Hot or Mild? El Centro to Coronado, CA

El Centro, California, is a six-hour (plus) drive from our previous stay at Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson, Arizona. I drove, Helen played word games, and Mortimer slept through the entire drive. We arrived mid-afternoon and were assigned a lonely campsite on the edge of the campground on the El Centro Naval Air Facility–winter home of the Blue Angels.

We have camped here before, usually in late winter or early spring. I noticed that most of the campsites were empty for this visit. There was a reason for that: temperatures hovered near 100°. Most of the snowbirds had departed long ago. Thankfully, our air conditioning was in good working order.

One thing seemed wrong, however. My leveling system kept sending me a “low voltage” reading during set-up, so I took both batteries to AutoZone for testing. Both tested at full strength. When I reinstalled the batteries in our trailer, I made a foolish mistake and crossed the battery wires. Huge sparks flew all over the storage cabin, and the wires got so hot I welded the cable nut to the battery post. Thinking that I may have destroyed the battery, I tried to remove the nut for another test, but it wouldn’t budge. I considered cutting the cable but feared I couldn’t repair it, and my only option was to call a mobile repair service.

Two men from D&R RV repair arrived the following afternoon, bringing tools and a fresh battery. They could only pull the post out of the battery and, using brute strength, remove the nut from the cable. The new battery solved my dilemma, but the mistake cost me where it hurts. I hope to learn from this one.

During our downtime, we drove to nearby Westmoreland, CA, the Date Capital of the U.S., so that Helen could buy a “Date Shake.” We also shopped through the impressive display inside the store and picked up a few bags to take home. We drove back to El Centro through a portion of the Imperial Valley where millions of acres are devoted to agriculture and fed by the lower section of the Colorado River.

A sunset that evening capped off a memorable visit (some were better than others).

We only had a two-hour drive to Fiddler’s Cove RV Park in Coronado, CA, so we took it slow. If Fiddler’s Cove isn’t our favorite military campground, it’s in the top three. If we get to park along the water, it’s our favorite. It drops a point or two if we must camp a row back. We got waterfront for this six-day stay where daytime temperatures in the upper sixties greeted us–quite a difference compared to El Centro.

From our campsite, we had a fabulous view of Coronado Bay and the city of Coronado beyond. The famous Hotel Del Coronado was visible in the distance. The activity in the Marina in front of us provided plenty of entertainment, including sailboat races that began in front of our trailer.

Thanks to suggestions from fellow campers and campground staff, Helen and I had good food experiences in the area. Early during our stay, our neighbors suggested we try Don Pancho’s Mexican in Imperial Beach, five miles south of the campground. Don Pancho’s is a walk-up diner, and there was a line in front when we arrived–always a good sign. Helen ordered a Tortilla Plate of some variety, and I ordered a Burrito that was the size of a cinder block. I finished it in three installments.

We also visited Coronado Brewing Company, a choice from previous years at Fiddler’s Cove. The restaurant was bustling, but we lucked up with seats at the bar (always my preference), where the charming bartender immediately handed us menus. In front of the bar stood a menu board loaded with Craft Beer selections. Helen paired her “Taco Something or Other” with a Blonde Ale, and I went with a Mexican Lager for my Pub Burger and Fries. Everything was very tasty.

Later in the week, Helen located some salmon we brought from home in our freezer, and we spent the morning trying to come up with a new way to prepare it besides grilling or baking it in the oven. I researched the Blackstone Grill website and found a recipe for “Lime, Coconut, Curry Salmon.” We decided to give it a go and scurried to the commissary for the ingredients.

The recipe required several steps for preparing the sauce and cooking the salmon on the griddle. I watched the video twice and then scribbled down the steps to carry it to the griddle for reference while cooking. Ultimately, the meal was magnificent, and the sauce was the best part. Let me know if anyone wants the recipe, and I’ll send you the link. You don’t need a griddle; a large skillet will work fine.

Besides the above, we used our time at Fiddler’s Cove to relax. We had spent three weeks driving to the West Coast and enjoyed the journey, but now was the time to unwind—something we do well. Helen puzzled, I read, and Mortimer slept.

I experimented some more with my camera and captured another night shot using the lights of Coronado as a backdrop. I took the daytime picture around 4 p.m. and waited until around nine to take the nighttime image, an exposure of thirty seconds.

After six days, we moved up the coast to Del Mar, CA. Please join us there. We’re Easin’ Along and livin’ a blessed experience!