Total KM = 1.5 for Raindancer and lots for us via public transit and Shank's mare (on foot)


Overcast morning with the weather man predicting it would burn off by noon - which it did. Rode Raindancer to the BMW dealer and checked him in for a two day servicing. From there we walked to the transit station and got on the bus to Balboa Park and the world famous San Diego Zoo. We had checked the transit web site and copied the travel info - three transfers which we diligently wrote down - but the bus driver told us how to do it in one transfer so we were at the Zoo in no time, after getting off the interstate express bus that dropped us downtown.

Started our zoo visit with a bus tour that gave us a good idea of what we wanted a closer look at and how to get there. Got some great pictures of the new giraffe calf - only 10 days old, the elephant with his foot through the fence as one handler fed him; another worked on his foot and the panda reclining, eating bamboo shoots. They have set up a panda research center and are very active in the breeding program. They do sonograms when they suspect a pregnancy. The panda lets them shave her belly and do the sonogram as long as she is fed a red apple! They apparently have great success with all their breeding programs as they pay special attention to creating "closer to natural" approach and individual diets. They even supply other zoos with food items they can grow here. We saw an example of this where they were packaging up folage for the rhinocerus at the Cincinnati zoo - who until they started this program were unsuccessful in their breeding attempts. Perhaps the highlight of the zoo experience was a graphic demonstration of the food chain as one of the ubiquitous mallard duck families was in the flamingo pond which also happened to be occupied by a great blue heron. We watched as a cute fuzzy duckling was abducted and, still wiggling, was transformed into heron lunch much to the consternation of many zoogoers. We heard that the duckling population had dropped from 15 to 11 that morning.

Ended up with the same bus driver taking us part way back. Have found everyone very friendly and helpful.


Had a call from the service department and will find out tomorrow if they will need to keep Raindancer another day as there is one more item that needs servicing and not sure if the part will be available tomorrow or not. We are hopeful as it will mean another day in San Diego if not.