A SoCal Saturday Urban Hike

[Scott Gilmore]

Incidentally, this is our urban hiking kit. Reading glasses for our old peepers, earplugs for those places where people and machinery get TOO LOUD, tissue for noses that don't deal too well with all the smog, mold and pollen floating around, and last but not least, pepper spray for the dirtbags that infest every major urban area it seems. We've never had to use it, but we've come close a couple of times.



A good sturdy canvas bag means we don't use either paper or plastic when we make purchases.

On into downtown proper ...

[Scott Gilmore]

San Diego has experienced several booms since I came here over 35 years ago. The concentration of downtown dwelling space (rather than suburban sprawl) is a good thing in my opinion, even if it makes getting around here a real bear sometimes.





On our way through downtown we went past Chinatown. It isn't as glitzy as the other neighborhoods, but there are signs here and there. A lot of history here.



We got through the gaslamp district as quickly as possible and swung by the Pannikin. The Pannikin was founded decades ago by an acquaintance of ours named Bob Sinclair who imported coffee at a time when most Americans didn't know from Sanka. He bought cheap property in the eastern downtown area. Ever see Petco Park, home of the Padres baseball team? That land was owned by Bob Sinclair. Bob's doing OK. This is his limousine.



After picking up a book, we headed back up the hill to Hillcrest and home. Gotta love downtown.



The final chapter coming up ...

[Scott Gilmore]

The players:



Goofy Gilmore.



Carol after eating a gallon of Jamaican Me Crazy sorbet at Ben & Jerry's.



The booty from this urban outing. The book is next in line after I finish what I'm reading now, and the reason we headed out on this hike in the first place. The Field & Stream Aviator watch was a thrift store find. Carol and I browse all the thrift stores on our way back from downtown on these hikes. Today she found some shorts for two dollars (not pictured), and I found the watch for $15.

Life is good.

Ciao!

[McMurdo]

Wonderful walking tour, thank you Scott for posting a most interesting thread. I hope this is just the first of many photo tours from you, it has been great to look in on your little piece of the world. It's amazing that good looking girl just kept stalking you all day

[Barclay]

Outstanding tour! I've never been to San Diego, but now I feel as though I have been. Thanks for, as you say, letting me vicariously see somewhere "far more interesting".

[Scott Gilmore]

For some perspective, this is near the downtown area we walked through just a little over than 100 years ago. Note the lush vegetation.



This is what we now call Old Town (which then was called "town") just north of where we were today. You can see Coronado and Point Loma in the background.

[Panache]

Scott,

Thanks for sharing a bit of your world and a fun walking tour.

Cheers

Jamie

[kiltimabar]

I sure missed a lot of neat stuff when I was in San Diego umphf years ago in the Navy. (Not so long ago as those b&w photos, tho.) Some things have changed a lot and thankfully other things didn't. I do remember that SD had about the finest weather of any place I've ever been, and that includes a lot of places. Thanks for the tour.

[emolas]

Now you are making me homesick... I lived in SD most of my life and just recently was forced to move back east. I WILL return someday. Thanks for the reminder of how beautiful it is.

[Eujeankilt]

Thanks for the tour Scott. It's nice to see the beginnings of Pannikin. Our family has some history with the Pannikin in PB. Good memories.


Dale