I was a little surprised the wait was that long as I figured most people would be finding a spot to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade which was starting pretty quick.
But, they weren’t. The sub ride puts you in a submarine that goes most of the way underwater. You, as a passenger, are underwater and looking out a window at there various things to see. There is an underwater volcano, and you get to discover Atlantis, and there are even a few mermaids that stun the Captain, who is narrating this whole thing. It lasts for around 10 minutes, and was one of the longer rides.
By now it was time for us to find our own piece of ground so we could watch the fireworks. We did just that, and at 10:30 they started. I remember being very impressed, not so much by the fireworks themselves. They were good, mind you. Better than the display I see annually back home on the 4th of July. I was impressed that they spend the money to do it every night. But, with as many people as there were on this hot August day, I guess they could afford it. That was it for Disneyland.
We had completed a rite of passage. We all found our way through the sea of humanity, and spent about an hour getting to a hotel. We were all dead tired by now, and had no trouble dropping off to sleep. We would be staying in LA for one more day. Tomorrow we were going to Universal Studios.
We got a reasonable early start, leaving San Diego about 9:30 AM. It’s a bit over 100 miles from El Cajon to Anaheim, so we figured on about two hours. We weren’t far off, even factoring in for a short stop to take a picture of the sign in front on Camp Pendleton just north of San Diego. Camp Pendleton is a Marine base, and most new recruits end up here for their basic training. Margo’s brother was a marine. That is past tense because he died in a training accident, as opposed to him leaving the corp. It was natural for us to stop and at least take a picture.
The drive up the coast was a bit boring. There really wasn’t a lot to see on the way up, as we took I-5, instead of the coastal highway. The coastal highway would have taken quite a bit more time. Oh, well. We got to Mickey’s place about 11:30 and parked in the Robin Hood section of the HUGE Disneyland parking lot. I know this was the section of the lot, as when I took my video camera out to check it, I accidentally turned it on and it recorded our whole trip from the lot to the front gate.
The Disneyland lot is so large they have a tram to pick up patrons and haul them to the main entrance. The person driving the tram makes a point of announcing where they just picked you up from several times and then reminds you to write it down. Sound advice, which we followed.
By the time we got our tickets and finally got through the gate onto Main Street USA it was about noon. The first thing we did was gather with the rest of the masses to have a picture or two taken with the Disney characters. This is very much a Darwinian experience, with only the toughest and most determined being rewarded. Margo got Jolene’s picture taken near Donald Duck, but not really with him. But we did at least get to show her Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and a couple of others.
We took a left and headed into Frontierland, as we really had no real plan. The Mark Twain Riverboat looked interesting so we got in line for it. By the time we got to the front of the line it was closing in on 1 PM. The boat ride itself was a bit relaxing and fun to the extent you got to feel you were really on an old Paddle Wheeler. It lasted about 20 minutes and got us in the spirit of things. That being that we would spend an hour in line for every ride we ended up taking. But, this was our first attempt at a real family vacation and we were still learning about planning these types of things. Plus, waiting in line is part of the game.
After the boat ride we went over to the Big Thunder Ranch (petting zoo) and let Jolene pet the various animals. She was used to cats and dogs, but the goats and others she was not sure about. As she was still shy of three years old, she was also a tad fuzzy on the conjugation of her verbs. Upon being told she could actually pet the animals she asked in a slightly worried voice “Did it bite?” Once assured that the animals wouldn’t bite she was good to move from animal to animal petting and telling her Mom about how each one felt.
We decided to take the Raft to Tom Sawyer’s Island and look around there some. We enjoyed the ride, as it did give you the feeling of being on a raft. Of course this one had its own power and safety ropes to keep passengers from falling off. The island has a rock formation that the kids love to climb on, especially since one of the rocks acts as a large teeter-totter. We played around there for awhile and then took the raft back across the Rivers of America, and to the mainland.
We were getting hungry by now so we stopped for something to eat, before we got in line for the other ship than navigates the Rivers of America in Frontierland, the Columbia. The Columbia is a pirate ship. Ours was commanded by a Captain with a habit of making bad jokes. He told his first officer that he needed to speak up as he was “Deaf in one Eye”. Which complimented him being “Blind in one ear”, a bit later one. We sailed past a mounted Indian in full head dress, who the Captain identified as “Chief Auto Parts” (Chief Auto Parts was a large chain in southern CA).
