La Mesa Soap Box Derby Racing 2010

        Saturday, the 6th of November, 2010 saw La Mesa Kiwanis holding a soap box derby race in La Mesa, CA this weekend, and I was there. Kids & parents from at least as far as Arizona threw their hat into the ring for this event, which I was fortunate enough to stumble across.

Kiwanis Club Racer In La Mesa, CA 2010

        There were about 20 soap box race cars for this event, with most of them looking like dad had more than a disciplinary hand in building them. What counts is what you bring to the table, not the garage, so every form of mechanic can try their wares at this event.

La Mesa Kiwanis Soap Box Derby Race

        Even though it’s kids that do the racing, adults are not far behind, eager for any chance to jump in a soap box derby car and roll it down the hill.

Soap Box Derby Racing In La Mesa – 2010

        This is a two day event, with the pics for this post all coming from the first day of soap box derby racing. Kiwanis of La Mesa as well as Drew Ford sponsor the event, which eventually included $5 hot dog and hamburger meal deals.

Science Meets The Real World

        Above we see two great examples of the styles of soap box derby racers I saw at the race. In the background above is what I would consider to be a garage-built soap box derby race car. In the foreground is a kid’s parents with more money and competitive spirits than most others… The aerodynamic situation of the soap box car in the foreground is the direct result of what happens when the parents of a soap box racing kid watch too much Discovery Channel and mistake a paved street in La Mesa, CA for the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah.

Racing Down The Hill

        Competing in a soapbox derby is something I have never done. I’ve competed in pinewood derbies before, which is basically the same thing, minus the excitement. There was a heavy boy scout presence at this race, so I’m sure merit badges were being earned.

Boys & Girls Race Their Soap Box Derby Cars

        Living in a world that only glorifies and broadcasts paid athletes, I can forget what it’s like to compete and participate in an event just for fun, and just because I can win. Kiwanis helps to bring things like a soap box derby race to kids and neighborhoods for no other reason than because it’s a fun thing to do.

Soap Box Racing Is Fun For All Ages

        Above is my favorite shot of the day. My position, relative to the racers was perfect. I think the expression on their faces says it all. This was the first day of a two day event, right in front of La Mesa middle school, so come on down and cheer on the kids while eating some Kiwanis provided hamburgers and hot dogs.

La Mesa Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project

        Above we are on Allison Ave. facing east, in La Mesa, CA, during the La Mesa Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project. With almost every street in La Mesa between University and 4th Ave being torn up for the next year and a half, it will be very easy to photograph and document the progress.

The Trolley Runs Through La Mesa

        The entire downtown La Mesa, CA area is being improved, and what you see above are the first steps towards that improvement.

Rain Does Not Help Construction

        Right now, it’s a game of patience and tolerance. Wider sidewalks and shady trees are in the future for La Mesa, but until then we have to be patient, tolerate the noisy construction and put up with the traffic delays.

15 Seconds Near La Mesa Blvd Trolley Station

        We have our first update for trolley closures that will accommodate construction for the trolley renewal project. In a nutshell, blue line southbound service will terminate at Palm Ave. on the weekends between now and the end of 2010. Shuttles will run in lieu of the trolleys between Palm Ave. and the border. There will also be an express shuttle running directly from San Ysidro to Palomar station. During the holiday weekends of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years there will be no construction so the blue line trolley will be running regular weekend service all the way to the border. This seems very straightforward to me: From now until the end of the year, there will be trolley service disruptions on non-holiday weekends between the Palm Avenue station and the San Ysidro/International Border station.

Cutting Down Trees At La Mesa Blvd Trolley Station

        There is a lot of construction going on in La Mesa, CA right now, with roads being torn up, buildings being torn down and even mature eucalyptus trees falling victim to the next phase of La Mesa’s history When I first heard the chainsaw and then saw what was being cut, I questioned why these trees couldn’t be spared and built around for the La Mesa Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project, but ultimately thought better of it because I began to wonder about La Mesa’s past and what was going on the day the tree above was planted. I came to think about some long ago time when natural vegetation at this very spot was cleared to make way for the planting of the eucalyptus tree that I now witnessed being cut down and the road behind it. Was there some one back then standing in the same spot I was standing when I took these photos, momentarily lamenting the same thing as me until realizing that something better was probably on the way?

Preparing For Progress

        I see the La Mesa Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project as something better than we have now and I’m pretty sure the trees above are being cut down in preparation of the January 2011 construction start date. I’m especially excited for all the improvements that will make downtown La Mesa even more pedestrian friendly than it is now as well as all the new shade trees that will be planted. It’s progress for a purpose, not just for the sake of it, so I’m supporting it.

La Mesa Residents Complain?

        Earlier today, I came across a website that is produced by and for residents of my current hometown of La Mesa, CA, called La Mesa Patch. It’s a pretty thorough website that has a lot of info about La Mesa but I found many of the news articles to really be nothing more than complaints about unpopular things rather that actual news. One of their articles gave a one sided opinion of a cell phone tower located at 7840 El Cajon Blvd. that has been in place since 1994 and since this cell phone tower is a 5 minute walk from my house, I decided to check it out for myself. The article, which can be read here, states a few things that I think are untrue and weird, so this post is a response to the aforementioned article.

