Point Arena Lighthouse Plus Horse Racing

On December 11, 2025December 10, 2025 By LToddIn California, Photography, Travel1 Comment

Point Arena Lighthouse

On our way home from Fort Bragg on October 3, 2024, we stopped at the Point Arena Lighthouse, one of about 40 still standing along the 800 miles of the California coastline. Not all of them allow visitors. Our timing didn’t align with the tour, so we wandered around outside and inside the gift shop and museum.

The first-order Fresnel lens wasn’t something anyone walking into the store and museum could miss. The imposing seven-foot diameter lens with nine eyes drew me in for a closer look, and I forgot all about the clothing, jewelry, books, and other items sold in the store.

Constructed in 1870, the first Point Arena Lighthouse included a large keepers’ residence. Additional housing nearby accommodated four lightkeepers and their families. The brick-and-mortar structure did not fare well during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, even though the epicenter was 145 miles away.

Once condemned and torn down, the replacement lighthouse, standing 115 feet tall, began operations on September 1, 1908. To withstand an earthquake, the builder used steel reinforcement rods encased in concrete to build the new structure.

The lightkeepers had to adhere to a strict schedule to keep the first-order Fresnel lens in operation. The keepers had to hand crank a 160-pound weight up the center shaft every 75 minutes. The kerosene lamp needed refueling every four hours, and the wicks required regular trimming.

Naked Lady Lily (*Amaryllis belladonna),* poisonous to humans and pets

The keepers’ workload lessened when electricity arrived and replaced the lamp. I wonder how many keepers lost their jobs after the installation of the 1,000-watt electric lamp, powered by a 1/8 horsepower electric motor. As new products became available, so did more changes at the lighthouse. In 1977, a beacon replaced the electric lamp and the lens, and in 2015, an LED array replaced the beacon.

For a unique place to stay, reserve a cottage or studio at the lighthouse. All the refurbished keepers’ housing is available for reservations. The accommodations range from a one bedroom one bath for two people, up to a three bedroom two bath that accommodates up to six.

What I liked best about this lighthouse was the preservation that went into making it what it is today. It didn’t seem to have gone through decades of neglect as much as other lighthouses we have visited. Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc. has done a wonderful job of explaining the lighthouse’s history. Of special interest to me was how the early keepers kept the light on for the ships passing by at night.

We had wanted to stop at the Point Reyes Ligthouse too, but ran out of time. We’ll catch that one on a future trip. Another adventure awaited us at home.

Horse Racing at the Alameda County Fairgrounds

A few weeks later, we were off to the races. The Alameda County Fairgrounds is home to one of the first 1-mile horse racing tracks in the United States. Augustin Bernal is credited with building the racetrack many years before the founding of the current operators, the Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association.

Here are a few facts:

Originally built in 1858
Hosted horse racing for the Golden Gate Fair in 1902
The inaugural Pleasanton Fair and Races commenced in 1904
In 1912, the modern-day Alameda County Fair began, but the venture was not financially successful. This was due to competition from San Francisco’s 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition, and World War I
California legalized pari-mutuel wagering in 1933
Businessmen provided funds to repair the fairgrounds and revive the fair
The Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association was founded in 1939, and the fair returned
The horses arrived in 1941 during the fair for 9 days and continued through 2024

At the time, we had no idea that our day at the races would become a cherished memory. We watched the post parade as the trainers led the horses and their jockeys to the starting gate. It gave us a chance to see which horses we wanted to bet on. Then the announcer called, “And they’re off.”

I loved the sound of pounding hooves on the track as they raced by, and I loved the cheers of the people in the stands, and the announcements of which horses were ahead. My excitement increased with each race, even though the horses I bet on never placed.

Kevin was the lucky guy in our group for the day. Beginner’s luck or expert at picking winners? Who’s to know? As we walked out of the stands and back to our car, we looked forward to attending the promised future races and getting together for one or more of the races in 2025.

Bailey and Kevin show off Kevin’s winnings

It was a sad day when the Alameda County Fairgrounds announced the cancellation of horse racing at the fairgrounds on March 25, 2025, along with the closing of the stabling facilities. The future of horse racing in Pleasanton had ended.

Two main events led to the closure. First, the California Authority of Racing Fairs (CARF) stopped issuing wagering licenses to fairs for live races. The second was the cost of upgrading the wastewater treatment system at the fairgrounds.

Jon enjoys a beverage while watching the race

Stable guards, maintenance workers, groomers, and other racetrack employees lost their jobs. Many of the workers lived in RVs on the property, and they had to scramble to find new stables for their horses and places to live.

Mt. Diablo in the background and the 9-hole golf course in the center of the track.

I wondered how the annual Alameda County Fair, held in late June and early July, and all the other county fairs would fare without the horse racing events. Based on attendance numbers during 2025 compared to 2024, the Alameda County fair enjoyed an increase of 13%. Of course, weather plays a big part in attendance, and 2025 experienced milder weather than in 2024. New programs and activities introduced to replace the horseracing event can also account for some of the increase.