It went on like that for the whole tour. But we saw all of the sites; like the Burning Settler’s cabin, a waterfall or two, and plenty of Indians. More fun. Jolene enjoyed it all. Whoever happened to be holding her or nearby would make sure that they pointed out the site to be seen, as we went by.
Next we left Frontierland and made our way over to Adventureland. There we got in line for the Jungle Cruise. This is a boat ride that takes you through simulated areas of Africa and Asia. There were lots of animatronic animals, but I thought the best part was that it was cool and we got to sit down and rest.
We are deep into the afternoon by now, and everyone is getting a bit tired. But, the attraction was nice too. Even though you could tell the animals were machines, it was still fun. Our “guide” had a list of bad jokes that he told through out the tour, and at one point “saved” us, by firing his pistol at a hippo to scare him off.
We headed for “the hub”, the central area where the Walt Disney statue is, and where you can enter the various lands. We really didn’t have a plan, but when we saw the Chip and Dale were making an appearance we decided to stop and see them. We didn’t get a picture, as we weren’t the only ones with this idea. By now it was about 7 PM. We were planning to stay until the fireworks show was over around 10:30. So we decided to take another break and get something to eat. After that we had our hearts set on riding the monorail. We had spent the whole day looking up and watching it zip by, and we all wanted to ride it, so off to Tomorrowland we went.
We were able to board sometime around 8:30 and settle in for the ride. The monorail travels through part of the park, leaves it and heads to the Disneyland Hotel. It was relaxing and informative. There was a running commentary playing as we rode. It told us that the monorail could attain a speed of 60 miles per hour, but it never goes that fast. I believe the top speed reached was something like 35 mph. We also learned that the parking lot was 100 acres in size. We joked about being able to spot our car. It was also sunset as we rode, so we got to watch the sunset while we were riding. The whole trip, around the park, to the hotel, and back to Tomorrowland lasted about 15 minutes.
From the monorail we got a good look at the Submarine Voyage attraction and decided we wanted to do that. We waited in line for about half an hour. I was a little surprised the wait was that long as I figured most people would be finding a spot to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade which was starting pretty quick.
But, they weren’t. The sub ride puts you in a submarine that goes most of the way underwater. You, as a passenger, are underwater and looking out a window at there various things to see. There is an underwater volcano, and you get to discover Atlantis, and there are even a few mermaids that stun the Captain, who is narrating this whole thing. It lasts for around 10 minutes, and was one of the longer rides.
By now it was time for us to find our own piece of ground so we could watch the fireworks. We did just that, and at 10:30 they started. I remember being very impressed, not so much by the fireworks themselves. They were good, mind you. Better than the display I see annually back home on the 4th of July. I was impressed that they spend the money to do it every night. But, with as many people as there were on this hot August day, I guess they could afford it. That was it for Disneyland.
We had completed a rite of passage. We all found our way through the sea of humanity, and spent about an hour getting to a hotel. We were all dead tired by now, and had no trouble dropping off to sleep. We would be staying in LA for one more day. Tomorrow we were going to Universal Studios.
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Day Eight--August 9, 1987
We were all dead tired so sleeping in was pretty easy. We checked out of the hotel about 11 AM, with Universal Studios as our ultimate goal. But first, we had to make a pit stop. My Aunt Mary Ann lives in Alhambra, CA, which is reasonably close, but not really on the way to Universal City. We only had today left in Los Angeles, so if we were going to visit, this was the time. And we were going to visit. There are several reasons. First, she is family and it would just be wrong not to drop by when you are so close. Second, my Mom would not be happy if we didn’t make time to see her sister. Finally, my Aunt Mary Ann is known as Sister Stephanie, and has been for the past 20 plus years. You should not disappoint a nun.
So we drove up to Alhambra and made our way to the convent. (Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart. Is that scary enough for you?) This was our first time meeting a group of nuns; even though I was raised Catholic and Sister Stephanie had visited us many times before, in Colorado. We weren’t sure how to act or pious to pretend to be. (I was keeping a close eye out for thunder clouds) My Aunt is very easy to talk to and isn’t intimidating at all. But having no one else to compare her to, except TV, we were a touch uneasy about how to act around the other sisters. I went as far as to tell Dennis and Carrie that they were now married, as it was sure to come up in conversation that they were living together.
