Photo Walk in Pleasanton, California

On April 12, 2020April 12, 2020 By LToddIn Travel16 Comments

Happy Easter to one and all! How has your holiday traditions changed this year? We had scheduled a family vacation on Kauai from April 3 through April 13. I’m sure you can guess what happened to those plans. Today we are hunkered down in our individual homes and making the best of the situation.

Since I’m not able to share any photos from the Kauai trip that didn’t happen I’ll share the results of a photo walk I took downtown a few days ago.

I started at the Pleasanton Library. This was a Thursday afternoon when middle schoolers would normally be sitting on the grass or on the planters after school and waiting for their parents to pick them up. All was quiet this day.

The City of Pleasanton, California, incorporated on June 18, 1894. Although the town was named after Union Army Major General Alfred Pleasonton, a typo is responsible for the current spelling. The 24.2 square mile city was once a stop along the transcontinental railroad. It is home to the Alameda County Fair since 1912, and the Pleasanton Fairground Racetrack built in 1858 is believed to be the oldest 1-mile horse racing track in the United States. I wrote about the fairgrounds in my post 154th Scottish Highland Gathering and Games 2019

We’ve been missing our year-round farmers market that sets up every Saturday on this block. It would be difficult to practice the 6-foot distance along this street with the vendor’s booths lining the street.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, starring Mary Pickford (1917); Tom Sawyer, starring Jack Pickford, Robert Gordon, and Clara Horton (1917); Peck’s Bad Boy, starring Jackie Coogan (1921), It Ain’t Hay, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello (1943); and many other movies were filmed in Pleasanton.

Peet’s coffee would normally be bustling with customers sipping their coffees outside at the umbrella-shaded tables. This store is closed while others remain open. Most of the restaurants, however, are offering pick and delivery orders.

People who have or still do live in the area include: Phoebe Hearst, mother of William Randolph Hearst; John Madden, football coach and sportscaster; Scott Adams, cartoonist, creator of Dilbert; and Ryan Roxie, singer/songwriter and guitarist for Alice Cooper, Casablanca, and Slash’s Snakepit.

It’s difficult to find parking on most afternoons in this bustling downtown area. With the stores closed, drivers have the pick of spots.

Although some of the buildings on Main Street have been torn down to make room for newer construction, there are still plenty that have historical significance. The Pleasanton Gas Station was built in 1933 in the Mission Revival style. The arch on the building behind the station was the entrance to a garage.

The Spanish Colonial building constructed in 1914 was once home for city hall, a public library, and the police station. The Museum on Main moved in after an extensive historical renovation in 1984.

The Meadowlark Dairy stays open

We moved here twenty-five years ago. Although the town has grown a lot since then and traffic is much worse, we have not yet found any other place we would rather live. We’ve found plenty of places we like to visit for extended stays, but not to live year-round.

Valencia and Pismo Beach, California

On April 5, 2020April 4, 2020 By LToddIn California, RV Travel, Travel5 Comments

At the end of last week’s post, I said Pismo, California, was next up and our last stop. That was not entirely true. I forgot about having to stay in Valencia for the three-day President’s weekend. There had been no problem procuring sites since we left on January 24, 2020, and the holiday weekend slipped my mind. At the last minute, the only spot I could find was at Valencia Travel Village RV Resort, and they required payment for three nights.

To make the best of the situation, we drove to Fort Tejon State Historic Park. I guess my slippery mind was still fully engaged because I left my camera behind. That’s okay, I used the best camera I had, the one in my pocket.

On our many trips up and down Interstate 5 through the Grapevine, I would see the signs to Fort Tejon and wonder what was there. We took this opportunity to find out.

Fort Tejon became a state park in 1947, designated as a California Historical Landmark in 1954, and added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1971. We stopped in at the visitor center where informational panels tell the historical story of the park and displays contain artifacts and recreations.

Edward Fitzgerald Beale, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in California, was instrumental in the establishment of the fort in August 1854. It’s mission being to “protect and control the Sebastian Indian Reservation,” and to protect white settlers from raids by other Indian groups. Ten years later, it was abandoned.

Then we took the self-guided tour around the grounds where foundations outline the footprints of buildings. Some of the buildings have been restored, and apparently, there are plans to restore others.

Rocks, cut tree trunks, and a split-rail fence outline the footprint of the kitchen

The website lists the Frontier Army Days event scheduled for May 2, 2020. It would be wonderful if the State of California was back in business at that time. More than likely the event will need to be canceled due to the dreaded virus.

400-year-old Valley Oak Trees dot the landscape

Not ready to head back to the trailer, we drove up to Mt. Pinos in the Los Padres Forest and found a place to park and eat our lunch.

