Walking the San Diego River: Week 2: Fashion Valley to Grantville

Sunday February 9, 2014:
We missed a week after traveling up north to visit family.
When we left off: there had been little if any rain since early December. Now we have had a few storms wash through, though it takes more than one or two storms to end a drought and the hills are still pretty yellow.
We are also approaching the runoff for the Mayor's race. Sometime last summer our former mayor resigned in disgrace. The election to replace him has ignited passions throughout the city, both north and south of I-8. Rather than endorse a candidate Anita and I walk along that buffer zone between the two political camps. Although we generally carve San Diego Neighborhoods by freeways, I'd like to point out that several of our city's freeways follow waterways (even if there's not that much water in said waterways)

From the trolley

So we begin as we did last week, at Old Town, this time heading east. The weather somewhat brisk by San Diego standards with highs only in the low 60's and a nice breeze out of the west with puffy clouds in the sky.
Although the Trolley and trail are never far from one another in this sector, it takes a different enough route that you see different things.

The river

Still looking out over the riverbottom.

Fashion Valley, looking back

and ahead

We picked up the river at Fashion Valley. In California, the malls also double up as transit centers.

What is this?

The new trail not quite done yet.

passage under 163

River wildlife on the loose

The San Diego River trail is a work in progress. In some sections it is a truly well developed clean urban greenspace replete with benches, kiosks and other amenities. In other segments one is on the sidewalk. It my understanding that the goal is to make it all nice, for now, however we contend with what we have and contribute to improvements underway. Although construction of a walkway along the north bank under 163 is underway, it is not yet complete, so we went south. When deciding between north versus south bank, I try to optimize ease, proximity to the river, and continuity, with visiting new places the tie breaker. originally, people thought it was crazy to develop mission valley in the manner was, but now it is a booming center of retail commerce and population. That has at points been quite neglected during various phases of this development, and cleaning it up is no small task. It's exciting to see progress. Much of the trail here is a glorified levee and you can look out and see city below the water level in places. I imagine the river used to meander much more back when this was all cattle pastures.

This looks promising!

A more developed trail

And then the trail begins in earnest, between the 163 freeway and Texas street there is paved trail on both sides. This is one of the older segments of the river park and a bit of a demonstration progress. Although appearing perhaps a bit over manicured these are the good fences that make good neighbors in a densely populated city that gets 10 inches of rain a year. Looking out at the brilliant river color amid the freeways, malls and tram tracks I like to think of this as the city of the future: dense, mobile, but still able to breathe.

Enhanced colors of the river park

Waterfowl

Cyclist on the trail

looking out on a greenspace: the city of the future

The malls and condos are never far

Beautiful reds and greens in the water

here it is unadultered

We alternated a bit between the north and south banks here trying to take in all we could and give ourselves a few more river crossings.

Here the trees are well established

Between Mission Center and Camino del Este there was a brilliant bloom of duckweed of many colors. In high school I did a bit of research on duckweed and found that it generally does not indicate the healthiest waters. Like I say it's a work in progress here and it still looks lovely.

Reds and greens vibrantly contrast.

Ducks in love

Pillar for the trolley

You're never far from a station here.

open waters

And the 805 looming in the distance

Unfortunately it was not long before we were returned to sidewalks. East of Texas street / Auto Center drive the traffic thins out considerably along Camino del Rio North, and though we were not as immersed as before the solitude remained. there were signs of some sort of park / wilderness with trails even, but not ones on which it made sense for us to travel. The contrast between fully developed river park and neglected river park is remarkable. Far more trash, degradation and an overall feeling that things are not as safe. I can't tell how much of this is perception and how much reality. Certainly a stream of hikers and bikers going by makes for a safer place overall, but I remember wandering such wildlands as a teen and never encountering any trouble.