We were invited to have lunch with them, and as we were all hungry we did. The other sisters basically left us alone to visit with my aunt, and we did just that while we ate. We caught up on family stuff, told her all about our trip so far, and she got to meet Jolene. We had a very nice lunch and got a tour of the grounds. We stayed for about two hours, but as it was now coming up on 3 PM, we had to get going if we were going to get to see much of Universal Studios. So we made our good byes and promised to visit again. No lightening strikes, so I guess all went well.
We got to Universal about 4 PM and made our way to the Wild West Stunt Show that was to start at 4:15. We really enjoyed it. It was a combination stunt and comedy show. The people performing are actual stuntmen/stuntwomen and make the fights and falls look easy. How falling from more than two stories can be made to look easy, I will never know, but they did. It was a fairly quick show lasting about 20 minutes or so.
Our next stop was called the Animal Actors Show, and was just what the title suggests, a show with trained animals. It was fun. They started by bringing out a parrot and having it retrieve a dollar bill from an audience members hand. When that was done, they brought out a large condor and joked that the guy in the audience should whip out that dollar again. But, this bird was trained to “soar” in front of a powerful fan. The show continued along that trail. There was a very smart dog, a cat, and a pig, who as he exited the stage pulled on a cord that revealed a sign that said “Boycott Bacon” We all enjoyed it.
We were starting to get hungry again, as it was now around 5 PM, so we sat down and ate. While we enjoyed our meal, Frankenstein wandered by. They have several movie characters that wander the park. This Frankenstein was well done, and very tall. Jolene was not anxious to get her picture taken with this celebrity. But we did get some video of him.
The Miami Vice show was starting soon, so we went and grabbed seats in that arena. This is another stunt show. It is set on a Caribbean island, and Crockett and Tubbs have to fight the bad guys. Lots of gunplay, plenty of falls, and a ton of action. There was a Jet Ski chase and an escape using a mine car. The finally involved a helicopter that was attached to a crane. It was fast paced, and exciting. Jolene liked this one too. She wasn’t scared or frightened at all.
The last thing we did for the day was take the Back Lot tour. This is really the highlight of day for me, and most people. They put you on a tram and take you around and show you various places that have been used for TV or film. The same little boy of water that served as the seaside village in Jaws, was also the Pacific Ocean for McHale’s Navy. Jaws, himself, made an appearance. First he towed some poor fisherman under the water, and then came out of the water and almost ate us. Or not. It was still cool to see it up close.
Our tram stumbled into New York City where King Kong was wreaking havoc on this city. We drove across a bridge that began to fall apart around us. We happened into a flash flood and then had the waters of a river parted for us, so we could drive through it. There was a portion of the tour where Robert Wagner talked to us (on video) about film making, and we were rescued from the Cylons by Captain Apollo of Battlestar Galactica fame.
This was actually a fairly long tour, lasting close to an hour when it was all said and done. By time we were done, it was nearly 10 PM and the park would be shutting down soon. It didn’t matter; we were tired, and had seen everything we wanted to. Plus we had a two hour drive in front of us, and needed to get a move on. So that is what we did. It had been a very full two days in LA. We were looking forward to doing a bit of nothing tomorrow.
So we drove up to Alhambra and made our way to the convent. (Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart. Is that scary enough for you?) This was our first time meeting a group of nuns; even though I was raised Catholic and Sister Stephanie had visited us many times before, in Colorado. We weren’t sure how to act or pious to pretend to be. (I was keeping a close eye out for thunder clouds) My Aunt is very easy to talk to and isn’t intimidating at all. But having no one else to compare her to, except TV, we were a touch uneasy about how to act around the other sisters. I went as far as to tell Dennis and Carrie that they were now married, as it was sure to come up in conversation that they were living together.
We were invited to have lunch with them, and as we were all hungry we did. The other sisters basically left us alone to visit with my aunt, and we did just that while we ate. We caught up on family stuff, told her all about our trip so far, and she got to meet Jolene. We had a very nice lunch and got a tour of the grounds. We stayed for about two hours, but as it was now coming up on 3 PM, we had to get going if we were going to get to see much of Universal Studios. So we made our good byes and promised to visit again. No lightening strikes, so I guess all went well.
We got to Universal about 4 PM and made our way to the Wild West Stunt Show that was to start at 4:15. We really enjoyed it. It was a combination stunt and comedy show. The people performing are actual stuntmen/stuntwomen and make the fights and falls look easy. How falling from more than two stories can be made to look easy, I will never know, but they did. It was a fairly quick show lasting about 20 minutes or so.
