It represents what little is left of nature in the city of San Diego. It's a natural centerpiece that includes Lake Murray, five of the highest peaks in the city, a great network of hiking, biking and equestrian trails covering more than 40 miles, more than 200 species of birds and a Visitor and Interpretive Center worthy of the park.
It's Mission Trails Regional Park, site of tomorrow's “Explore Mission Trails Day,” a daylong celebration of what one of the largest urban parks in the United States has to offer.
The day will include events and programs for children and adults. There will be nature walks, arts and crafts projects, free pony rides, American Indian music and storytelling and up-close encounters with raptors and other critters.
Ms. Frizzle of Scholastic's “The Magic School Bus” series will help kids learn about coyotes, a serious subject considering the spate of coyote attacks on toddlers in Southern California in recent months. Ms. Frizzle's special programs are at 9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. in the Visitor Center's outdoor amphitheater. They're for kids 3 to 8 years old.
Older children will get to use the latest in high-tech hiking poles to hike to the top of Cowles Mountain, which, at 1,592 feet, is the highest peak in the city of San Diego. There also will be mountain biking, nature photography and a full-moon hike (weather permitting).
Hikes will start as early as 7:30 a.m. Most of the activities will be around the Visitor Center and the Equestrian Area. The Visitor and Interpretive Center is at One Father Junipero Serra Trail, off Mission Gorge Road (near Jackson Drive). For more information about the day, go to mtrp.org or call (619) 668-3281.
Royalty: Kelvin Nettleton of La Jolla Fishing and Captain Jack Vincent of the Little Osprey were fishing with royalty this week. How else to describe the incredible fishing record of England's Zyg Gregorek? On Monday, Gregorek, who owns Angler's Paradise in England, landed a thresher shark that completed his International Game Fish Association Shark Royal Slam. Gregorek also has the IGFA Tuna Royal Slam and the IGFA Billfish Royal Slam, making him the only angler to complete all three of the IGFA slams. Nettleton said Gregorek caught and released one other thresher that was a bit bigger than the 117-pounder he kept. Gregorek, 63, said he started his chase for the slams in late 1996. “My objective at the time was to catch a billfish, but then I kept going,” Gregorek said. He said he caught the tuna and sharks by accident during his quest for the Royal Slam for Billfish. The Shark Royal Slam includes a hammerhead, blue, mako, tiger, white, tope, whaler, porbeagle and thresher.
Black Sea Bass: There's no official record of it, but the 200-pound black sea bass caught (and released) on an 8-inch MC Swimbait Slug off Solana Beach has to be a record for a bass caught on a plastic bait. Corey Sanden, who makes MC Swimbaits and Slugs, said Eugene Roberts caught and released the big bass while Doug Bury ran the boat. Both are from the Dana Point area. We're not sure if it's the biggest ever landed on a plastic bait, but Sanden is sure of one thing: It's by far the largest fish caught on one of his plastic baits. “What's incredible is that it ate it on the surface like that,” Sanden said.
Night Fishing: Lake Jennings in Lakeside will be open Friday and Saturday nights for night fishing, starting tonight. The lake was stocked with 1,000 pounds of channel catfish and will be restocked regularly during the summer.
Turkey Dinner: The San Diego Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation holds its annual fundraiser banquet tomorrow, starting at 4 p.m. at the Dreamcatcher Lounge at Viejas Casino.
Cattle Drive: Want to join a cattle drive? The Rock Creek Pack Station in Bishop is offering urban cowboys and cowgirls a chance to saddle up and join working cowboys on the Lone Tree Spring Cattle Drive, June 5-8. By joining up, you'll help ranchers Tom Peek and Ken Zimmerman move cattle from Benton Hot Springs to a summer pasture near River Springs, northeast of Bishop. The experience includes cattle driving and working range cattle, exploring old mines and enjoying the hot springs at Benton. Rock Creek will provide everything but sleeping bags. The cost of $645 covers all meals and van transportation back to Benton Hot Springs. For more information, go to rockcreekpackstation.com or call (760) 872-8331.
Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1225; ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com
