Last Sunday Roy, Ashby and I went “shooting” for the second time. We made another stop along El Camino Real. Regular readers will know this is a photo project we started with Ricky Montalvo in December. 
Mission San Luis Rey was founded in 1798 by Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuén, a Franciscan. I thought it was interesting to note the mission was founded nine years after UNC-Chapel Hill. A reminder of California’s youth. San Luis Rey is the youngest mission in Southern California; however, it became the richest and largest of the 21 California missions. The mission was named for Louis IX, King of France (1215-1270); a Sainted two time crusader.
The native Americans called the mission Tacayme. The mission church, as is common in Catholicism, is in the shape of a cross. The interior has double-dome wooden construction. The quadrangle contains the first pepper tree in California, imported from South America. Unfortunately this was gated and out of sight; therefore I couldn’t get a photo of it.
I think I took some of my best photos to date at San Luis Rey. It was difficult to take great photos given the subject and weather. The day was stunningly beautiful with the temperature in the high 70s F and a glorious blue sky that provided a sharp contrast to the white adobe walls.
Aaron Fulkerson 