196 OC what does that mean to you?

    With less than half a month until we left our Hemet home and moved to Arizona.  We needed to make wise use of our remaining days in our tiny home, there are still many sights we hope to see  in Southern California. 
     One afternoon out of the blue (not sure where that phrase comes from but it seems to fit) Lynda sent us a text asking if we wanted to meet at the Callaway winery.  Of course!   Arriving before Lynda I positioned the trike under the winery debris dump for a Kodak moment.   Wouldn't have been so funny if a worker inside had seen me and decided to switch on the auger. 
     After a wine sample we decided to have a lite lunch at the onsite restaurant.   The lamb chops with a rosemary balsamic drizzle caught our eye and Ruthie and I decided to share.  The scenery, meal and company was pleasant until a familiar sound and movement on the grassy knoll outside caught our eye.  An enormous flock of sheep with a mobile shepherd had taken up residence.  Was it our food choice?  Silence of the lambs?  I felt guilty already.

Chalking the thought of our food choice and the sudden appearance of the sheep outside as a coincidence we settled back to enjoy our time with Lynda and marvel at the shepherd and his almost  mystical communication with his herding dogs. 

     February 23rd   With a list and directions of Orange County "must see" prepared by Lynda herself  we headed over Ortega highway stopping long enough to enjoy one of our favorite views.  The valley with Lake Elsinore laying below us,  inspiring!    
        Many times over the course of our winter residence with Lynda and Sterling we had heard the familiar reference to the Orange county area and now recognized "OC" as code for those that believe they have been blessed with a chosen life or gifted experience.  When asked where they are from they respond with "orange County".  I would have liked to say I was from "Wabasha county" however Ruthie felt it was in poor taste.  Probably a good thing she is there to moderate me.  Myself being somewhat cynical and hard to impress noticed immediately the initials could just have well referred to "obsessive compulsive" the more I think about it I believe it fits.   

Menu and Lynda's list.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Our first stop was for breakfast in San Juan Capistrano to plan our trip.  With Lynda's note on the table we checked our list.  Laguna beach, top of the world, Balboa Pier, Balboa island, Fashion Island and we were on our way.    Lynda expected it would take us several days to visit all the stops and take it all in.   A quick stop at the restroom before we mounted up made me pause.  Do you think the maximum capacity is for the whole restaurant or just the bathroom.  Sorry, just some things make me wonder.  

      Having been raised at least part of the time in Orange county many of Lynda's recommendations were close to Laguna beach.   Many of her suggestions involved shopping and higher income type activities.  We were enjoying the day.  There were many unique little tourist shops.   It didn't take Ruthie long to find a salt water taffy store.  At first her goal was to fill her bag with 2 of each flavor however she soon realized there were just to many and imposed some restriction on her purchases.  Even with her self imposed limits she still walked out with a pretty large sack and $19.00 in taffy.  After checking out the main street and beach we headed to "the top of the world."  A couple of miles winding up the residential streets away from the ocean gave us a panoramic view of the hills and shore line surrounding the village.   


I teased and said I thought I
could see Wisconsin. 

     Breathtaking, there were numerous hiking and biking trails crisscrossing the rugged hills I think you could spend a lifetime and not see them all.  Normally I wouldn't have used the word bike when I viewed the trails as I don't think I could have stayed in the center of one.  However we seen many riders up there with mountain bikes.  Scary!

     We spent some time on the pinnacle taking pictures in every direction, we never tire of looking at scenery.   By now we were looking to satisfy our appetite and on our list was Las Brisas, an upscale restaurant that Lynda had suggested as must see.  It was everything she had said, and with our habit of sharing meals the bill was not out of sight.   The view from our table was worth the stop.  How many times in your life do you get a chance to dine with the Ocean lapping at the coast outside your window? Certainly not to farm kids from Minnesota.

On the winding trail back to the parking lot we relaxed knowing we might not pass this way again.  While mounting our trike we responded to questions on our vehicle choice and the every present.  "you didn't ride that all the way from Minnesota, did you?"

     Our next stop was at a expensive shopping area called fashion Island where famous and financially endowed people visit.  What are we doing here?  Well it's on Lynda's list.  Entering Neiman Markus we started browsing, perhaps our motorcycle clothing gave us away and I think we were being observed a little more closely than their regular customers.  

We probably would have been okay if Ruthie had not spotted a cute little jacket with small mirrors attached to it.  Unfortunately she just couldn't contain herself when she read the price.  In case you can't read it, its a little over $3,400.00 over and over she kept repeating "that's just stupid" and with every "that's just stupid" her voice raised.  A few more "that's just stupid" and I think we had been isolated on the surveillance cameras.  We had gained some attention from a clerk and they seemed relieved when we moved on.   On the way  back to the trikes we seen a lady with several shopping bags headed for her car.  I was surprised she didn't have security with her. 

Even the mannequins seemed
happy to see us leave. 

.    With the day flying by we rode quickly to the ferry and crossed to Balboa Island.  We decided we had seen enough and rode across to the exit bridge and made our way back towards the ranch.  Not realizing how bad the evening commuter traffic would be going back across the mountain and the Ortega highway it was dark by the time we descended the other side.   A quick decision and we stayed at a modest motel.  The significance of the layover was the next morning we rose late to avoid the morning rush.  One of the game shows was on, (Ruthie would no which one) and a lady won a $2000 gift certificate to Neiman Marcus.  Of course to us this was hilarious except feeling sympathy for the so called winner, her "prize" wouldn't even by the little jacket we had seen.  What a joke.