Day Trips & Hikes
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Yosemite
That summer will be one we will never ever forget. Our memories will be of beauty, nature, hospitals, fatigue, and worry and of prayer, faith, love, friendship, family and answered prayers.
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Huell Howser, a Travel Lover’s Friend
Who else misses this sweet guy? I think most people in California know Huell Howser. And those that do know him, have a fondness for this dear man. For 30 years, he produced shows all about some great and often unknown people and places in California. His shows appeared on PBS stations up and down the state; and, in fact, one of these shows, California’s Gold is still being aired today. He loved being on the road, finding interested places and people and sharing what he found and his conversations on shows that didn’t feel overly produced. He became our friend because of his unassuming mannerisms. He showed genuine interest…
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Packing Checklist
Need to pack in a hurry, here's a checklist.
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The Best Way to Get to LAX
What’s the best way to get to LAX from the Inland Empire? One word: Metrolink! There are Metrolink stations all over Southern California…..they all end up at Union Station and from Union Station, there’s a continually running “FlyAway” bus going to LAX that takes just a quick few minutes. So, don’t bother your friends and family….just find one of the train cars that have the bicycle logo on the outside and you’ll have plenty of room to store your luggage while you just sit and enjoy the view. We usually just take the train to LAX the day before our flight takes off….just so we can relax in a…
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We survived Death Valley
A long January weekend in Death Valley National Park.
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Sleepy Hollow at Riley’s Farm
We’ve celebrated several of John’s October Birthdays in Oak Glen, California at Riley’s Farm for their Sleepy Hollow Dinner and Fun Activity Night! We always have an amazing time. On the scary hay ride with Ichabod Crane We participated in all the contests…..pumpkin seed spitting (Ned was the leader) Apple Bobbing Oh, the Todd Girls…I think our family wins most of the prizes any year we happen to be there. Pumpkin Carving Pie eating and more
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Zip Lining in Big Bear
On Saturday, John and I, along with Heidi, Ned, Ella and Asher; went up to Big Bear Lake for a zip lining adventure. We had purchased Groupon packages for Christmas and needed to use them before they expired. All harnessed up and ready to fly. Our Entire Zip-Lining Group Up 95 Feet Waiting for the Next Zip (as you can see, we were all harnessed in). We had a great time up in the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains. Here is a video of John coming down the final zip line.
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Our Balloon Ride — Up With 10 Passengers, Down with 6…What’s Up (or Down) With That?
All my life I’ve looked forward to someday going up in a hot air balloon. I think it all may have started with my early obsession with the Wizard of Oz. When we were kids, there were no videos and when this movie came on TV once a year, it was a big deal. We carefully laid out blankets in front of the black and white TV (we knew that OZ was in color but it didn’t matter to us), popped popcorn, and nothing could drag us away. Last year, I bought a prepaid discounted balloon ride package from Zozi (a now-defunct company like Groupon) and intented to use it…
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Disney’s World of Color
Our family has been Disneyland annual passholders every year since about 1994. We generally buy the least expensive passes which, unfortunatley, include a lot of blackout days — especially during the summer. I don’t mind; The days that are blacked-out on our passes are the more popular days when the parks are more crowded anyway. So, I know Disneyland and the California Adventure parks REALLY well. Some of my favorite things in the two parks are: Soarin’ Over California, Toy Story Mania and Buzz Lightyear (we’re a very competitive family), the Mission Tortilla mini-factory & samples (we’re a very hungry family too). and the teacups. If I’m with the grandkids,…
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California Citrus State Historical Park in Riverside
Saturday, January 15th was a gorgeous day here in Southern California. It was one of those days, when, even if you wanted to stay in, you’d feel guilty about it. Sometimes, if you’re in the mood to just stay in the house and clean or watch sports, bad weather is a gift because it gives you a perfect excuse to just hermit up. But, when a warm sunny day comes along in January, whether you want to or not, you’re obligated to get outside and enjoy it! So, luckily, I have this commitment to do something new each week – thanks to this blog. And, that means getting out to…
