Camping on Mt. Palomar

(A vacation within a vacation)

  How long has it been since I have been camping?  Not since I came to Korea, so about 8 years! So one of the things I wanted while back in the states would be to go out and do some sleeping under the stars!  What better place to do that than Mt. Palomar?  Home of the world famous Hale telescope. 

  The first problem is that I have never been able to reserve a camp site in the past, every time I have tried the campgrounds have been booked solid.  I was in luck this year, as there were plenty of spots available at the Observatory campground.  The other problem was that all my gear is in Korea.  No worries!  I just ordered a new tent, stove, and lantern from Amazon about 2 weeks prior to departure. I can either have the new equipment shipped later or donate it to a family member.  Being that Mt. Palomar is known for its stars, the main road from Interstate 15 to Palomar Mountain SR-76 is known as “Highway to the stars” I bought the brand new Rokinon 14mm f2.8 AF just for star photography, but more on that later!

  The big day finally arrived, and of course I ended up waking up late, than dragging my feet getting my gear ready and packed.  I had intended to leave early, take my time on the drive up taking photos along the way, I did not get on the road until about 1pm, which means I got up to Mt. Palomar aroundt 2:30 in the afternoon.  This wasn’t really a big real since the checkin time for the camp site was 2pm,  I decided to drive up to the Palomar Observatory and have a look at what was once the world’s largest terrestrial telescope.  The observatory was designed by George Ellery Hale in 1928, and was operational in 1948, it contains a 200 In. Pyrex mirror that at the time was the largest in the world and held that record for the next 45 years.

  After checking out the observatory, it was time to check in at the camp site and setup camp.  I made reservations online for site number 6 at the Observatory Campground. 

  The campground far exceeded my expectations!  The site was set back from the vehicle parking space, had plenty of privacy and the picnic table area, and the spot where I setup my tent offered plenty of shade by oak trees.  There was even a stream running behind the picnic table that offered some relaxing white noise during the night.  Though it also meant the ground was saturated.  So be sure to bring a ground cloth for your tent, as the bottom was quite damp and had to later be dried and cleaned at home. 

  It took about an hour to get everything setup, then it was time to cook dinner.  I BBQ’d a nice thick cut of steak marinated in a premade Jack Daniels sauce, served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables.

  After dinner it was time to start the camp fire and get ready to look at some stars.  I did say I was here for the stars, right?  Well I was not to be disappointed, at least not by the stars, because out they came!

  I was disappointed with the performance of the new Rokinon lens for star photography, which I will do an in-depth review on later, let’s just say for the purpose of this blog that I was very frustrated just getting what I got here, and if you are looking for a lens to do star photography stick with the manual focus offering by Rokinon.

    I should also note, that one of biggest things to get used to was the amount of quiet!  Coming from Korea, where there is always so much going on around you 24 /7. When you suddenly find yourself in a place where the only thing you hear is the chirping of birds, the occasional scurrying of animals, and the creek running behind your campsite, it is both wonderful, and disconcerting all at the same time!

  I had intended to get up at 6am, and make breakfast, but for the first time on the trip my body decided to sleep in until 10am.  No Time for breakfast!  It was time to hit the trails.  So off I drove to the actual Palomar Mountain State Park.  Since I stayed in a Federal Campground, and Palomar is a state park, I was not sure if my camping fee’s also covered the park entrance.  It was only an additional $10 so I decided to pay just to be safe.  The plan was to hike out and get pictures at the weir Site. The weir was built to measure the waterflow on Doane creek as there were thoughts of building a hydro electic dam to power the mountain. 

  Even with a park map it was confusing at first to find the trail head, I ended up on a sketchy 1 lane dirt grade and took me out of the park. The side trip did have one upside! I was able to pull over at one place and get some selfies next to a fallen log.

