P is for Perris, CA

This is my stomping ground. We moved to this area more than 20 years ago and found that while it has it’s problems, there is a lot here to do and see.

We are less than five miles from the Lake Perris State Recreational Area. The lake offers boating, swimming, fishing, horseback riding, and camping. We often camp there because we can spend a week at the lake while the boy still goes to school and baseball practice. They have summer camps for kids where they learn to swim, water skills, and have a overnight camp-out. This is Niles learning how to navigate a kayak.

The Orange Empire Railway Museum is 10 miles from our house. It is just beyond downtown Perris by the Perris Airport where all the skydiving is done. We love to go here and just spend time looking at the trains and trolleys. 

The building is the ticket booth and gift shop. For a reasonable fee, you can purchase a ticket to ride the trains and trolleys around the park. They have several different types that you can ride. I am partial to the electric buses because I remember riding those as a child in Los Angeles. 

 There are several barns where the trains are stored and a couple others where they are restored. It can take all day to see everything and admission is free is you choose not to ride the trains.

The grounds are a good place for a family picnic and on hot days, there is shade.

This is one of the exhibits in the "Signal Garden". Train signals have evolved over time and they have a nice selection. Kids love it because they get to push the buttons to make them work. (Even big kids)

Five miles in the other direction is March Field Air Museum. It sits on the edge of the former March Air Force Base. It has been decommissioned and is now the March Air Reserve Base. It is still busy because many times it is used to send troops and rescue worker around the country for national disasters. The museum sits at the edge of the runway, off Interstate 215. 

The museum continues to grow as new planes are added. They are currently working on the Van Buren off-ramp which will make it much more accessible and traffic may flow a little better.  

I reccommend this museum. It's a great place to learn about March Field and the history of the 70 some planes that reside there. As a bonus, many pilots use March Field to practice taking off and landing and to get their hours in. These "touch and goes"  happen all day long and are fun to watch. Across the freeway is Riverside National Cemetery. They have several displays of interest. I recently found the Civil War memorial. 

Within fifteen miles, you can ride trains, watch planes, and kayak on the lake. Pretty cool! 

O is for Oceanside, CA

Growing up, the go-to beach was Huntington. My friends and I went every weekend. This is the car we used to take. Gas was 25 cents and if everyone chipped in a quarter, we were good to go. 

Gas is a whole lot more expensive today and we don’t have time to go every weekend. However, in the summer, my grandson and I generally make several trips. We are closer to Oceanside than Huntington so now it's our go-to beach. We park in the lot at the pier and take the stairs down to the beach although beach goers have their choice on the three miles of beachfront property.


At the pier, the areas just to the left and the right are reserved for surfers but just beyond the 1st lifeguard stands on either side, families are welcomed.  

I am a senior citizen raising a grandchild and have spent my entire life being sunburned. Now I take a chair, an umbrella, and lots of sunscreen. However, I have never been able to ignore the lure of the waves. My grandson loves it when I go out with him. I am not afraid of the water but give it the respect due. I taught him that you never turn your back to a wave. Then, last time we went, I did just that and was knocked over. DUH!

I don't usually post pictures of myself but I wanted to share that if you are smart, you get a swim shirt. I am not hard to find in the picture, my shirt is bright pink. Not only does the shirt prevent sunburn, it also keeps the sand from rubbing your skin raw, if in fact, you turn your back to a wave. 

If you have any concerns about how you look in a bathing suit, this is the beach for you. Unlike some of the more trendy beaches to the north where it's all about the bikini, this is a family beach where everyone enjoys the water. I am not self conscious here and you will find me out swimming beyond the breakers.

In the center of this picture is my sister-in-law and grandson. He put the boogy board down long enough to get in a picture. This is also a great beach for boogy boarding and body surfing.  

As you can see, the beach is always crowded. We arrive early, stake a claim to our beachfront property and then enjoy the day. Although the beach is crowded, people are generally respectful of your space and belongings.

Oceanside is off of Interstate 5, about an hour south of Los Angeles in the northern part of San Diego County. We are east of Oceanside and have several routes to the beach but usually take Highway 79, taking us past the Mission San Luis Rey. If we have company, we stop at the Mission on the way to the beach.

Oceanside borders Camp Pendleton, the large Marine Corp base that runs all the way to San Onfre. We spend a lot of time in the area because our favorite beach campground is in San Onfre.  

If you decide to visit Oceanside, look for me in the pink rash guard shirt.  

N is for Needles, California

Once in a while, it is important to note that not all places in California have wonderful weather. I had to laugh at a report published on Wed Aug 15, 2012 in the Daily KOS by Fishoutofwater. I have copied the opening paragraph because the author captured the scene so well.  

