17.04.26-05.01 Transition campsite

The first step of my transition from Carlsbad camp host to vagabond in Mexico 
is a short relocation to site #216 on the south side of the entrance station  
and on the ocean side of the road.  

From here I do not even need to leave the motor home to get an excellent sunset view.
Very nice!                  

I am definitely looking forward to the next thing, which is a nearly 8 week trip to Mexico.  I leave on May 5, and return on June 28.  The details of this trip are still being developed,

 and will be shared in this blog as I go along. 

Meanwhile, I have been devoting much time to my ongoing Spanish self study using Duolingo and Study Spanish apps on my cell phone.  Here I am attending a MEETUP group of non-native speakers who are also learning Spanish.  I have met with them three times to sit and get to know each other while speaking only Spanish.

Here is a picture of the once a week Carlsbad Senior Center Spanish class I attended during Feb, March and April on Monday mornings. 

I'm nowhere near fluent, but am confident I will be able to communicate when I'm in Mexico - and not just to say the basics like ?como estas? and ?donde esta el bano?

In addition to packing for the upcoming trip and studying Spanish, I decided to take care of our Jeep which is not as happy as I am about living at the ocean in San Diego and Oregon over the last four years.  The roof is starting to rust.  I sanded it down, cleaned it up and applied a clear protective seal coat which hopefully will delay the rust progression.  I had actual physical help from the former auto mechanic and current camp host, Tookey, and moral support from the other hosts.

I have been paying attention to the tide chart all along since the beach is narrow 

and difficult to walk on the rocks during high tide.  One monring there was a -32 tide at dawn, so I set the alarm and took a walk along the beach

 to downtown Carlsbad 4 miles north of the campground.

When the tide is up, it has the power to move rocks (see the Easter Miracle blog post) and here is a view from beach level after the rocks have been washed up to partially obstruct the access stairs from the campground bluff down to the beach. 

One  night I had dinner at Felix BBQ with Soul in Oceanside with Chris and Rick.  I was reconnected with them in March when my high school girlfriend, Sue, came to visit me and her sister who lives in Escondido, about 20 miles inland.  Rick and Chris have agreed to let me park my Jeep in their roomy driveway and yard while I am in Mexico.  Big benefit!  Away from the beach, nt at the airport,  and Rick will be able to start the car occasionally so it still has battery when I get back.  We had a good dinner and discussed the logistics of our next meeting on May 4, the night before I fly.                                                                                                              

On my last full day in this site, Roger and Jeannie came to visit for a short while.  

They really enjoy being at eye level with the pelicans who fly along the updraft of the cliff.  My camera was not quick enough to catch the pelicans, but it looks like Roger is ready to fly away himself.  Hang on, Roger!