        Something I’ve learned during my journalistic career is that online and paper publications will flat-out lie to make their point. I don’t blame them because there is no accountability or regulation when it comes to printing or publishing a lie. The government won’t do shit unless the lie is directed towards them, so that leaves it to us citizens to regulate and monitor every form of media ourselves, without the blessing of, or a lick of help from the government. Any news outlet, media, blog, or paper can throw words like racist, stereotype and offensive around without defining or explaining them and, right now in 2010, all of these terms are being misused to suit to purpose of the person or organization that uses them.

What Exactly Is A Blight?

        The article that started me off on this Sunday afternoon mission states that La Mesa residents think the cell phone tower featured in this post is a “blight” on the skyline of La Mesa. I have two problems with this. The first is that the term “La Mesa residents” seems to encompass only two people interviewed for the article, and the second is that the word “blight” is not defined. So, two people that might have no idea what the definition of blight is think a cell phone tower is a blight. Really? Unless I’m hanging out with a gardener, I hardly never hear the word “blight” used but two different people in La Mesa used that word to describe a cell phone tower? That leads me to believe that the author of the article didn’t ask for the resident’s opinion by asking a neutral question like, “What do you think about that cell phone tower?” but instead asked something like, “I think that cell phone tower is an ugly blight, don’t you think so too?” If the article were to be accurate and honest, the SECOND question these two citizens (that apparently represent all 58,000 residents of La Mesa) should have been asked is, “How do you define the word, blight?” If they can’t define it, then they shouldn’t be quoted as saying it. My point (I think) is that having an interviewee answer a yes or no question does not count as soliciting an opinion, and I find it annoying when reporters lead their subjects like that.

Mickey Mouse Church FINALLY Has Mickey Mouse Ears

        The La Mesa Patch article that seemed to me to be trying to rally support for the removal of the cell phone tower states, “From one angle, the stately bell tower of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church seems to have grown Mickey Mouse ears.” I checked that out for myself, and that is actually true… From ONE location, which happens to be the driveway of La Mesa Deluxe Trailer Court at 7624 El Cajon Blvd., the church does have Mickey Mouse ears. From the vantage point of ONE SINGLE place in the universe, the lines of a Catholic church’s bell tower are sullied. So what? What I don’t understand is why La Mesa residents don’t call for the removal of the church tower in question, considering there are 4,392 angles that depict the Catholic church as a refuge and protector of pedophiles.
        My cell phone reception and service in La Mesa is perfect, so if taking down that tower would make it less than perfect, then it should stay, because we need to be able to rely on our cell phones everywhere, everyday and I would also question just how many La Mesa residents actually want it torn down just because of what it looks like. If it turns out there are a lot of residents that decide they want it gone and actually begin to organize, will they be using their cell phones to do it?

Fun Times At Oktoberfest 2010

        My second journey through La Mesa’s 2010 Oktoberfest was during the late afternoon yesterday. I started wandering around about an hour before sunset, hoping to incorporate golden hour into the shots. I didn’t quite get the wow shot I was hoping for, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have a good time. As I waited for the sun to reach the horizon, I snaked through the crowd to a food vendor I had seen the night before, but didn’t try. This particular vendor was advertising something called a FIRE DOG.

Crossing Spring Street During Oktoberfest

        On Friday night, I had a bratwurst, but it just didn’t have enough kick, so something extra spicy was the main thing on my agenda this time. The fire dog did not disappoint me. It was a spicy polish sausage, served with a soft bun, with the option of grilled peppers, onions and sauerkraut as toppings. I went with a plain fire dog (I hate peppers, onions and sauerkraut) with lots of mustard and a couple dashes of ketchup and it was awesome.

La Mesa Blvd Trolley Station During Oktoberfest

        There are a lot of people (200,000 over the course of the weekend) converging on La Mesa during Oktoberfest, but the event is very well organized and has a pretty smooth flow. Trolley security guards are all over the trolley station and police officers are very visible throughout the rest of the event. You cannot carry alcoholic beverages as you wander through Oktoberfest, you must keep the booze in one of 3 beer gardens or in the restaurant where you bought it.

        So far, I’ve seen only one arrest and one person that was shit-faced enough to draw the attention of the police (pictured above). I used to LOVE getting stumbling drunk in public, but not anymore, so it’s comical for me to watch those that do now, what I did 15 years ago. The police made it very clear to the guy above that if he can walk away, they’d let him go but if he continued to sit drunkenly on the curb they would arrest him. It took a few minutes, but with the help of his lady friend, he was able to leave the area. Above on the left are a couple kids enjoying one of the half dozen or so rides at Oktoberfest. There really is a little something for everyone on La Mesa Blvd during this event.