Then we stopped at Pyramid Lake, which is part of the West Branch California Aqueduct of the California State Water Project. The lake is fed with water from the San Joaquin Valley, which is pumped through the Tehachapi Mountains. The water then flows downstream to Castaic Lake. Both lakes supply water for the Castaic Power Plant, a 1,405-megawatt pumped-storage hydroelectric plant.

There are 90 tent and RV camping sites at the Los Alamos Campground. Tucked far away from the freeway in lower Hungry Valley, it’s quiet and rustic. It includes drinking water, toilets, a dump station, and a camp store. This is a place we might consider staying overnight in the future if we need to.

On Monday, February 17, 2020, we left Valencia Travel Village for Pismo Coast Village RV Resort in Pismo Beach. We liked the wide spaces, access to the dunes, and other amenities. The grassy area and large shade trees were a bonus. It was a perfect place to spend the last three nights of our trip.

Plenty of room, grassy areas, and shade trees

Monarch Grove Park was a short walk from the resort on the other side of Pismo State Beach North Beach Campground. We encountered a few butterflies while there and a few that had wandered over into the resort, but most of the population had already flown to the next stop on their migration.

In a list of things to do, I found Price Historical Park and Anniversary House. We like touring old homes, so off we went. Too bad the house was all closed up, and we could only walk around the property.

A need for lunch led us to Avila Beach and the Custom House for plates of fish and chips. My mouth waters as I remember biting into the crispy crust to reach the tender moist cod inside. It had to be the best I ever tasted.

Custom House Restaurant serves the best fish and chips

Pismo Preserve is a popular place for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Owned by The Land Conservancy, the 880-acre preserve is a private, not-for-profit organization that recently opened for recreation. There are 11 miles of trails and roads on the property that traverse through coastal-hill terrain ranging from grasslands to a wooded oak canyon and streambed.

View of the parking lot, picnic area, water, restrooms, and the ocean from a hill

When near the beach, tide pools are fun to explore and Margo Dodd Park seemed to be the best place for the activity. I checked the tide chart, but somehow got the time wrong, so we arrived when the tide was already coming back in. No worries, though, we scrambled over rocks, then watched the sun sink into the horizon.

For our last meal in Pismo Beach, we stopped in at Ada’s Fish House for a dynamite shrimp dish in a wine and butter sauce served with au gratin potatoes and asparagus. Jon ordered the fish and chips again and said it was as good as what we had at the Custom House. My mouth is watering just thinking of our meal at Ada’s and wish we could drive there for another visit.

For the best seat in the house, arrive early at Ada’s Fish House

That concludes our Winter 2020 adventure. We are patiently waiting at home until the dreaded virus releases the world from its grip, allowing all of us to travel once again. May you all be well during this crisis and keep busy with planning your next trip.

Stay safe

Riverside, California, Mt. Rubidoux, and Tio’s Tacos

On March 30, 2020March 29, 2020 By LToddIn California, Photography, RV Travel7 Comments

Gale force winds woke us early on February 10, 2020. Driving during a wind warning is not our idea of fun, but it was moving day. We had reservations at Rancho Jurupa Regional Park and Campground for four nights, so we packed up and headed out.

We were glad we tried this park. The spaces were wide, surrounded by green grass, and quiet. Instead of a noisy freeway like we had in San Diego, we heard birds singing in the trees and small aircraft flying overhead. I think this park is going to become our place to stay when visiting the Inland Empire in the future.

The park includes two fishing lakes, cabins, and unobstructed views of the sunset and Mt. Rubidoux each evening. And the gnarly tree limbs were perfect subjects to photograph.

Perfect place for a barbecue and picnic near the lake

Our friends Suzie and Dan Bloomer came to visit one day, so we drove over to Mt. Rubidoux to get a good view of the valley from the top of the mountain. There is an easy trail and a steeper trail. We chose the easy trail up and came down the steeper trail.

The Peace Tower and Friendship Bridge is a popular landmark built in 1925 to honor Frank A. Miller for his vision of the mountain and his ideals of International Friendship and World Peace.

Peace Tower and Friendship Bridge—the guy in the red shirt under the bridge is Dan

The cross and tablet at the summit was erected in 1907 to honor Father Junipero Serra who is thought to have traveled through the valley and rested at Rubidoux Rancho. Americans United for Separation of Church and State objected to the cross on city property and threatened a lawsuit to have it removed. To avoid the legal tussle, a group formed to raise money to purchase the top of the mountain and the .43 acres beneath it. They raised enough money to purchase the land and provide an endowment, the interest from which is used to manage and maintain the property.