“If there is a road to Hell it is I-40 into Needles, California. The combination of intense desert heat and Colorado River valley humidity streaming from the steaming Gulf of California makes it, arguably, the most miserably hot town in America in July and August. In this summer of record heat misery, Needles destroyed the all time world record for hot rain when 115 degrees Fahrenheit rain briefly pelted the town on Monday before it quickly turned to steam and evaporated. Lightning from the storm set vegetation surviving along the riverside afire on both sides of the Colorado, completing the scene of Hell on earth.”

No one has ever denied that it can be hot in Needles but the city fascinates me. As a child, we traveled through Needles once a year on our way to Texas. I may have pointed out on another post that my family went to Texas in the summer and Montana in the winter. Sort of bass-ackwards in terms of weather. 

Needles was always the first stop on our trip. Needles really isn’t that far for us in terms of time but my parents would wake us up early (meaning still dark) so we could drive through the desert before it became unbearable. We are talking 1950’s and no air-conditioning.

As a child with a vivid imagination; Needles was a magical place. I had read Steinbeck and imagined those fleeing the dust bowl. They would cross the desert and the river to find Needles welcoming them to California. It must have been a sanctuary since it was the first California city they encountered. I know that coming back from Texas, Needles meant that we were home. Times have changed and there are more cities on the Arizona side but when I was little, there was only Needles.

Needles still holds its place as a Route 66 stop. While we still sometimes just drive through, there are times that we stop and revisit those attractions. In fact, we will be stopping there in July on our road trip to Missouri. It’s worth the time to visit this piece of American history. Just check the weather before you go.

M is for Missions

All California 4^th graders learn about the California missions. I would almost bet that all 4^th graders who live anywhere near the California coast visit at least one mission on a field trip. I know that within two hours from my house, there are three. Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, and Mission San Luis Rey are all within reach for a day trip. 

I have written about the missions on another site so I am not going to reinvent the wheel. I have simply pulled my list from there so you can see what’s available in your area or like us, plan a trip to see them all.

If you plan to follow the trail, it is marked by bronze bells that were placed in 1920's. The route called the El Camino Real (The King’s Highway) runs for 650 miles. 

I must not have been a good student in the 4^th grade because I learned something when my grandson went on his Mission field trip. All of the Missions are a one-day horseback ride from each other. I always thought that they rode their horses to the next location, stopped and built a mission and then moved forward. They built the first Mission in San Diego. BTW, it is quite beautiful and well worth a visit. The second Mission was built in Carmel, which is 444 miles away. It took 54 years to build 12 Missions between them. 

Many of these Missions are still standing. Many have been restored. Disaster lurked all around them. There were fires, earthquakes, and even a tidal wave. They survived Indian insurrections and the pirate Bouchard. While these Mission were built to share the faith of the Jesuits who brought their religion to California, the Missions had a greater part in the growth of the state. Each one is a treasure.  

Sorry this is a long post but there are 21 missions.

Mission Basilica San Diego deAlcala, San Diego, CA

Founded 1769 – 1st mission

San Diego de Alcala, is tucked away is the hills in the middle of San Diego. The freeway is nearby but the mission seems to be lost in time. California’s first historic cemetery is located there.

Mission San Luis Rey deFrancia, Oceanside, CA

Founded June 13, 1798 – 18th mission

Considered the most architecturally beautiful of all the missions, it is called the “King of the Missions”. California’s first Pepper Tree still grows there. The Asistencia (sub-mission), San Antonio de Pala founded in 1816, in Pala, CA., is still active.

Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA

Founded November 1, 1776 – 7th mission

Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded October 30, 1775 but due to an Indian uprising in San Diego, the mission bells were buried for safety and the group returned to San Diego. They returned a year later, digging up the bells and re-founded the mission. In 1812, an earthquake destroyed the church killing 40 natives as they worshiped. The church is still in ruins. Each year on March 19th, the cliff swallows return from Argentina. This is my favorite Mission. 

The flowers at Mission San Juan Capistrano never fail to inspire.

Our child's 4th grade field trip where they learned to make adobe bricks. Mission San Juan Capistrano has a great program for children. BTW, the boys loved that adobe is made from clay, water, straw, and manure. The girls...not so much.

Mission San GabrielAcangel, San Gabriel, CA

Founded September 8, 1771 – 4th mission

The Mission San Gabriel is different from the other missions as it is a fortress with five-foot thick walls. It is nine miles east of Los Angeles. The mission has a treasury of ancient artifacts. It was where I went for my 4^th grade field trip more than 50 years ago.

Mission San Buenaventura, Ventura, CA

Founded March 31, 1782 – 9th mission and the last founded by Father Serra

This mission suffered multiple earthquakes and a tidal wave. It has been burned to the ground and plundered by the pirate. It was restored in 1957 is a vital part of downtown Ventura.

