Yesterday, the weather didn’t cooperate with the forecast. The offshore flow weakened and we had high cloud cover for most of the day. It wasn’t cold – we just didn’t have the clear, sunny day we expected.

Donna had a Skype interview at 11am with Smead Organamics that will be broadcast next spring. I headed out on my bike at 10am. I planned to ride for a couple of hours to give her space to prepare for and complete her interview. I rode the usual loop of Fiesta Island, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach.

In Pacific Beach, I rode up to the taco stand on the corner of Hornblend and Mission Boulevard. I think the building the taco stand occupies used be Der Wienerschnitzel back in the 70s. Taco stands are common throughout the southwest. In southern California, they are especially popular in the beach communities. I love the variety of tacos we find here. I had a three mini-taco plate made with pollo asado (grilled chicken).

I arrived back home just as Donna finished her Skype interview. I puttered around for bit then set up my guitar amp/stand outside and practiced for a while.

There’s a creepy motorhome in a site across from us, a few sites west of our location. I call it creepy and I’ll try to explain why. The coach is painted black. The black paint looks like it came out of a spray paint can – make that several spray paint cans. It was applied over the graphics that once adorned the coach. The outline of the graphics can still be seen though the entire body of the coach is black.

The upper grill has been replaced with a shiny metal plate. The lower grill is all black. The windshield shade consists of a Monster Energy Drink poster covering the driver’s side and Tyvek insulation panel on the passenger side. There are no logos or markings to indicate the original make of the motorhome.

It’s been here for a few weeks now. There isn’t a car, motorcycle, bicycle or any other conveyance at the site. The only occupant of the coach seems to stay inside most of the time, only making brief appearances when he goes to the public restroom. He appears to be in his thirties with long dark hair.

Yesterday, after I finished practicing guitar and put my guitar and amp away, I was standing outside. The black coach guy appeared at the back of our site. He approached me and said, “I heard you jamming. We should get together.” I asked him if he played. He mumbled something about a harmonica and click track. Then he suddenly said, “Do you have any beer?”

I thought this was strange. I also thought about the fact that he doesn’t have any way to get to the store other than walk or drive out of here in his motorhome. I gave him a couple of cans of beer, mainly to make him go away. I told him I had to go inside and get ready for visitors. He went back to his coach.

I was telling him the truth. Donna’s friend, Kathi, and her husband Rob were coming over to pick us up at 3:30pm. We planned to go to Ocean Beach to a place called South Beach Bar and Grill. It’s located at the foot of Newport Avenue. The upstairs bar overlooks the beach just north of the Ocean Beach pier.

View from the South Beach Bar and Grill in Ocean Beach

We planned to watch the sunset over the ocean from the upstairs bar. On the way there we joked about the overcast sky and lack of sunset. A few minutes after we were seated, the sky began to clear. We had a sunset after all!

At the South Beach Bar and grill with Kathi, Rob and Donna

It was Taco Tuesday. Although I had eaten tacos for lunch, this place is famous for their fish tacos and I didn’t mind having tacos again. On Taco Tuesday, all the tacos except the lobster taco are only $2.50 each. Donna ordered the grilled mahi taco. Kathi had the grilled wahoo. Rob ordered two fried pollock tacos (Baja style). I had two grilled yellowfin tuna tacos. We all had them made with corn tortillas. Donna’s sister, Sheila, said that this was the place that has the best fish tacos and she was right. They were outstanding. They don’t skimp on the fish either – each taco is made with a generous portion of fish.

Rob and I enjoyed a couple of IPAs with our meal. Kathi had a brown ale from Montana called Moose Drool. Donna had a glass of red wine.

We came back to our motorhome and sat together chatting for a couple of hours. Rob has a press release distribution agency called prREACH. Kathi is a professional organizer and author and also does image consulting through her business. That’s how Donna and Kathi met.

We learned that Kathi also has an extensive background with sailboats and worked as first mate on a few boats. She actually has a captain’s license and can sail commercial vessels. Rob served in the US Coast Guard and also knows a thing or two about ships. We really enjoyed their company and look forward to getting together again.

One of the things I love about our nomadic lifestyle is the opportunity to meet and make new friends as we travel about.

Today, there isn’t a cloud in the sky. The forecast calls for temperatures to reach 80 degrees on the coast and into the 90s inland. Tomorrow a cold front will move in. We will be in the 60s by the weekend.