Sunrise services have been held on Easter at the top of the mountain since 1909. However, due to the California and local COVID-19 restrictions in place, the service has been canceled for April 12, 2020. The top of the mountain is also used for July 4 fireworks. Let’s hope and pray for lifted restrictions by then.

View mostly east from Mt. Rubidoux with what I believe is the San Jacinto Mountains in the background

The trek up and down Mt. Rubidoux triggered hunger in our bellies so off to Tio’s Tacos for lunch. Opened in 1990, Tio’s has become another landmark in Riverside.

The owner, Martin Sanchez, is the creator of the funky art pieces that populate the half-acre of unique gardens. All of the pieces were created from recycled objects once relegated to the fate of landfills.

Craft project: Shape a roll of chicken wire, fill it with plastic bottles, and presto change-o, a work of art

We definitely want to come back and explore Riverside in more depth. We hear the Mission Inn went through a recent renovation, and I’d like to check out the mission-style architecture in the area.

Next up is Pismo Beach which was the last stop on our Winter 2020 tour.

Wishing everyone health and well being in these trying times as we hunker down the best we can and avoid traveling too far afield.

Stay safe

San Diego, California, and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

On March 22, 2020March 21, 2020 By LToddIn California, Photography, RV Travel, Travel10 Comments

Today is Saturday, March 21, 2020, as I write this. We here in the San Francisco Bay Area have been sheltering in place since Monday, and so far we are safe from the COVID-19 virus. I worry about the homeless, the migrant workers, and the 60 some odd million people that live paycheck to paycheck. I hope congress considers them when passing bail-out legislation. Jon and I wish everyone good health and hope you are safe wherever you have selected to shelter in place.

If boredom has set in from staring at the same walls for days, enjoy this tour of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Who can resist looking at a few photos of animals? We visited on February 8, 2020, way before the world closed for business.

Bailey, Kevin, and Jon at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Entrance

Our memories of the Wild Animal Park, as the Safari Park was once called, included wide open spaces, few trees or vegetation, no shade, and a monorail that circled the African plains where the animals lived. Later they added a walk to the elephants and a bird show. Our last visit was sometime in the 1980s.

The 1,800-acre park now includes many miles of trails through various lands, some of which allow getting up-close with the animals, but no touching or harassing, please. Rangers are on hand to eject anyone intent on harming the animals.

We started our tour in the Wings of the World, an aviary housing a host of beautiful birds, the names of which I have no idea.

At the Animal Ambassador Stage, we were introduced to a Pygmy Falcon. These falcons are found in eastern and southern Africa. They are the smallest raptor on the continent at only 19 to 20 cm (7.5 to 8 inches) long.

Next, we took the Kangaroo Walk where we followed a path through their enclosure.

“Over here, Kanga, chillin’ in the shade.”

The Bonsai Pavilion includes around 60 trees some of which are at least 400 years old. The members of the San Diego Bonsai Club volunteer to maintain the trees.

Take a walk through the World Gardens to see several species of cacti and other plants.

Then off to the Tiger Trail and the Sambutan Longhouse to watch the tigers eat their lunch.

There is a glass partition between the tigers and the guests.

The African Tram has taken the place of the monorail that once ran. There is plenty of shade for visitors waiting their turn to hop on as the line zig-zags between rails. The following photos are views from the tram overlooking the African Plains and Asian Savanna.

The tram is in the background upper right corner behind the tree. Zookeepers in the pickup truck are putting hay in the giraffe feeder.

“Hey, Mildred. Do you think the grass is greener over there?”

Look, a unicorn. Nah. It’s an Arabian Oryx. The Oryx only get one set of horns. If they break off, they will not grow back.

Once our tram tour concluded, we continued our exploration along the pathways. The lemurs were fun to watch. They played on logs for a bit and then walked around, delighting those of us walking through the enclosure.

Here a lemur, there a lemur, everywhere a lemur

The Gorilla Trail was a great place to stop. Do we watch them, or do they watch us?

The slow-moving elephants reminded us that we should slow down too. What was our hurry?

There are six species of flamingo at the Safari Park

And here is one last photo to entice readers to visit the San Diego Safari Park after it reopens once the virus danger subsides.

We didn’t do much else while in San Diego other than watch the Super Bowl Game, go out to eat a couple of times, walk around Lake Murray, worked out at the gym, and relaxed at the trailer. It was nice to take it easy. We needed a breather after the whirlwind of activity during the past two weeks.

We turned the truck toward home on Monday, February 10, 2020, but we aren’t done yet. Next stop was Rancho Jurupa Park in Rubidoux for four nights.

Safe Travels and Stay Healthy

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