San Diego, May 2017

My blog is lagging behind...will try to do some catching up. 

The first week in May we met up with our son, his wife and our little grandson in San Diego. 

Our campground at Carlsbad State Park...our rig sitting on top the cliff.
What an amazing view we had. 

Carlsbad beach.
This beautiful beach goes on forever and we walked and walked daily.

Our son is always up for quirky things (actually we are too)...so we set out for a day trip to Salvation Mountain and Slab City. Slab City is hard to describe...it's inhabited mostly by free spirits (hippy type) squatters living on an abandoned navy base. All that's left of the base is the cement slabs where buildings once stood, hence the name Slab City. People living there are often referred to as Slabbers. Slab City is totally off the grid, no running water, electric or garbage pick up. The "yard art" displayed throughout is apocalyptic, creative, mad-max, twilight zone and interesting.

The library at Slab City. 
Quite a selection of books, albeit a bit dusty. 

One of my favorites at Slab City is the wall of old TV's and computer screens. Interesting notes painted on the screens. The row of chairs all had remotes on them :).

 Just so happened a man was sitting there reading the screens when I snapped this photo. 

Around the corner from Slab City is Salvation Mountain. The work of a very dedicated Leonard Knight who built a mountain with his own hands and funds, all to share his faith. There's a pathway with steps one can climb to the top by the cross. The mountain is made from straw, tree limbs, old tires, windows and adobe clay. Knight passed away in 2014.  
A quote fom a brochure I picked up...Leonard often said, "Love is universal, Love God, Love one another and just keep it simple."   

It takes alot of paint and volunteers to maintain the mountain. 

Our next interesting stop was the Jacobs School of Engineering. The campus has several unique "sculptures" that were commissioned by the school. This tiny house rests on top a 7 story building. I couldn't stop looking at it.

We were intrigued and made our way up to the 7th floor. Unfortunately, the door going out to the tiny house was locked. There are set times that it is open for tours, how cool would that be. I loved the garden and yard. 

Another work of art "sculpture" on the Engineering campus.

All from San Diego. It's on to Owens Valley and Bishop CA. in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.