Today the Meetup group hiked St George’s Trail to the Little Spokane River.

Out and back was 7.25 miles and we had some sprinkles along the way.

I was barely able to get a picture of the deer – most ran off as soon as they heard us coming.

Today the Meetup group met at the Bowl and Pitcher suspension bridge and hiked upriver.

I joined a Meetup group for a hike up Beacon Hill.

Tonight, after dinner with family, we wanted to Winter Glow at Orchard Park.

We stopped by Manito Park after a holiday party to check out the lights in Duncan Gardens.

I joined a Meetup group at Mission Trails Regional Park for my second Five Peak Challenge.

1 Cowles Mountain

2 Pyles Peak

3 North Fortuna

We drove from Cowles staging area to Old Mission Dam.

4 South Fortuna

5 Kwaay Paay

This morning our Meetup Group hiked from La Jolla Shores through Scripps Coastal Reserve.

Then, up to and through the UCSD campus (cue the “missed finals” nightmares).

Before returning to the beach.

I started the day with a walk along Mission Bay and the Pacific Beach beaches boardwalk.

I ended the day along the harbor and at Jingle Jets at the USS Midway Museum.

Tonight I attended Lightscape at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.

I spent the afternoon at the Zoo before heading to Balboa Park for December Nights.

It was a good day for the bears and a few other animals.

December Nights – two nights when museums and shops in Balboa are open, several stages are erected for a variety of performances, and vendors line the walkways.

This morning I was back in Balboa Park for walk with Frontrunners.

The Botanical Building is not open yet, but I got a sneak peak through the windows on the back side of the building.

After lunch, I headed to the Zoo to take a couple Botanical Tours. I saw some animals along the way and even managed to squeeze in a visit to the Pandas (Xin Bao was hiding again).

The San Diego Zoo is an accredited Botanical Garden with Orchid and Carnivorous Plant greenhouses and 13 self-guided botanical tours.

Fern Canyon Tour

Bamboos Tour

Today’s walk was with a Meetup group at Lake Miramar.

Unlike the street I am on, the street one block away always been a top destination for trick-or-treaters. People who grew up in the area bring their kids here.

This morning my Meetup group met at Mission Trails Park to hike North and South Fortuna mountains. We took a new route to the summit of North Fortuna.

Then continued to South Fortuna via the saddle trail.

Before returning to the trailhead.

Flora

I joined a Meetup group to hike in Tecolote Canyon today. We met at the Nature Center.

Our trail connected to Mesa College’s Sri Chinmoy Peace Trail.

We returned to the Nature Center, stopping to try out the swing and taking Battle Trail (named for a benefactor).

Flora and fauna.

I joined two cousins for breakfast and since they hadn’t seen the Pandas, we went to the zoo. Xin Bao spent the day at the rear of her enclosure. Yun Chuan was active in the morning but napping in the afternoon.

We had panda tickets but the standby line was empty all day, so we just walked in.

My cousins had seen enough by 1:00, but I stayed to see more of the park and make two more visits to the pandas.

The San Diego Zoo is also an accredited botanical garden with over 3100 species in their collection, including the Piet Retief Cycad which is endangered.

One of my favorite routes takes me through the neighborhood,

along the north shore of Mission Bay,

down the Pacific Beach Boardwalk,

and back along the south shore of Mission Bay.

After lunch today I walked around De Anza Cove and through the former De Anza Point mobile home park. Their lease wasn’t renewed because of land-use issues and after years of litigation they were evicted. Part of the property was leased to Campland by the Bay and the rest is supposed to be wetlands or public park.

This morning we met at the Star of India for a walk along the Embarcadero followed by lunch.

After lunch I toured part of the Midway.

I met Frontrunners for another walk in Kendall Yards this morning.

Then I visited Waikiki Springs Wildlife Area and Nature Preserve.