Located a baseball's throw from the freeway, Mission San Miguel Archangel still looks nearly the same as when it was founded in 1797. We escaped from the near 100-degree temperatures by journeying within the cool adobe walls. We looked at the original painted designs that decorated the doorways and walls, while getting a feel for how the padres lived over 200 years ago. Our tour was cut shorter than usual as part of the Mission was closed due to earthquake damage and we found ourselves blinking in the hot sun, anxious to seek comfort in the BMW's air conditioning. We traveled back to our hotel base and enjoyed another leisurely walk along the shore.