Mission San Fernando Rey deEspana, Mission Hills, CA

Founded September 8, 1797 – 17th mission

California’s largest freestanding adobe is here. The mission was destroyed by the 1812 earthquake and abandoned until the 1940’s. In 1971, the buildings were damaged by an earthquake and were not completely repaired until 1974.

Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Founded December 4, 1786 – 10th mission

The church was destroyed in the 1925 earthquake but has been restored. The mission sits on a hill overlooking the city and the ocean. Part of the city’s water system comes from the original mission’s water works.

Mission Santa Ines, Solvang, CA

Founded September 17, 1804 – 19th mission

Mission Santa Ines managed to survive all the earthquakes. It is inland in the town of Solvang, known for its Danish population. The gardens at the mission are maintained as they were when the mission was new.

Mission La PurisimaConcepcion de Maria Santisima, Lompoc, CA

Founded December 8, 1787 – 11th mission

Mission La Purisima Conception is a California State Park. Docents provide tours and demonstrate the trades and the ways of the mission. The gardens are a collection of all the plants from the early missions.  

Mission San Luis Obispo deTolosa, San Luis Obispo, CA

Founded September 1, 1772 – 5th mission

This mission was the first to use tile on the roof to stop the Indians from setting the thatched roof on fire with flaming arrows. This mission also fell into disrepair and was restored during the 1930’s.

Mission San Miguel Arcangel, San Miguel, CA

Founded July 25, 1797 – 16th mission

The painted walls and ceilings are the best preserved of all the missions. However, disaster struck. On December 22, 2003, a 6.5 earthquake hit the area. It was centered 3.5 miles from the mission. All the buildings were closed to the public until October 2, 2009 when the mission reopened.  

Mission San Antonio de Padua,Jolon, CA

Founded July 14, 1771 – 3rd mission

The mission sits 5 miles back from the main road. It is unchanged and it is believed to be the only one that Father Serra would recognize today. It has been restored to its original condition.

Mission Nuestra Senora de laSoledad, Soledad, CA

13th mission

The mission restoration started in 1954. There were 3 floods but the third one left the mission in ruins. Today only the chapel and one wing of the quadrangle are completely restored. There is a small museum on the grounds.

Mission San Carlos deBorremeo de Carmelo, Carmel, CA

Founded June 3, 1770 – 2nd mission

Thought to be Father Serra favorite mission, he is also buried here. The mission was left in ruins for thirty years and the roof on the church was restored in 1884. It was not aesthetically pleasing so in 1930, the church roof was replaced. This is considered the most beautiful of all the missions.

Mission San JuanBautista, San Juan Bautista, CA

Founded June 24, 1797 – 15th mission

This mission sits directly on the San Andreas Fault and in 1906 the earthquake destroyed the side walls of the church. They were restored in 1976. Music was important at this mission and was taught to the Indians as well. The tiles in the church floors have animal prints created by animals walking on them as the tiles dried outside.

Mission la Exaltacion de la Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Founded August 29, 1771 – 12th mission

Now a California State Park, the mission was completed in the 1790’s. However, it was damaged by several earthquakes and in 1857, most of it collapsed. The mission was abandoned due to the earthquakes and the neighboring pueblo with thieves and ex-convicts. Today, the Adobe built in 1791 has been restored.

Mission Santa Clara de Asis, Santa Clara, CA

Founded January 12, 1777 – 8th mission

This mission had five different locations. The first, too close to the Guadalupe River was moved to a temporary second site. The third was blessed by Father Serra but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1818. The fourth was another temporary location and the fifth was built in 1822. Not so much luck with this either as it was destroyed by a fire in 1926. However, it was rebuilt in 1928 and became the Santa Clara University.

Mission San Jose,Fremont, CA 94539

Founded June 11, 1797 – 14th mission

There is some confusion over the name of this mission. In the early 1900’s a sign was put on one of the mission buildings calling it the "Mission San Jose de Guadalupe”. This name has been used in many publications and is still misused today.

Mission San Francisco deAsis, San Francisco, CA

Founded June 29, 1776 – 6th mission

The mission survived the 1906 earthquake and is the oldest building in the city with the only remaining cemetery within the city limits. Commonly referred to as Mission Delores, it is the only intact mission founded by Father Serra.

Mission San RafaelArcangel, San Rafael, CA

Founded December 14, 1817 – 20th mission

This was not meant to be a full mission but a branch of the Mission San Francisco de Asis to treat sick Indians. It became so important that it was promoted to a full mission on October 19, 1822. This mission did not fare well. It was torn down in 1870 to be used as firewood. There is a replica of the chapel on the site.

Mission San Francisco Solano, Sonoma, CA

Founded July 4, 1823 – 21st mission

Mission San Francisco Solano is part of the Sonoma State Historic Park. It’s in the Sonoma wine-country and the first vines were planted by the priests. The original church washed away and the restored church was built in 1840. It was the site of the Bear Flag Revolt, the effort to establish California as a republic in 1846.

