42nd Street

Rolled out kinda late, and first stop the Big Bookstore at the Mall at Edinger and 39...purchased Call of the Wild...in south lanes thereabout on 39 is centered in the road from a curve in the distance a huge American Flag, and I've been wanting to get a pic, but all the lights went green, so pic up was taken while rolling...reached the Beach at sunset, and tried for pic, pulling into the parking near the Santa Ana River Jetty...gate was down, no parking, so looped through, another pic taken in a hurry, and then found myself stalled while police straightened out a fender bender...both drivers standing apart with arms folded, and police moving with caution--even fender benders look laden with tensions!...diverted by the no parking (I had thought to just sit on the Beach awhile), and continued to the Peninsula...thought to maybe find parking at 42nd Street, pic up, but that was an 'of course not', and Newport Pier too...another gathering of police there, like four squad cars parked with flashing lights..."when the sirens sound, the neighborhood dogs howl"...bit of doggerel I thought up!...continued to Balboa Pier, and Pizza Pete's ...two slices and a soda...admired the mural around the walls, too bad wall was cut into in the Wedge part...paddled out to Pier's End...hot chocolate at Ruby's...night pier pic...cloudy warm breeze from the west and small waves too...there was an old photo of the Peninsula in Pete's showing things when first graded, sectioned, and being offered for sale--an aerial view...lots were tiny, being offered as vacationing properties I imagine...side streets are narrow, alternating one ways...all the houses, apartments, are different, and cottage like, and right beside one another...towards the Wedge are larger homes, but still close beside, and bayside they all have docks with boats...and it's the ninth wealthiest neighborhood in the country...family story goes that pop was debating a home purchase in Garden Grove or Newport, prices the same then...Garden Grove had a backyard...oh!...fire rings near the River Jetty...thought maybe rings were all gone, not seeing them where I used to...