Jan 31

Back from my weekend divergence - a Sierra Club meeting in New Orleans; we are settled in a campground called Piru Lake in the hills near Burbank on our way back to the coast from Palm Springs. Its right next to a condor sanctuary – haven’t seen any yet however and in an Olive grove. Reminded us of our trip to Italy.

Barry played golf and did the laundry while I was gone. New Orleans looks pretty grubby still. I can’t understand why people stay up all night drinking and barfing in the streets – guess I am really getting old. Our hotel was near one that our family stayed in about 20 years ago. Back then it seemed like such a great town. However, I did enjoy eating binets at Café DeMonde. Met up with an old Sierra Club friend who lives in Montana. We had a lot of laughs and she is anxious to show us the hidden places in Yellowstone Park at some point.

Going back to Palm Springs from the coast the first time was poor planning but…. we did get a quiet little national forest site - Dripping Springs on the way back and the next day a trip to the Palomar Observatory. Lovely ride thru the hills and then 5000’ up the mountain on S turns. Barry spent a lot of time trying to figure out the engineering of the telescope . Pretty impressive! I of course noticed the sign that warned about light pollution do to the sprawling cities and towns near by. They ask that you don’t leave out side lights on etc. – a perimeter as far away as San Diego.

We have our coastal trip planned for this week from Santa Barbara to Big Sur. Watching the “colossal” storm that is heading toward the Northeast.