We visited thirteen historic California Missions over four days (among other attractions along El Camino Real (The King’s Highway) and California’s Highway 101.
HOME! #mkMissions … 988 miles (588 since SJ Capistrano), 13 Missions, 12 counties, and ~67 statues of Fr Junipero Serra !!
— David Keller (@dhkeller) June 15, 2013
Twitter updates and the official Storify archive are available after the break, or you can read the #mkMission Twitter hashtag or the Storify page itself.
Follow along up-to-the-minute on Twitter, or via periodic updates to Storify and this blog entry. Enjoy!
Storify will display things chronologically, also showing our plans for each day beforehand:
Our Mission: Missions!
Visiting thirteen historic California Missions over four days. Follow along up-to-the-minute on Twitter, or via periodic update to this Story. Enjoy!
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If you were coming to the SJ Library WG Branch to check out their *only* book on California Missions, I just beat you to it. #mkMissions
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Post: This Week’s Mission: Missions bit.ly/13yh2GX
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Day Zero: Monday, June 10, 2013Driving I-5 from San Jose to Orange County
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Kettleman City. Early contenders for ‘Strangest Sight’ are huge engine block and the massive underground water tank, both on tiny flatbeds.
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Long Beach (mile 350) cruising the PCH (Hwy 1) down to San Juan Capistrano. Maybe dinner soon. #mkMissions
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Dinner at ‘The Hangout’ in/on Seal Beach, in time for the sunset.
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I-5 for today: New Counties for #9yoF: Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Kern. Only Kings (?) and def Kern are new for #14yoJ. #mkMissions
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IIRC, last time I drove I-5 to LA was in a bus. Yes, I drove a Bus! I was driving it for a YMCA Beach Caravan Camp in 1995. #mkMissions
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Day One: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 … The “Urban Missions” of Los Angeles
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#mkMissions Starting off bright and early: Mission #1: San Juan Capistrano (established 7th overall, 11/1/1776) missionsjc.com
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Visitor Info & Tickets | Mission San Juan Capistrano
Visit Mission San Juan Capistrano historic landmark and museum. The whole family will enjoy budget-friendly activities, experiencing cult… -
Reading how namesake St John of Capistrano was the “Soldier Saint” who lead battles against the Ottomans in 1400s. Small world. #mkMissions
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We’ve been joined by first school field trip group #mkMissions … Does the elementary school across the street take the bus here?
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Congratulations graduates of Serra HS in SJ Capistrano (the public high school down the street, not same-name private one next to that)
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Mission Bells – San Juan Capistrano #mkMissions -
Lunch in San Gabriel at Los Tacos … “World’s Greatest Soft Tacos” (says so right on the awning), then the Mission. #mkMissions
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#mkMissions Rolling along … Mission #2: San Gabriel Arcangel (established 4th overall on Sept 8, 1771) bit.ly/12jOfIb
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2013 seems to mark the 100th Anniversary of the city of San Gabriel, along with 300th birthday of Fr Junipero Serra #mkMissions
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San Gabriel Mission Church
Thank you to Ramona Museum of California History in San Gabriel for co-sponsoring the contest and the many monetary prizes! Nativity Elem… -
Mission San Gabriel was the western end of the Old Spanish Trail for emigrants leaving Santa Fe, an alternate to Donner Pass. Small world.
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Mission Bells – San Gabriel Arcangel #mkMissions -
#mkMissions In today’s LA traffic, missions would be closer together … #3: San Fernando Rey (17th, est 9/8/1797) goo.gl/rUQgB
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Mission San Fernando Rey de España – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mission San Fernando Rey de España is a Spanish mission in the Mission Hills district of Los Angeles, California. The mission was founded… -
Mission Bell – San Fernando Rey de Espana #mkMissions -
Todays #mkMissions complete. Warm humid day, might say “earthquake weather” … Like on Dec 8 1812, which impacted all three we saw today.
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Santa Monica Pier & Beach. (there’s a mission around here somewhere, isn’t there? ;-p) #mkMissions
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Took a bit of a sprint to guarantee our arrival before sunset, but we made it! Buenaventura Beach #mkMissions
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Sunset in Ventura (and a new county for both) #mkMissions -
Day Two: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 … The “Beach Trip” became the “Chumash Missions.”
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#mkMissions Day 2 …”Beach Trip” … San Buenaventura, Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, with a Danish interlude in Solvang.