Our next stop was called the Animal Actors Show, and was just what the title suggests, a show with trained animals. It was fun. They started by bringing out a parrot and having it retrieve a dollar bill from an audience members hand. When that was done, they brought out a large condor and joked that the guy in the audience should whip out that dollar again. But, this bird was trained to “soar” in front of a powerful fan. The show continued along that trail. There was a very smart dog, a cat, and a pig, who as he exited the stage pulled on a cord that revealed a sign that said “Boycott Bacon” We all enjoyed it.
We were starting to get hungry again, as it was now around 5 PM, so we sat down and ate. While we enjoyed our meal, Frankenstein wandered by. They have several movie characters that wander the park. This Frankenstein was well done, and very tall. Jolene was not anxious to get her picture taken with this celebrity. But we did get some video of him.
The Miami Vice show was starting soon, so we went and grabbed seats in that arena. This is another stunt show. It is set on a Caribbean island, and Crockett and Tubbs have to fight the bad guys. Lots of gunplay, plenty of falls, and a ton of action. There was a Jet Ski chase and an escape using a mine car. The finally involved a helicopter that was attached to a crane. It was fast paced, and exciting. Jolene liked this one too. She wasn’t scared or frightened at all.
The last thing we did for the day was take the Back Lot tour. This is really the highlight of day for me, and most people. They put you on a tram and take you around and show you various places that have been used for TV or film. The same little boy of water that served as the seaside village in Jaws, was also the Pacific Ocean for McHale’s Navy. Jaws, himself, made an appearance. First he towed some poor fisherman under the water, and then came out of the water and almost ate us. Or not. It was still cool to see it up close.
Our tram stumbled into New York City where King Kong was wreaking havoc on this city. We drove across a bridge that began to fall apart around us. We happened into a flash flood and then had the waters of a river parted for us, so we could drive through it. There was a portion of the tour where Robert Wagner talked to us (on video) about film making, and we were rescued from the Cylons by Captain Apollo of Battlestar Galactica fame.
This was actually a fairly long tour, lasting close to an hour when it was all said and done. By time we were done, it was nearly 10 PM and the park would be shutting down soon. It didn’t matter; we were tired, and had seen everything we wanted to. Plus we had a two hour drive in front of us, and needed to get a move on. So that is what we did. It had been a very full two days in LA. We were looking forward to doing a bit of nothing tomorrow.
Days Nine, Ten, Eleven & Twelve--August 10, 11, 12, & 13, 1987
It had been quite a full week up to now. We really had only one thing left on our itinerary, to see our beloved Denver Broncos play a pre-season game in Tempe, AZ. We spent the next four days doing mostly nothing. Margo got us caught up on laundry and I helped Dennis around the apartment area.
I had worked as window glazer for a year and there were several screens and a window that needed repaired. So I took care of those. After working in the hot sun finishing the window, Dennis brought me out an ice cold Dos XXs Amber. We, actually it was his beer, but he offered me a sip. I’d never had a dark beer before. I always preferred Millers or Coors. Big mistake, that sip turned into a drink, then a gulp, and then I drained it. Man, that was good. He just laughed and got himself another. I was hooked. I have been drinking Dos XXs, Kilian’s, and Sam Adams ever since.
But it wasn’t all work. On Wednesday, (the 12th) Dennis and I took in a Padres game at Jack Murphy Stadium. This was the first MLB game I had ever attended. We didn't have a pro baseball team in Denver, back then. We had the minor league Denver Bears. When I had lived in Georgia, we didn't have a lot of money, and Dad wasn't big on traveling, even though he loved baseball. So we never made it up to Atlanta to catch a game there. But today that would change. We watched Zane Smith of the Braves handle the Padres. But we did get to see future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn get a couple of hits. But, that wasn’t unusual. It would have been out of the ordinary if he had gone 0-5.
Another night we all went bowling. Dennis had an acquaintance that hung around him and called him Mongoloid Phil. I was quite proud of myself for getting the joke when I saw him. Dennis said I was the first to get it. For those of you who haven’t seen Phil he has the classic appearance of someone who is what we used to call mentally retarded. Phil wasn’t. He had normal intelligence and abilities. But, that didn’t stop Dennis from abusing him a bit. Yes, us men are cruel, and we bond in strange ways.
