We are again on the beach, this time at Silver Strand State Beach, south of Coronado (map).

This is an odd place, since most of our camp resource books don't even list it. But there is definitely camping here. The state beach has four huge parking lots, and they have simply re-striped one for camping. So the sites are side-by-side, a giant asphalt boondock area. But the parking lot is right on the beach, on some of the priciest real estate in San Diego county. The fee here is $26 per night, which is normally outrageous for asphalt boondocking, but it's the best thing going in this neck of the woods.

As it happens, this place is party central on the weekends. Many RV's have arrived in small groups of three or four, and staked out adjoining spaces. As near as we can tell, most folks are from somewhere nearby, and are here for the weekend to get their beach fix, and to make some use of their RV's.

We arrived yesterday afternoon, and have paid through tomorrow, though we may add a day. We unloaded the bikes yesterday, and today we rode to the San Diego Zoo, then around Balboa Park and out to Loma Point and the Cabrillo National Monument.

On our way from Balboa Park to Loma Point, we rode past the cruise docks, and were amused to see Holland America's MS Oosterdam in port. That is the ship we cruised on in the Caribbean, out of Ft. Lauderdale, back in December. Clearly, since then, she has transited the Panama Canal and is now sailing the Mexican Riviera. A year before that cruise, we sailed from this very port on the MS Ryndam on the Mexican Riviera itinerary, and we reminisced about that cruise as we passed the cruise dock in Odyssey yesterday on our way here. The Regal Pricess was in port at the time.

Tonight we will head to downtown San Diego for dinner at the University Club. They close and lock the front gates to the state beach at 8pm, which is when we are eating. So we will have to push Aquarius around the gate on the sidewalk when we return, an option not open to most of the other campers here. (I could just ride it around, but that's technically illegal, whereas there is no law against pushing a motorcycle down the sidewalk.)

Lastly, I received a comment on one of Louise's photo posts (below) from someone who left no email address, who inquires what chairs we have in the front of the coach. I am assuming he meant the swivel chairs in the penthouse -- they are Flexsteel 443 swivel captain's chairs, which we bought at Custom RV Interiors. More details are here.