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Mission San Buenaventura opens at 10, so we’re soaking in beach town morning drizzle watching some surfers, before heading over. #mkMissions
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#mkMissions Why did we drop the “good” from “good fortune”? … #4: San Buenaventura (est 9th, 3/31/1782) bit.ly/SAPMPa
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Mission Bells – San Buenaventura #mkMissions -
San Buenaventura gets TWO ‘Missions Bells’ photos because it was the only mission to also have wooden bells #mkMissions
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Wooden Mission Bells – Mission San Buenaventura #mkMissions -
Downtown Ventura wifi to the recue! All pictures taken yesterday have been upload to Flickr. And now we’re off to Santa Barbara #mkMissions
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Santa Barbara (new County for Girls). Still overcast, but fun to follow historic El Camino Real Hwy 101 bells from Ventura. #mkMissions
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#mkMissions Our first nod to a female saint … #5: Santa Barbara (our 5th this week, est 10th overall, Dec 4, 1786) bit.ly/11HzQn1
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Tremendous privilege just now, greeted by Fr Charles, the friar here at Mission Santa Barbara. Took a picture, and he took ours. #mkMissions
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#9yoF with lengthy Q&A with Fr Charles, talked about our trip, Franciscan heritage, bell tower chimes. 12n ringing just now! #mkMissions
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Santa Barbara is the only one of all 21 missions that has continually been a church, explaining its exquisite condition. #mkMissions
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Mission Bells – Santa Barbara #mkMissions -
Cloudy 65° in SB. In lieu of beach time, added a bonus stop at Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. Off to Santa Inez #mkMissions
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Awarding points for spying El Camino Real bell markers … #14yoJ: 16, #9yoF: 11 (pending bonus pts for good pics taken @ 65mph) #mkMissions
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Crazy: Just drove through the crowded tourist masses at Solvang to Mission Santa Inez, where there are a total of six cars. #mkMissions
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#mkMissions Holding strictly to date established, “newest” one we’ll see … #6: Santa Ynez (19th, est Sept 17, 1804) bit.ly/14xwJPT
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Mission Bells – Santa Inez #mkMissions -
Found sun at Santa Inez, but still cool. Decided to rename today’s segment “The Chumash Missions” after indigenous Indian tribe #mkMissions
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In Solvang for the rest of the night now. #mkMissions … What were the odds that we would park in front of ‘Hamlet Square’?
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Two minor miracles: Despite being in Solvang (1) we all agreed (2) to eat at Spanish Tapas place (more in line with the #mkMissions theme).
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Could happen, but more likely for breakfast 😉 #mkMissions … RT @SGC72: @dhkeller Have an ebelskiver for dessert. Best of all worlds.
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#9yoF: “Daddy, you have to be the age of how many missions there are to drink wine.” (21 missions, don’t ya know)
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Day Three: Thursday, June 13, 2013
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#mkMissions Day 3 “Weary Travelers”: La Purisimia, San Luis Obispo, San Miguel Arcangel, and spending the night inside San Antonio de Padua
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#mkMissions Who knew Lompoc had a mission, let alone a state park? … #7: La Purisima (est 11th, Dec 8, 1787) bit.ly/16iPUwC
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La Purisima is only remaining “complete mission,” restored by CCC in 1940s. Nice to see the full scale of all the buildings. #mkMissions
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Mission Bells – La Purisima Conception de Maria Santisima – #mkMissions -
Guadalupe (Hwy 1), finally our first construction delay (assuming you don’t count all of LA). Officially a Road Trip! #mkMissions
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San Luis Obispo, eating lunch in the park outside the Mission (longest time to have a sandwich made ever; SLO = slow). #mkMissions
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#mkMissions #8: San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (5th, est Sept 1, 1797) bit.ly/IlnFBM … Why don’t we call SLO by its real name “SLOT”?
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Mission San Luis Obispo de TolosaPhotography by Michael LaFreniere. Design and Hosting by GFL Systems, Inc.