I was eventually able to find a place to turn around and get re-oriented and found the trail head at the Doane Pond parking (Just follow the signs to the School Camp.).  The start of the weir trail is to the right of the parking lot. It is a little hard to see. You then cross the road you drove in on and are once more on the trail.  It was a very relaxing high that keeps you in the shade of the most part.  There are quite a few fallen timbers on the trail, but only one that the rangers have not sawed through to make a passage through.  When your just about to the weir you will have to cross Doane creek on this narrow blank (In Asia we would call this a monkey bridge!), It is very stable and I had no problem crossing it (Several times in fact for selfies!), though the first time was a bit unnerving with all the camera equipment on my back! 

  Finally here I am at the weir site,

  I had seen a picture on someone’s blog where they were framed in the upper story window that I was trying to duplicate.  I was never able to scramble up there fast enough!  The best I could do was get a picture of Doane creek using the window as a frame. 

  The joke turned out to be on my however, as when I climbed onto the little rock wall to the left of the weir.  I am almost level with the second floor window, and there is an opening on the side.  I could have avoided all of this however if I had just brought my iPhone and used the remote trigger feature via Wifi.  The trail continued behind the wier, but was completely choked with poison oak, so I turned around and hiked out the way I came in.  So if you wish to hike beyond this point, I recommend bringing a pair of gardening glove and a long sleeve shirt!

  The hike was awesome!  I really appreciated that it was not a very strenuous hike, and how shady it was , except the small stretch where you parallel lower Doane Valley and are exposed to the sun you stay relatively cool!   It was time to head back to the camp site, take a shower and relax before dinner and the final camp fire! 

  I really enjoyed camping at Mt Palomar, and I highly recommend the Observatory Campground!  If site 6 is available go ahead and reserve it.  If you do come back here and tell me if you agree with my recommendation.  It is close to one of the pit toilets (Which are well maintained and do not smell.), but far away from the main flush toilets and showers that you don’t have constant traffic coming by your site. It is also on the other side of the campground from the Observatory trail that you don’t have stray foot traffic either.  The site is set back from the road with plenty of foliage for privacy and the picnic table area is shaded by tall oak trees.  Please remember to walk your campsite on the day of departure and pick up any trash, even if it is not yours!  Leave the site better than you found it! 

How to get to Mt. Palomar

From San Diego. 

Take I-15 North to East – 76, Then turn left on South Grade Road (County S6).  You will follow S6 up the mountain then turn left to continue on S6/Canfield Road).  Keep a look out for the campground ahead ¼ signs.  They come up quickly.  The observatory campground is the first one you will come to on your right.

GPS Coordinates

33°20’30.856″ N
116°52’41.748″ W

Closest Mappable Address (Within 2 miles)

35899Canfield Road, Palomar Mountain, California

RESERVATIONS:

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/observatory-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=7231

Going Home – A Sea Story

Dismasting A Hobie Getaway

  Once again I tried and failed to keep up with blog updates on my vacation.  There was just way too many things going on.  Places to go, people to see!  One of the things I was looking forward to was renting a Hobie Cat from the Mission Bay Sailing Center.  Mi Jung and I had rented a Hobie Getaway, ( A 16 foot rotomolded catamaran made by Hobie Cat.).  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobie_Getaway.  While they are not as high performance as the Hobie 16 I used to sail.  They are still a lot of fun and are made to be a social cruising cat.  It is still fun to take out on the water and sail around.

  I made plans to meet up with Kathy at Mission Bay Yacht Club after I rented the boat and was some single-handed sailing in.  I picked up the boat with no problem and made a couple of laps around the bay before sailing to the club to pickup my waiting crew.  We proceded to sail for an additional 20 – 30 minutes.  By this time the wind had really begun to pick up, and we had the boat pretty well dialed in and charging up the north west side of Mission Bay.

  All of a sudden, we heard a loud BANG, as the boat de-accelerated hard, and the mast came crashing down!  We were sitting on the windward “high” side of the boat, so there was really no danger of us being hit by the mast, however if there had  been more people on board, or where in the middle of tacking of gybing things could have turned out quite different!

