Malibu, we love you!

When we finally made our way through Los Angeles to the beautiful city of Malibu, we all pocketed our electronics and gazed out the windows. We passed some monstrous houses with beautiful landscaping, scenic views of rocky cliffs and pretty beaches right off the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway).

We pulled into Malibu Beach RV Park and quickly got showered and ready for dinner. There was a short trail we hiked down from the RV site in order to get to the restaurant called Malibu Seafood Fresh Fish Market and Patio Cafe. Although the rest of the family was pleased with their dish, I didn't leave feeling full to my heart's (or stomach's) content because my Ahi Tuna burger lacked the yummy, straight-off-the-grill flavor you'd expect from such a highly recommended restaurant. However, I did enjoy my salad and I know that the rest of the family enjoyed their meals (lobster, red snapper, potato salad, salmon pate and shrimp skewers).

The next day (Tuesday 6/27) we planned to start the day at the Getty Villa in Malibu but unfortunately it is closed on Tuesdays.  Instead, we spent the day at Zuma beach to play on the volleyball courts and in the waves. No doggies were allowed though.

Here are some photos from the day:

We met up with our good friends the Najera family who were passing through from Berkley to San Diego. It was a really nice surprise that it worked out.  We had dinner and drinks at The 1 Tavern and hung out at the RV park after. We love our circle of friends in Austin and seeing these guys along our route in California ,was a highlight for sure!   

It's Like Someone Turned On The AC Outside

Oh San Diego, it's been too long!  The temperature outside has dropped significantly since getting to the Pacific Coast and the Schreiber mood has been quite chipper!  It's Monday and we spent the weekend at Chula Vista RV Park which was adjacent to a city park and marina on the Port of San Diego Bay. The grounds were beautiful, the people were friendly and it was a welcoming, family-friendly place to stay.  Tye made a friend named Matthew (5, an only child) who stuck to him like glue the 2 days we were there. I was really proud of how tolerant Tye was though, teaching the younger kid games like chess and bocce ball and sharing his big bike. It was a parenting 'hooray' moment!  We had our first epic day on Saturday beginning with a full afternoon at the dog-friendly Coronado Beach, followed by a blog-worthy mention, pic. & google review of our meal at the Gaslamp Village (see below).  We finished the night w/ a SD Padres game against the Detroit Tigers.  Saylor snatched some good seats down the first base line, and we won the game!

Imperial Beach  

Tye & Matthew :) 

Mariscos Seafood - Gaslamp District

El Pulpo Molcajete  - Best dish in recent memory

It was Blu's first time in the ocean AND socializing like a normal, non-aggressive dog!  He was like a different dog here - jumping, running, barking and rolling in the sand without one single attack.  
It was a proud dog-mom day for me.

On Sunday we hung at the park Schreiber-style.  Charles grilled steaks, we played several rounds of backgammon, swam at the pool and packed up the RV.  Before leaving for Malibu, we spent the morning at Imperial Beach where we rode 3 miles on the beach...but felt like 6.

3:10 to Yuma

If anyone needs an RV Park recommendation in the Southeastern most part of AZ near the San Diego County line, on the border of Mexico :) Palms RV Resort in Yuma, AZ is the place to stay!  Apparently only 6 families (sure to be slightly crazy) stay year-round bearing the high temps.  The resort (and I mean, resort!) was completely empty, had amenities out the wazoo (like 4 pools, 20 billiard tables, 2 bocce courts, 10 shuffle board courts with a stadium for viewing, multiple tennis courts, a putting green, fitness center, spa, on-site massage therapist and on and on.  I've never thought about my being 55 yrs. of age, but if life's like that, it can't be so bad!  So...back to the high Summer temps...driving through the DESERT...pulling a 30' RV...with 2 kids and our dog...with spotty cellular reception...a tire blew!  Geez!!  Charles pulled over to the narrow shoulder and got busy. Saylor & I had golf umbrellas and were covering him & Tye for shade, but every time a semi went by it nearly lifted us both off the ground.  Saylor was on edge, Charles was sweating like a hog and I could see Tye's emotions of worry.  From Weather Underground, essentially only miles away Weather Underground said "Ocotillo Wells, CA: 124° on June 21, hottest temperature ever measured in San Diego County."  What an awful time and place to get a flat!
But thankfully, all the thought, care, crossing the t's and dotting the i's that my Dad and Charles did the week/weekend leading up to our departure (including having 2 spare tires) got us through the ordeal. We made it to safely to San Diego last night and are enjoying the cooler temps & beach scene, also takin' in more of the RV life (more on that soon) - today 67 degrees!!!  Baseball game tonight: Padres VS Detroit Tigers -- Tye is beside himself with excitement!
Going out to play...

Our Epic Summer Road Trip Begins

After celebrating Father's Day in a familiar but very special way -  shooting skeet with close friends & family- we pulled out of Spring Branch, TX the morning of June 19th for what we have dubbed our "Epic Summer Road Trip".  Aside from the flat-top mountains and a single dust devil, the stretch to Fort Stockton wasn't much too talk about, but once getting through Fredricksburg, the drive was short and we caught a nice West Texas sunset.  In passing, we were reminded to 'make time for wine' & a trip to Enchanted Rock!  Our lunch spot was Junction, TX where we visited a dear friend's gravesite.  We had not been there in years and Charles pinned the gps coordinates making it easier for future visits/visitors.  We got to Fort Stockton & set up for the night at Sagebrush RV amongst the big trucks and dry terrain.  Take-out pizza did the trick for dinner and we played a game of hearts.  The next day we swam at Balmorhea State Park.  A lot like Barton Springs Pool in Austin, the only thing that we had wished was that we had our swim masks and that they had a slightly more lenient pet policy!  That evening, our first real destination was Las Cruces, NM to visit Charles's step-sister Dawn Browning & her husband Rob Wu.  We met up for a delicious Southwestern dinner & walked the town of La Mesilla to catch up.  They are both scientists by trade but Rob is a more or less a Field Guide, if you will, and treated us to a 6 mi. hike in the Organ Mountain National Recreation Area the next morning. We started at 6 am and hiked up to a "saddle point" that overlooked the White Sands missile range, and Jornada Del Muerto & Tularosa basins. We started early enough to get ahead of the heat so we all enjoyed it, especially me & Blu!  That day Charles's truck read 108° - needless to say after the hike we showered, rested and stayed inside the rest of the afternoon!  We're loving the RV by-the-way and have no complaints about the sound system, AC, storage space, shower pressure etc. To top the night off, we had light nibbles at with Rob & Dawn here at the RV spot then practiced yoga at Dawn's home studio for the International Day of Yoga!  June 21st is the longest day of the year, the SUMMER SOLSTICE and doing yoga altogether, was an incredibly full-filling experience!  The next day we headed towards California with a pitstop in AZ.
The epic road trip has begun...