It's always fun reading your reports Jay but this part was particularly interesting as I was using my 46cm LITEBOX to hop my way, for the first time ever for me, from M61 to M49. I pulled over along the way to soak up some curb side photons from some 23 other NGC galaxies on the way. My goodness aperture makes it easy to pick out some of these!
If you were like me you zigged to 4378, to 4324, to a wonderful cluster of 5 around 4281, then on to the three near 4269, another zag to 4339 and 4430, and on to 4343 and 4342. Then on to 4365 and 4370, 4416, 4434 and finally arriving at M49 and it's 4 attendant galaxies. I also examined along the way a few doubles pointed out by MegaStar, my atlas program I use.
I too diverted to Mars and to M104 at various times during the night.
In was one of the 'those' nights at Anza that hints of what it must have been like years ago before the defense stroked explosion of southern CA. The marine layer and/or fogged dampened the lights from LA darkening the west allowing extended viewing of Virgo as it passed the meridian and on into the west. There was as much steam coming out of the teapot as I have ever seen at Anza. However I have only been going there a year 8). Seeing from 1am to the time I packed up the dob to head home (~3:30am) was very good. It had progressed from earlier in the evening when it had been just short of rotten. I saw detail on Mars better than I ever had. Of course part of that is the 46cm dob! I was using a 8.8mm UWA @ 226x and a 7mm Nagler @ 284x.
What wonderful night where I can start with the M42 and end with M8!
Lotsa fun!