Yesterday, Donna’s friend Julie Zizka, drove down from Del Mar and took Donna downtown to Ra Sushi for lunch. Donna is a big fan of Julie’s product, The Tote Buddy. After lunch, Julie dropped Donna off at the hair salon in Normal Heights for her 2pm appointment.

While Donna was out, I went out on the scooter. I rode up to the Veterans Memorial on top of Mount Soledad. At an elevation of 823 feet, Mount Soledad offers a great view of the city. The ride up Soledad Mountain Road to La Jolla Scenic Drive climbs all the way. Soledad Mountain Road starts at Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach, only few feet above sea level. The climb is a favorite for avid bicyclists.

La Jolla Scenic Drive crosses the summit, then goes down the steep north side of the hill. The grade is 15% at some points before reaching La Jolla. The Veterans Memorial is located where La Jolla Scenic Drive crosses the summit.

The memorial can be seen from many points around north San Diego. The large cross on top is a familiar landmark. From the memorial, the vista is incredible. Click on the photos to enlarge.

Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial

The photos I shot yesterday don’t do justice to the view. Haze in the atmosphere is more evident in the photos than the actual view. Looking south, you can see the beaches, Mission Bay, Point Loma and all the way downtown.

The view south from Mount Soledad

The I-5 corridor separates Pacific Beach and Mission Bay from Clairemont and Bay Park

Looking east from Mount Soledad, you can see all way the past the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

The view east from Mount Soledad

Looking northwest, you can see the coastline past Torrey Pines up to Del Mar and Solana Beach.

The view north from Mount Soledad

Our neighbor, Mona, picked Donna up from the hair salon on her way home from work. They got home around 4pm.

Today, the weather is cooler. We have cloudy skies with gusty winds. The forecasted high is only 67 degrees today. There’s a 20% chance of rain. This weather will continue over the weekend before we warm up again next week. Today I’ll finalize my NFL football picks for this weekend’s pool.