Cumulative mileage now stands at 817 mi with only two more missions and 73 more miles to go. From the motel it was only 3.6 mi along a creek (with concrete bed) that actually had water flowing and ducks in the water. Mission San Juan Capistrano was the 7th mission founded by Father Junipero Serra on Nov 1, 1776. Unique among all the missions is the presence of a great stone church ruin caused by an 1812 earthquake. The stone church was started in 1797 and completed in 1806. It was never rebuilt and not structurally stabilized until 2004. So much activity there: no less than three school groups on tour; a funeral mass in the Serra Chapel (which is the only known mission still standing where Fr. Serra celebrated mass--it was completed in 1788); at least four artists busy at heir easel; and a large construction crew building a new entrance. I took the audio tour and found it quite interesting. Wine is purported to have started being produced at this mission, from where it spread to other missions! One can see the outdoor grape press.
After visiting the mission, I returned the same way to Dana Point and then pretty much walked along the ocean beaches to San Clemente. From here it'll be more oceanfront as I pass San Onofre nuclear power plant and Camp Pendleton.