Playing With Bubbles

        Today (October 3, 2010) is the final day of Oktoberfest and with a nice, partly cloudy day in store, the weather will be perfect so try to make it on down there. If you missed my last post with additional commentary and photos from Oktoberfest, you can view it here. Below is a short video of the crowd making their way across the La Mesa Blvd trolley station.

Oktoberfest 2010 In La Mesa, CA

Oktoberfest 2010 In La Mesa, CA

        My original hometown, La Mesa, CA is hosting their 37th annual Oktoberfest this weekend. I think it’s just about the funnest, free thing to do every fall, and with the added benefit of it taking place down the street from my house, La Mesa’s Oktoberfest is also very easy for me to attend.

The Fun, People And Rides At Oktoberfest 2010

        If you have never been to Oktoberfest before, it really is worth the trip out to East County. There are hundreds of food, product and service vendors, as well as all the regular stores and restaurants that line La Mesa Blvd to browse through, shop and eat at.

So Much Food!

        For me, it’s the food that makes me love Oktoberfest. Last night I spent an hour or so walking through the festival and trying out some food. I personally tried out some bratwurst, funnel cake and pepperoni pizza from the vendors, as well as a lemon drop pastry and hot chocolate from Jitters Coffee Shop.

        Just to give everyone a little bit of an idea of how much money to bring, I’ll give an overview of what the food and merchandise prices were like. The restaurants that line La Mesa Blvd do not inflate their prices at all for Oktoberfest, which is exceedingly generous of them. This means that if you decide to eat at any of them, you will experience normal food and drink prices and each and every one of them will be crowded with happy people. For example, a hot chocolate made with whipped cream and whole milk and a lemon drop pastry on the side is only $2.50 at Jitters Coffee Shop. I’m local to the restaurants that line La Mesa Blvd, so I didn’t eat at any of them on this night, but you would be doing yourself a favor by trying any of them out.
        The vendor food, which is what I really look forward to has prices that are inflated to similar levels as ballgame or airport eateries. Any sort of a meat sandwich will run you $7-$9, roasted corn and plain funnel cake is $4-$5 (whipped cream and fruit is another $3), pizza is $5 for a NY sized slice, and large sodas are $3. I’m not a beer drinker, so I didn’t examine the prices in any of the 3 beer gardens. My advice is to pair up with someone on every food purchase so you can split the food and the cost. You can try more things for less money that way. So, head on down to Oktoberfest. It is very easy to reach on the San Diego Trolley’s orange line, or there is a lot of free(ish) parking around La Mesa if you feel that you just have to drive. More photos to come as the weekend unfolds… Cheers!

Oktoberfest 2010 In La Mesa, CA

Sunset, As Seen From La Mesa, CA

        All three photos in this post were taken at the same time, in the same place. I was just walking around my neighborhood at sunset, and the photos in this post is what I came up with. La Mesa is 12 miles from the coast, but the scenery is right in front of you.

Silhouetted Flowers Against The Setting Sun

        There are an infinite number of ways to photograph a single event, including an ordinary sunset. Above we see a typical sunset silhouette with the foreground being a clutch of flowers. Nothing special, 1/1000th, f/5.6, ISO 200. The shot below is different, but the same.

Sunset With Foreground Lighting

        The shot above is the same as the middle photo above except that there is more light on the foreground. The difference between the two photos is massive, even though they were taken at the same place at the same time. Pressing the shutter release button is just the first step for creating a great photograph. Photoshop is your friend after the fact. Admit it.

UFO Shines A Light On La Mesa, CA

        This is my third close encounter I’ve experienced during my 36 years of life. The first was in 1994, just North of the Straits of Malacca, in the Indian Ocean. I didn’t get any photos of that encounter so you’ll just have to believe me when I say that it was an amazing experience for a 19 year old sailor, 8800 miles from home. The second encounter was during June of 2009. I have a photo and blog post of that encounter that you should read. This time, I have 2 images, both taken with my Nikon D5000 at 3200 ISO.

Why Do Aliens Come To America?

        Just a little camera info for you readers about these images: They were both shot with my Nikon D5000 at 1/4 of a second, f/1.8, 3200 ISO. They were also shot hand-held (no tripod), through the glass of my bedroom window, which explains the noise and general low quality of the images.

Deboarding The San Diego Trolley At Night

La Mesa Public Library

Skater Countermeasures

The Fountain Adjacent To The La Mesa BLVD Trolley Station

Gypsy Treasure Costume Store In La Mesa

        ”Chasing It,” is a gambling term. Google it. I’m not going to explain it here. A few months back, some friends won the lottery in China. I didn’t buy a ticket, so I didn’t get to feel the joy that comes from winning the Celestial Lottery, only the humiliation of knowing I was wrong. Ever since then, I’ve been chasing it. I’ve been looking for my own Chinese Lottery and after all this time I’ve finally found it, and I’ve been fortunate enough to find it in two places. For me, that means I will be able to pull my brain back onto an even keel. I’m going to visit a cove in Japan, and a wasteland in Kentucky. I’m going to win the lottery in both locales.