  So after the mast fell, Kathy asked, “So, now what do we do? I replied, “We drift!”  Fortunately, we were not far from shore, and the wind and current on the upper side of the bay pushed us right up to shore.  We did not have our cell phone on us, nor did I remember the number to the rental company.   There was no way for us to just call the rental place and have them send their boat.  So while I stayed with the boat Kathy began the long walk around Mission Bay back to Santa Clara Point.

  Luck smiled on us again and another rental boat had run aground and the rental company already had their rescue boat on our side of the bay. Kathy was able to have the rental company come and pick us up while they towed our boat in.

  I have sailed boats long enough to know that these things happen, not to panic or get overly excited about it. You now have  a good sea story to tell at the bar later. Kathy was a great sport and didn’t panic or get overly excited. 

  There are always things to learn from your boating experiences, and this was no exception.

1 – Never trust a rental boat.  Thoroughly inspect the equipment before taking it out.  Are all the clevis pins for side stays and forestays in place?  Ask when the last time they inspected the rigging connections on the top of the mast? If they will let you explain that you would like to inspect it yourself and ask if you could have them capsize the boat on the beach to perform the inspection.  Thourally inspect the shackles that hold the forestay, side stays, and other wires such as trapezes if installed.  If you are not satisfied request the rental company make corrections or provide you with another boat. 

2 – Make sure you have a means of communication.  I would recommend a waterproof VHF Marine radio.  That way you can communicate with other boaters, the US Coast Guard, or Harbor Police in the area if you need assistance. At the very least carry a cell phone in a waterproof container and make sure you get the number to the rental company before heading out.

  We still have a good time while it lasted.  I am not sure if I will rent from the same company again, next trip I may just put the word out that I am looking to barrow a Hobie Cat from one of the Hobie Fleets that I have sailed with. 

  Sorry for no pictures to go along with this blog,  I had planned on it, but sometimes life jumps up to bite you in the butt!

  Be sure to return next weekend for another great Brent’s World blog!  If you wish to be notified by email when new content is posted, consider registering by CLICKING HERE!

Going Home Again

Day One – The Long Haul.

  I have been eagerly awaiting my next trip to San Diego even before I returned to Korea from my previous trip.  Mi Jung and I went back in July 2017 for my mom’s birthday, and will be there this time for my other moms birthday.

  The day finally arrived, and it was time to make my way to Incheon International Airport.  There are multiple ways of getting to The Winged City as Incheon is officially known.  You can take a taxi, which would have run me about 90,000 Korean Won,one of the Airport Limo Buses, which would have required me to get all my bags to either Samgakji or Ichon Station, or my preferred method.  The Airport Railway Express, or AREX.  I have preferred  the AREX train in the past because you were able to check in at the train station then travel checked bag free to the airport.  Once you arrived at your terminal you were able to go through the Flight Crew security line.  However on this trip I discovered you were no longer able to use the City check in if you were traveling to the USA, which was a real bummer! Anticipating the time it takes to check in, I opted for the 9:30am express train to Incheon.  Had I known I couldn’t check in city side, I would have taken the 8:40 train!

Here I am waiting for the AREX train to arrive.

  Once I got to the airport, it was really easy checking in at the First Class / Prestige Class (What Korean Airlines calls their business class product.) area.  Then it was through security and immigration and head to the Business Class lounge, where I had about 4 hours to wait for my flight.  I grabbed breakfast, which consisted of a first course of English chicken sausage,  seasoned potato wedges, a croissant, water, and a cappuccino.  Followed by a second course of a green bean salad and more English chicken sausage.  I don’t normally care for English sausage but these were really good.

  I then spent the next couple of hours in the “Relaxation Room”, which consisted of a row of massage chairs and another row of reading chairs.  I spent a half hour trying out the massage chairs and running through two 15 minute programs.  I must say the chairs were awesome, and did a good job massaging my back, neck, calves, and feet.  If it wouldn’t be too big of an inconvenience with my family waiting to pick me up in San Diego, perhaps my flight will be late and I can spend some more time in the massage chair.