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“Wedding in Progress” in the Old Mission Church, so I guess these things *are* still used today #mkMissions
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While we wait for the Wedding, there isn’t much to except visit famous ‘Bubble Gum Alley’ (just don’t tell @KarenMKeller)
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Mission Bells – San Luis Obispo de Tolosa #mkMissions -
#mkMissions Closest one to Hwy 101 (new “El Camino Real”) #9: San Miguel Arcangel (est 16th overall, July 25, 1797) bit.ly/1bB90i0
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Mission San Miguel
Founded in 1797, Mission San Miguel is a National Historical Landmark that has been an important part of Central Coast history for over 2… -
San Miguel Mission seamlessly blends history and roadside California tourist stop (I mean that lovingly) #mkMissions
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Mission Bells – San Miguel Arcangel #mkMissions -
Leaving Hwy 101 for Jolon, 26 miles to San Antonio de Padua (may not have txt/sms/email/wifi/twitter, just like missionaries!) #mkMissions
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#mkMissions Most remote Mission on our trip, let’s stay the night! … #10: San Antonio de Padua (Est 3rd, 7/14/1771) bit.ly/10gy2mL
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Mission Bells in setting sunlight – San Antonio de Padua – #mkMissions -
You guys! We’re staying the night *inside* Mission San Antonio de Padua! No one else is here. No one. Just us! Legit, sooo cool! #mkMissions
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Are you allowed to kick a soccer ball in the Mission courtyard? Asking for a friend. #mkMissions
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@lfletche Real beds, modern upgrades, but also the real rooms used by real mission visitors since its founding in 1771.
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Day Four: Friday, June 14, 2013
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#mkMissions Day 4 … “Closer to Home” … Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, San Carlos Borromeo (Carmel), and/or San Juan Batista.
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Picnic Breakfast under the Mission Bells – San Antonio de Padua – #mkMissions -
Heading out … just lik Spanish missionaries traveling on horse to Soledad, I hope I don’t run out of gas before King City. #mkMissions
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#mkMissions It’s 100 miles from Jolon to Carmel, so … #11: Nuestra Senora de la Soledad (est 13th, Oct 9, 1791) bit.ly/13LEeQo
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Home
La Mision de Maria Santisima, Nuestra Senora Dolorosisima de la Soledad is located in the Salinas Valley near Soledad, California. Founde… -
Fascinating parallels between the mission sites and modern towns/cities around them … like, ahem, Soledad. #mkMissions
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Mission Bell – Nuestra Senora de la Soledad – #mkMissions -
#9yoF ringing the Mission Bell – Nuestra Senora de la Soledad – #mkMissions -
Whoo boy, thinking we’d find a simple sandwich place in Carmel was a miscalculation. Even the delis are super fancy. Pancetta! #mkMissions
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No place to picnic near Mission, so we’re eating at a Bus Stop. Since it’s Carmel, it’s quite pleasant (tho we may look ghetto) #mkMissions
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#mkMissions On the Coast! … #12: San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (Oldest on our trip, established 2nd, Jun 3, 1770) bit.ly/14BuRpd
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San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo Mission: Museum
The most often heard comments from visitor’s center around the natural and spiritual beauty, of the Mission. They also show an appreciati… -
Mission Bells & 1st Cross – San Carlos de Borromeo del Rio Carmelo – #mkMissions – -
#mkMissions Pretty sure *I* took a field trip here in 4th Grade … #13: San Juan Batista (15th, est Jun 24, 1797) bit.ly/13MoVqI
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Old Mission San Juan BautistaOld Mission San Juan Bautista
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Mission Bells – San Juan Batista – #mkMissions -
SJB closes at 4:30 … So we’re shutting down this Mission, and heading to … la salida hacia el final de este viaje. #mkMissions homeward!
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HOME! #mkMissions … 988 miles (588 since SJ Capistrano), 13 Missions, 12 counties, and ~67 statues of Fr Junipero Serra !!
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#mkMissions Not Pictured: (south) San Diego de Alcala, San Luis Rey, (north) Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Jose, Delores, San Rafael, Solano
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Related stories
And for the record, here are links to our previous Road Trips:
- Hwy 1 & Redwood Coast “Fall Break” 2012
- 2012 Eastern Sierra Camping
- Oregon & Northern California “through” Lassen in 2011
- And … Does Driving All Around Germany count? (Summer of 2011)
#mkMissions Not Pictured: (south) San Diego de Alcala, San Luis Rey, (north) Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Jose, Delores, San Rafael, Solano
— David Keller (@dhkeller) June 15, 2013
Future trips? Maybe something in the Gold Country in the Fall or Spring 2014, Summer 2014 is TBD, and Summer 2015 will be our car/plane/train trip through Canada for the FIFA Womens World Cup.