Margo was sick part of this time. We never did figure out what she had or where she picked it up, but she was content to stay around the apartment with Jolene and play a lot of the time. Dennis and I didn’t go out each night. Most nights we stayed at home, cooked or barbequed, and talked into the night.
We didn’t run out of subject to discuss. One of which was the upcoming football season. John Elway would be starting his fifth season with the Broncos and we were all waiting for his breakout year. Dennis was born in AZ, and when we heard that the Broncos were going to play a preseason game there (in hopes of showing the NFL that Arizona could support a pro team) we decided we had to go. As I still lived in Colorado, I secured tickets. Getting away tickets for a preseason game was surprisingly easy. Regular season games are sold out at the beginning of the year, and scalpers or knowing someone is your best bet. I had availed myself of either to that point, so I had always watched the Broncos on TV. But, with tickets in hand that was going to change this weekend. The only think left to decide was how to get there. We decided on a road trip.
I had worked as window glazer for a year and there were several screens and a window that needed repaired. So I took care of those. After working in the hot sun finishing the window, Dennis brought me out an ice cold Dos XXs Amber. We, actually it was his beer, but he offered me a sip. I’d never had a dark beer before. I always preferred Millers or Coors. Big mistake, that sip turned into a drink, then a gulp, and then I drained it. Man, that was good. He just laughed and got himself another. I was hooked. I have been drinking Dos XXs, Kilian’s, and Sam Adams ever since.
But it wasn’t all work. On Wednesday, (the 12th) Dennis and I took in a Padres game at Jack Murphy Stadium. This was the first MLB game I had ever attended. We didn't have a pro baseball team in Denver, back then. We had the minor league Denver Bears. When I had lived in Georgia, we didn't have a lot of money, and Dad wasn't big on traveling, even though he loved baseball. So we never made it up to Atlanta to catch a game there. But today that would change. We watched Zane Smith of the Braves handle the Padres. But we did get to see future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn get a couple of hits. But, that wasn’t unusual. It would have been out of the ordinary if he had gone 0-5.
Another night we all went bowling. Dennis had an acquaintance that hung around him and called him Mongoloid Phil. I was quite proud of myself for getting the joke when I saw him. Dennis said I was the first to get it. For those of you who haven’t seen Phil he has the classic appearance of someone who is what we used to call mentally retarded. Phil wasn’t. He had normal intelligence and abilities. But, that didn’t stop Dennis from abusing him a bit. Yes, us men are cruel, and we bond in strange ways.
Margo was sick part of this time. We never did figure out what she had or where she picked it up, but she was content to stay around the apartment with Jolene and play a lot of the time. Dennis and I didn’t go out each night. Most nights we stayed at home, cooked or barbequed, and talked into the night.
We didn’t run out of subject to discuss. One of which was the upcoming football season. John Elway would be starting his fifth season with the Broncos and we were all waiting for his breakout year. Dennis was born in AZ, and when we heard that the Broncos were going to play a preseason game there (in hopes of showing the NFL that Arizona could support a pro team) we decided we had to go. As I still lived in Colorado, I secured tickets. Getting away tickets for a preseason game was surprisingly easy. Regular season games are sold out at the beginning of the year, and scalpers or knowing someone is your best bet. I had availed myself of either to that point, so I had always watched the Broncos on TV. But, with tickets in hand that was going to change this weekend. The only think left to decide was how to get there. We decided on a road trip.
Day Thirteen--August 14, 1987
The Great American Road Trip comes in many forms. There is the time tested pile the wife-kids-luggage-into the car and see the country. There is the frat brothers-beer-road trip, where a group of college age boys (or girls) pile into someone’s car to head towards someplace warm for Spring Break. Ours was a combination of these two.
But our story begins several months before when Dennis and I were planning this trip. We knew that there would be him and his girlfriend, Carrie, plus me and my family all going from San Diego to Tempe, AZ to see the game. That is five people. You can do that in a car, but it is a bit tight. But, Dennis’ brother, David, lived nearby, and as a big Broncos fan as well, wanted to go. Adding his girlfriend made seven. This was the days before the Ford Explorer, so there were no traditional vehicles available. So after very little thought, we decided to rent an RV. Now there would be plenty of room for everyone, we wouldn’t have to get motel rooms, we wouldn’t have to stop for bathroom breaks, and if we wanted to drink, everyone but the driver could. Open container laws not withstanding. So that is what we did.