Although the Tri-Valley area may no longer be known for horse racing, it still has a lot to offer. Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and San Ramon offer small hometown amenities for families. Farmers’ markets, parades, outdoor concerts, restaurants offering cuisine from around the world, shopping, history museums, galleries, the Bankhead and Firehouse theaters, parks, trails, hiking, golfing, medical care, and plenty more.

After all our travels so far over the past few years, Jon and I have yet to find a place we would rather live. With or without horse racing, we’re here to stay for now.

Up Next: Unfortunately, 2025 did not see us on the road much. We’re hoping to travel during the second quarter of 2026, if all goes well. Over the next few posts, we’ll share the rest of our 2024 adventures and the few we slipped in during 2025. Then we’ll be on hiatus for a few months.

See you then.

Safe Travels

A Walk in the Park: Business Park, that is

On April 26, 2020April 25, 2020 By LToddIn California, Photography, Travel8 Comments

Bernal Corporate Park sign overlooks Interstate 680

I was all set to write my next post detailing our 2016 travel adventure that took us to Big Bend National Park in Texas. Then I took a walk. It felt good to get out of the house and enjoy the feel of the sun on my arms, hear birds singing in the trees, and smell the fresh-mown grass and blooming flowers. I walked the half mile to Bernal Corporate Park where there is a concrete path that surrounds the park.

The first thing I see is a spiky green ball hanging from a tree. I wondered what it was while I snapped a photo.

New growth on a redwood tree looked interesting too.

I’m not sure what these long strands are in the photo below. They sort of look like Brussels sprouts stalks, except the balls look soft. Perhaps they turn into flowers. Although I’ve walked this path many times, I never once remember seeing these and the spiky balls.

Does anyone know what these strings are?

I often see co-workers out for exercise or otherwise engaged in a confab between two or more whenever I walk the path. This was Saturday, a day off for most. Except around these buildings, Saturday is usually still bustling with employees. This day I only saw people out for a leisurely walk, walking their dogs, or running.

Exercise equipment and benches for resting along the path

Cars usually pack Interstate 680 even on Saturdays. Not this day.

In the photo below, water used to flow over the bricks into a pool at the base of the metal structure. It was turned off during the drought and never turned back on.

The sound of water flowing drew my attention to a courtyard. Water rushed over these two obelisks and splattered into a pool. Benches, tables under a cabana, and a full kitchen including a bar with taps would be a great place to hold a party. For employees who prefer working outdoors, there are even power towers, some of which include both USB connections and electric sockets.

Need to work on your putting skills? Head out to the putting green in the courtyard.

I can envision people gathered around the fireplace on cooler days and nights. I wonder if they have marshmallow sticks to use.

The Pear Tree Café is closed temporarily. I never knew the restaurant was there. I must try it when they reopen. The photo of the Ahi Poke Bowl on their Factbook page looked like a delicious choice.

There are charging stations for the electric vehicles that are so popular in the Bay Area. I’ve heard that nature is taking over since humans are stuck in their homes. It looks like spiders have already taken over after only forty days.

As I worked my way back home, I saw this woman and her husband riding minibikes around the empty parking lots. The huge smile on her face told me she was having great fun. This is one way Pleasantonians can enjoy themselves when everything else is closed. I wished I could have joined them.

Below is a picture of my favorite part of the park. Meandering between buildings, a path follows a creek under mature shade trees. I always wished I could have had my office overlooking the creek when I was still working. It’s always a few degrees cooler there and refreshing to walk through after a power walk. I crept up on this gaggle of geese pecking around in the grass searching for food. Too bad I didn’t have my Sony with the zoom lens.

Across the street from the business park, the Alameda County Fairgrounds and Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare prepares for the April 27, 2020, opening of a COVID-19 testing site scheduled to operate through June 27.

The building below is the off-track betting facility operated by the fairgrounds. Parking near the building is reserved for the facility. Out by where I took the photo, commuters use the lot to park their cars, then board a bus to ride across the bay to their workplaces. During the week cars fill the lot to overflowing into adjacent gravel lots. There are days the freeway crawls with semis and vehicles to the point it barely moves. I can’t imagine how bad it would be with the additional cars that fill these lots. For now, while most employees are working from home, the lot is empty.

Park and ride the bus from the off-track betting facility

On most Saturdays golfers sometimes have to wait for a spot at the driving range and a constant thwack, thwack, thwack can be heard. Unfortunately, the county health department classified golf as a nonessential activity during the shelter-at-home restrictions. I’m sure many people disagree with the classification and are jonesing to whack a bucket of balls for an hour or two.

No golfers at driving range during the lockdown

Energized from my walk and with a phone filled with fresh photos, I hurried home to write up this post to share. The 2016 Big Bend trip can hold for another week. Of course, there’s always the chance something else shiny and new will capture my attention.

Stay Safe

154th Scottish Highland Gathering and Games 2019

On September 5, 2019 By LToddIn California, Travel11 Comments

Each Labor Day weekend, tartan and kilted-clad folks descend on the Alameda County Fairgrounds for the annual Scottish Highland Gathering and Games. Labor Day 2019 marked the 154th year of celebrating Scottish heritage in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Caledonian Club of San Francisco has continuously run the annual games since its founding on November 24, 1866. From their humble beginnings as a picnic with a few athletic events, the games have marched through the years with never a break. Two world wars and the 1906 earthquake could not stop the dedication of the club to celebrate their heritage. The Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California, has been the home of the games since 1994. It is one of the largest ethnic festivals in the United States.