Texas street

This is the river trail for now

The Postal Service

The tallest trees in the city are the support columns for I-805
over mission valley

looking south

We crossed 3 freeways today: CA-163, I-805, and I-15. The most impressive of the bunch is I-805, which towers high above the valley. From the bridge itself the views up and down the river are inspiring. I however am usually driving and so can't really look. The 805 is also known as the Jacob Dekema Freeway, named after the engineer who designed many of San Diego's freeways, My understanding is that he was not always so popular and during various phases of Mission Valley's development protesters would burn him in effigy. The northern stretch of I-805 is one of the most congested highways in the city, and so naming it after him seems a fitting tribute. That said, nobody ever refers to it as the "Jacob D. Free" except for myself really and usually nobody knows what I'm talking about when I do speak of it. It's interesting the named freeways of Southern California. Some names, like "San Diego Freeway" or "Golden State Freeway" managed to stick, while others have faded into obscurity, and are found only maps and the occasional placard. I kind of miss the element of hope and progress that was represented by a society that named large pieces of infrastructure after civil engineers, and wonder where are we now with all that. I also hope we can develop a better transportation infrastructure in the current century. The 1950's through 1970's are half a century old now and Disco is dead.

Vacant lot of dreams

The Sock tree!

the sky digitized

spotty reflections on the field and trees

Anita amid the fence country

clouds in the sky

Zoom in

East of the 805 is a surprisingly undeveloped area. It seems central and close to transit options, yet somehow rife with vacant lots. I know not what makes for healthy pieces of real estate, but if I worked there I'd have an easier commute. Perhaps as the price of gas continues to go up, infilling development will seem more profitable.

A trail!

What delight is this?

it's amazing how the nature of the fence can change one's perception as to how inviting a place might be. When the chain link gave way to wood we could tell that a real park was ahead. This hidden Gem is known as the San Diego River garden, a network of trails and community plots highlighting native and sustainable water friendly vegetation. Despite the drought, life here seems quite healthy, and everyone seems to tend to their little piece well. We had it to ourselves and the time away from the roads was a delight.

A maze!

A heart

We are at the San Diego River Garden!

Mural

Sculpture

Recycled material adobe

every plot has its personality

I'd like to be . . . under the sea . . .

Inexpensive ready-to-assemble furniture anyone?

Making our way toward I-15 now we passed Ikea and Qualcomm stadium. Beyond the river garden, we found ourselves in a cluster of office parks. Curiosity getting the best of us we opted to wander the back sides facing the river. This was a mixed success of dubious legality, but afforded us some perspective and pretty views. The first building was largely empty. The second was looking alright and certainly the prettiest of the bunch. The final had signs telling us not to trespass, so we went around the front. We wondered what the issue was before finding signs discouraging people from using the lot for stadium parking. Perhaps folks were sneaking around the back and crossing the river.

Back in the office parks

The courtyard

clouds in the window

Moon!

Drains to the river

They call this "San Diego Snow"

Qualcomm stadium

There's us!

Cowles in the distance, under the freeway flyover

The other clandestine art of San diego

I-15

The clean way or the art way

San Diego prides itself on being a "Clean" city and so we don't really have the graffiti culture like they do back east, but there are in a few hidden locales some rather elaborate displays of spray can art. Although the Camino Del Rio underpass below I-15 is painted gray on a regular basis, the neigboring supports do not get the same maintenance and so we ventured into the unoccupied encampments and feasted our eyes on some the artwork, while averting ourselves from the sight of the trash and toilet paper that are used by people who have not the resources to be more ecological.

graffiti in the water

The Plague Forge

Anita amid the art

Wilderness beneath I-15

The trolley bridge

Nature reserve!

I had heard of a nature reserve east of Ward road. It turned out not to be for the general public yet, so we kept to the street, making our way to Grantville transit center. This is where the trolley route diverges from the river and begins climbing up into the mesas and hills. The station is designed to celebrate the elements of water and sky and affords a brilliant view of the surrounding valleys. We gazed back at wherefore we had come and gazed ahead to our own adventure. The journey takes now a different course and next week will be most different from the present.