Fast-forward to the present. We wouldn’t be able to leave until Friday (Aug 14th) evening. We picked the RV up in the late afternoon to minimize the rental fees. Also, David and Jeri (his girlfriend) had to work, we had to load everything up, and get something to eat. That was going to make for a late dispatch time and a night drive. Dennis hates to fly, so he has made many a night drive. That made him our driver and I would serve as navigator. But, as he had made this particular drive several times, to visit family in AZ, he wouldn’t be needing a navigator. Except to figure out their way to the cooler to get him a soda. I figured I was up to the job.
We left around 9 PM and headed east. We were driving into the earth’s rotation, so we would be losing what little daylight we had, pretty quickly. Not a big deal as once you cleared the mountains east of town and got into the plains of Eastern California/Western Arizona, there was not a lot to see.
Our plan was to drive to Tucson and camp in Dennis’ Aunt Mary’s driveway. She would then go up to Phoenix/Tempe with us. The night driving worked out well in another way, too. The likes of Yuma, AZ, during daylight, in August, is pretty hard on a vehicle’s cooling system. Daytime highs are usually well over 100 that time of year, and 110 degrees would not be considered unusual. But, night driving is hard on the driver, and I did my best to keep Dennis both company and awake. I will admit to falling asleep several times, but not for long. We arrived in Tucson about 3 AM, with no incidences. Most everyone was already asleep. Dennis and I made it unanimous.
But our story begins several months before when Dennis and I were planning this trip. We knew that there would be him and his girlfriend, Carrie, plus me and my family all going from San Diego to Tempe, AZ to see the game. That is five people. You can do that in a car, but it is a bit tight. But, Dennis’ brother, David, lived nearby, and as a big Broncos fan as well, wanted to go. Adding his girlfriend made seven. This was the days before the Ford Explorer, so there were no traditional vehicles available. So after very little thought, we decided to rent an RV. Now there would be plenty of room for everyone, we wouldn’t have to get motel rooms, we wouldn’t have to stop for bathroom breaks, and if we wanted to drink, everyone but the driver could. Open container laws not withstanding. So that is what we did.
Fast-forward to the present. We wouldn’t be able to leave until Friday (Aug 14th) evening. We picked the RV up in the late afternoon to minimize the rental fees. Also, David and Jeri (his girlfriend) had to work, we had to load everything up, and get something to eat. That was going to make for a late dispatch time and a night drive. Dennis hates to fly, so he has made many a night drive. That made him our driver and I would serve as navigator. But, as he had made this particular drive several times, to visit family in AZ, he wouldn’t be needing a navigator. Except to figure out their way to the cooler to get him a soda. I figured I was up to the job.
We left around 9 PM and headed east. We were driving into the earth’s rotation, so we would be losing what little daylight we had, pretty quickly. Not a big deal as once you cleared the mountains east of town and got into the plains of Eastern California/Western Arizona, there was not a lot to see.
Our plan was to drive to Tucson and camp in Dennis’ Aunt Mary’s driveway. She would then go up to Phoenix/Tempe with us. The night driving worked out well in another way, too. The likes of Yuma, AZ, during daylight, in August, is pretty hard on a vehicle’s cooling system. Daytime highs are usually well over 100 that time of year, and 110 degrees would not be considered unusual. But, night driving is hard on the driver, and I did my best to keep Dennis both company and awake. I will admit to falling asleep several times, but not for long. We arrived in Tucson about 3 AM, with no incidences. Most everyone was already asleep. Dennis and I made it unanimous.
Day Fourteen & Fifteen, August 15 & 16, 1987
Today, I am going to see my first NFL game in person. Yes, I’ve led a sheltered live and Yes, it’s preseason, but if you’re going to rain on my parade I’ll be forced to point out that I’ve spent the last two weeks having a great time in Southern California and you’ve had to work.
Anyway, there were still a few hurdles to overcome. First, we all needed showers. That was part of the reason for stopping at Aunt Mary’s. The girls got to use the real shower in the house and the rest of either made due with the RV or did without.
Then there is the matter of us still being in the wrong city. Tucson is about two hours south of Phoenix. The game was slated for this evening, so we had plenty of time, even though we hadn’t exactly risen with the Arizona dawn. So after we were up, showered, and had gotten something to eat, we climbed up in the RV and off we went.