  No such luck, and it is time to head out to the gate and board Korean Airlines Airbus A380-800, which I refer to as the Flying Manatee. 

  Korean Air’s A380 seats 407 passengers in a 3 class configuration.

First class is in the forward main deck, with the 301 seat economy class, Business class takes the entire upstairs deck and has 94 lie flat seats and 2 bars.  

You get plenty of leg room, a nice 15in. in flight entertainment screen, with magazine and book storage. In addition to the standard overhead storage bins you have 3 bins for additional easily accessible storage.

About an hour after takeoff they begun the dinner service, which consisted of seasoned shrimp and a hard stale piece of bread, followed by seared tuna with onions, and a stale baequet.  I am not sure what is going on with Korea Air’s bread but it was terrible!

 The next course was a pumpkin soup that was okay, but not one of favorites.

I ordered steak cooked well done, that was served with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli.  The steak was very good, and went well with the sides, and of course the red wine!

Following dinner I had a choice between ice cream and cake.  After my experience with the bread I should have known better and requested the ice cream.  The cake was some sort of green tea cake, and while it did not taste terrible, was not what I was expecting, and really did not go with the dinner.  Ice cream would have been the better choice.

  Following dinner I had intended to watch a movie but discovered that while I remembered to pack my USB drive with the movies I wanted to watch on my notebook, I failed to make sure I had installed VLC ( Video LAN Client ) after I had performed a fresh install of mac OS X High Sierra.  Out of the 5 movies I had intended to watch, I was only able to watch one, Coco.  Which ironically was one of the new release selections on the flight.

  Once finishing Coco, I had about 4 hours remaining in the flight and decided to go back and check out the bar on the Airbus A380,  which is an amenity not seen on passenger aircraft since some of the original Boeing 747 classics. 

  I spent about 45 minutes in the bar drinking a couple of Tom Collins and snacking on a few really good finger sandwiches while talking with a training captain employed by Airbus and working in Korea,  The atmosphere was nice, and it was nice to be able to be able to get away from the seat for awhile.

  Breakfast was then served 2 hours out of Los Angeles, which consisted of scrambled eggs with asparagus, potatoes with onions and a couple slices of bacon.  All while watching the sunrise from the aircrafts tail camera at 39000 ft.

  We then landed at LAX and it was time to clear immigration, collect my baggage and head out to the curb to wait for the Flyaway bus to get to Union Station.  I was a bit nervous because I did not know if was going to make it to Union Station in time to make my 1233 train, which would cause me to have to wait an additional 2 hours to get the next train to San Diego.  Amazingly it only took about 30 – 35 minutes to make it through immigration, get my bags, and get curbside.  In the past LAX immigration has always been such a disorganized zoo, but they have really improved things and the last 2 times have been a breeze!  Good job!  

  In the past I have recommended the Flyaway bus from Union Station, which I will no longer endorse.  I discovered they do not stick to their posted schedules, and some of the Union Station buses stop at the international Terminal but do not pick up (Even if they have empty seats.),  The drivers were rude and did not explain why this was the case!  I finally was able to get on one of the Union Station bound buses, and arrived at Amtrak’s Union Station at around 12:05pm.  I was really worried that by the time I got into the station proper, and found which ramp my train was leaving from it would be too late!  My luck heald and the train from leaving from one of ramps going into the station!  

  The train ride was uneventful, though crowded and noisy, I  just put on my headphone, put on the Essential Bob Dylan and enjoyed the scenery.  My mom met me at the station, and I got home, relaxed for a couple of hours, then went out to dinner at Natis Mexican Restaurant (You can read the review by clicking here.), then came home and went straight to bed at 7pm.

  Thank you for visiting Brent’s world, keep coming back the next couple of weeks to follow my solo adventures in San Diego!  Or if you wish to be notified about new articles by email, click HERE!