My grandson Jackson and I began our visit soaring above the crowds on the sky ride to get our bearings and catch a glimpse of the festival from a birds-eye view.

Colorful canopies and chairs lined the area where the pipe bands gathered for practice ahead of their competitions.

The concentration of 30 or more bands created a cacophony of sound that was actually more soothing than expected. The addition of drums that accompanied the pipes sent vibrations through my chest, stirring memories of standing on the curb watching parade marching bands pass by.

Pipes practicing before their competition

Food vendors offered American and Scottish dishes as well as the typical festival fare like funnel cakes, kettle korn, beignets, and waffles. Fancy a bit of alcohol? Step right up to the World of Beer stand, grab a pint of Guinness, or enjoy a sampling of some of the finest scotches, bourbons and whiskeys.

From hamburgers to haggis, this festival has it all

I opted for a Shepherd’s Pie for my lunch. Jackson ordered Teriyaki chicken. After a few bites he said he couldn’t eat any more Asian-type food, so he fed his meal to the trash can instead of his tummy. Maybe he was still full from the french toast at breakfast.

It was overwhelming to look at the schedule and choose which activities to take in so I let Jackson lead the way. Our first stop was the Living History section. We sat in on a presentation by Mead and Meadow Crafters Guild where we learned about the plants and herbs that treat itching, migraines, and fever; how the lowly snail helps reduce scars while healing and that sphagnum moss is a natural antibiotic that can be used to pack wounds.

Other groups demonstrated different weapons used to either protect the queen and her entourage or guard against invading marauders.

This fellow demonstrated using a chain like a whip. I never knew a chain could mack a sound like a whip until the man swirled the chain around and around over his head and snapped it so hard it made a loud crack. Imagine the ripping of flesh as the chain slices through an arm, a leg, or a face. Yikes! Grab me some sphagnum moss to mop up the blood.

One group gave lessons on sword fighting and another group offered archery lessons, for extra fees, of course. We found a shady spot to watch the sword-fighting lessons for a bit.

“Okay, you hold your sword straight out and I’ll try to hit it.”

Then we ventured over to the Sheep Dog Trials. We both found it fascinating to watch how the handler and the dog worked together to corral the sheep. Most of the time the three sheep stuck together like Velcro, but occasionally one of them would go rogue and rush back to the safety of her pen, her 60 other friends, and food.

Jackson takes a break under the misting canopy.

Mary Queen of Scots was in attendance with her entourage, brought to you by St. Andrew’s Noble Order of Royal Scots along with a group of nobles, the Royal Scots, stating their allegiance to the Queen. They also take strolls through the grounds throughout the day.

Mary Queen of Scot’s chalices and other artifacts

When the sun and heat reached a level that was too hot for comfort, visitors moseyed on over to one of the 6 stages where live bands played traditional and Celtic music, inviting guests to dance.

Highland dancing was another favorite of visitors. Oh, my. Such energy they had as they stomped their feet in complicated steps and swung their partners around in a circle, all while belting out the words of a song.

The Gathering of the Clans was another place for visitors to keep cool and learn about their Scottish heritage at one of the 100 booths. The shady walnut trees provided plenty of respite from the sun.

While walking to the Gathering of the Clans booths, one must stop and gawk at the British automobiles.

Although not a large collection of vehicles, I found the Morgan +4 and its baby of interest. The Morgan Motor Company began operations in 1909 and still makes the +4 today along with three other models.

The three-wheeler in the following photo was also produced by the Morgan Motor Company from 1932 to 1952. A new model is also in production.

Another alternative to cooling off is to explore the commercial buildings where all manner of Scottish goods are available for sale.

The commercial buildings filled with gifts, clothing, jewelry, food, and so much more

Need an outfit to wear? The selection ranges from the fancy dresses for royals to everyday wear for the merchants and servants. Wool kilts, sweaters, scarves and all the paraphernalia that goes along with the costume. Or maybe pirate attire is more to your liking. Craving shortbread cookies for that taste of the old country? Vendors had plenty of choices to select from.

And what would a gathering and games be without the games? Weight for distance consisted of 14, 28, 42, or 56-pound metal ball at the end of a ring and chain with the goal of flinging it the farthest.

Putting the stone is similar to American shot put events. Men use a stone that weighs 26.6 pounds while women use a 16-pound stone.

Eight teams competed this year in the five-a-side soccer event.

Other athletic events included weight for height, the Scottish hammer, and tossing the caber. Highland dancing competitions were also held.

The Scottish Gathering and Games truly has something for everyone from young to old no matter their passions or ancestry. For a fun time, visit a Scottish Gathering and Games near you.

Safe Travels

The Traveling Todds

Tag: Alameda County Fairgrounds

Point Arena Lighthouse Plus Horse Racing

A Walk in the Park: Business Park, that is

154th Scottish Highland Gathering and Games 2019

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