With some reluctance, I drove west until I could go no further. I’m here in Del Mar just north of San Diego, but I’m here without Caroline. This is where the reluctance comes in because I agreed to be a house sitter and watch Drake the Dog while a couple of friends head over to Sweden for some vacation. It’s not that I’m reluctant to watch the dog and chill in the cool coastal air found over here, but without Caroline, the experience will be bittersweet.

When I finally got out of Phoenix the mercury was heading north and by the time I was about halfway to the ocean, it was a solid 116 degrees or about 47c. Here at the seashore, a pleasant 76 degrees greeted me; the 40-degree difference in temperature made for a stark contrast from the desert I was in just about 90 minutes prior.