The game was to be played at Sun Devils Stadium in Tempe, AZ, property of Arizona State University, and hot as hell. Football is a winter sport for a reason. The players have to where enough padding and uniform to protect them collisions that would total your average Volkswagen. So it is best that nature provide air conditioning. Take my word for it; the parking lot of Sun Devil’s Stadium, in August has no air conditioning. Luckily we both had no reason to wear loads of cloths, nor were we forbidden from quenching our thirst as we lounged around.
That lounging had commenced at about 4 PM. We came prepared to tailgate with a grill, some hamburgers and hot dogs, and a variety of other picnic like foods. There were other fans with the same idea, and we wandered around a little too. We found very few Cheeseheads (fans of the Green Bay Packers, the Broncos opponent today), so we were unable to ridicule them in the manner at which they had been accustomed of late. Green Bay’s powerhouse days were twenty years in the past, and Brett Favre would be a college sophomore in 1987. But we did find some Kansas City Chiefs fans, who must have been lost, and we traded some barbs with them.
After hamburgers, hot dogs, and beer, David made up a banner for us to unfurl in the stadium. It had the very original slogan of “Elway for President” But, what the hell, we were proud of it anyway. The game itself went fine, in that Denver won 20-14. But it was still a preseason game, and starters didn’t play the whole game. And you knew it really didn’t count. But we had a great time anyway.
Afterwards, we drove to the airport shuttle parking lot to camp, as our flight wasn’t until the morning Margo, Jolene, & I were flying home from Phoenix, and all the others were heading back to San Diego. So we finished off the night discussing the game, drinking, and trying to play some game that involved famous people’s initials. We eventually made it to sleep. When we got up the next morning, still dressed in our Broncos regalia, we looked like hell. But the Arizona natives were impressed. We got comments all through the airport about how hard core we must have been. We had traveled all the way from Denver and looked like we had stayed up all night afterwards. Maybe we were hard core.
Anyway, there were still a few hurdles to overcome. First, we all needed showers. That was part of the reason for stopping at Aunt Mary’s. The girls got to use the real shower in the house and the rest of either made due with the RV or did without.
Then there is the matter of us still being in the wrong city. Tucson is about two hours south of Phoenix. The game was slated for this evening, so we had plenty of time, even though we hadn’t exactly risen with the Arizona dawn. So after we were up, showered, and had gotten something to eat, we climbed up in the RV and off we went.
The game was to be played at Sun Devils Stadium in Tempe, AZ, property of Arizona State University, and hot as hell. Football is a winter sport for a reason. The players have to where enough padding and uniform to protect them collisions that would total your average Volkswagen. So it is best that nature provide air conditioning. Take my word for it; the parking lot of Sun Devil’s Stadium, in August has no air conditioning. Luckily we both had no reason to wear loads of cloths, nor were we forbidden from quenching our thirst as we lounged around.
That lounging had commenced at about 4 PM. We came prepared to tailgate with a grill, some hamburgers and hot dogs, and a variety of other picnic like foods. There were other fans with the same idea, and we wandered around a little too. We found very few Cheeseheads (fans of the Green Bay Packers, the Broncos opponent today), so we were unable to ridicule them in the manner at which they had been accustomed of late. Green Bay’s powerhouse days were twenty years in the past, and Brett Favre would be a college sophomore in 1987. But we did find some Kansas City Chiefs fans, who must have been lost, and we traded some barbs with them.
After hamburgers, hot dogs, and beer, David made up a banner for us to unfurl in the stadium. It had the very original slogan of “Elway for President” But, what the hell, we were proud of it anyway. The game itself went fine, in that Denver won 20-14. But it was still a preseason game, and starters didn’t play the whole game. And you knew it really didn’t count. But we had a great time anyway.
Afterwards, we drove to the airport shuttle parking lot to camp, as our flight wasn’t until the morning Margo, Jolene, & I were flying home from Phoenix, and all the others were heading back to San Diego. So we finished off the night discussing the game, drinking, and trying to play some game that involved famous people’s initials. We eventually made it to sleep. When we got up the next morning, still dressed in our Broncos regalia, we looked like hell. But the Arizona natives were impressed. We got comments all through the airport about how hard core we must have been. We had traveled all the way from Denver and looked like we had stayed up all night afterwards. Maybe we were hard core.