It's Sunday

It's stressed out Sunday. I still don't like my "M" topic and that means I need to get my act together and find another California word for Tuesday. I actually have great topics for X and Z.

I got a Liebster Award. I need to find 11 blogs. That's not all that hard, I have found some great bloggers.

 To accept the award:

• Post the award on our blogs
• Thank the lovely blogger(s) who gave us the award and link back to their site(s)
• Post 11 random facts about ourselves
• Answer 11 questions that the presenter of the award has asked us
• Nominate 11 new bloggers with fewer than 200 followers that we want to pass the award on to
• Ask our nominees 11 questions

I must admit that I don't totally understand this but it is fun so I will do it.

I need to go to a friend's house and feed her four dogs. Fortunately, they are friendly and loving and I don't mind taking care of them.

I have to wake up the boy. He's always grumpy in the morning. He wants to go to Knott's Berry Farm. We have season passes but it's yucky outside so not the best weather. I think I will talk him into going to the movies instead.

There is no food in the house. We need to go shopping. My husband wants new dishes and is reading cookbooks. He doesn't cook, so he finds all these wonderful recipes for me to make.  

My computer has been ugly. I keep losing connection. Now I am behind on my reading and commenting. All I want to do is play on the computer and catch up. How can I do that when others are demanding my time?

Fortunately, Spring Break (the former Easter Vacation) is over today and the boy goes back to school tomorrow. My "M" post on the California Missions is done for tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will do the Liebster Award, find another "N" topic for Tuesday and spend the quiet time with the boy is school, catching up on the posts. Let the school deal with the grumpy boy.

Off to wake up the boy, feed the dogs, and go see the new movie "42". After all, we are a baseball family.

L is for the La Brea Tar Pits

Los Angeles was not always my favorite place. As a child, I hated going there because I was born before there were freeways. However, I never said no to a trip to the Tar Pits. They have always been called the La Brea Tar Pits but here's a little secret. There is no tar, it is actually asphalt. Click on the link to be taken to their website. They have a very good map of the park layout.

The Tar Pits can be a little tricky to find. It sits in the midst of trendy shop and gourmet eateries. This area of Wiltshire Blvd has come back to life after years of semi-decay and it is quite upscale. The Tar Pits are surrounded by trees and I actually missed it last year.

It seems that I am having problems finding current photos but I did find pictures taken with the statues that surrounded the pit in 1948, before I was born. Our family love affair with the Tar Pits goes way back.

Summer 1948. My parents, newly married.

My mom posing.

My dad and my grandpa

My all-time favorite. Grandpa's hat on the tail of the Saber-Tooth Tiger.

The landscape has changed. Many of these statures are gone. There is still one in the main pit in front of the museum.

Be careful where you walk here. The underground asphalt tends to come up where it wants. The last time we were there, one of the parking places was blocked off because the asphalt had oozed up through the space. It also appears in the grassy areas.

This is a fun place to go. The museum has several interactive exhibits that thrill and delight young and old. A film explains what is happening there. Not to be missed, the glassed off room called Fish Bowl where paleontologists painstakingly try to match bone fragments. It is fascinating.

Outside is the main pit of asphalt that is fenced off. You can smell the methane gas as it forms large bubbles in the pond. On the other side of the park, there is an open pit where archeologists and paleontologists are still digging for bones.

I did find a sort of current photo of my grandson taken in 2009. A skeleton of this bear was found there. 

We love it when family comes to visit. This is our go-to place to share. Then, we head back on Wiltshire Blvd towards downtown and eat at the Original Pantry on Figueroa and Ninth.  Best day trip ever!

K is for Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park are often lumped together as one. They are instead, two separate parks that have different features. Both of them are overshadowed by the more well-known Yosemite National Park.  

We have spent years in all three parks. I can’t find my current pictures of Kings Canyon but I did find pictures of a vacation we took in 1960. We camped in Kings Canyon National General Grant Grove with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. This campground is no longer there. Traces of civilization have been removed from the park in order to preserve the forest.

Uncle Howard, Billy, Aunt Anne, my mom Ruby and dad Ernie in the back row. Stuart, Gary, Me, my brother Marlin, and Patty in the front row.

I am not always a fan of progress. However, in order to preserve the grove, I do applaud the removal of all the commercial sites. We are, and have always been, responsible campers but just the traffic that used to run through the groves hurts the ecological systems. The park has more than 500 Native American archeological sites

Even with the changes, Kings Canyon is spectacular. The General Grant Grove, only a small part of the park, is part of one of the largest remaining grove of giant Sequoias. Sequoia National Park shares these giants.

My dad and I in front of the General Giant.

The rest of Kings Canyon is just what it says. A canyon carved out by glaciers. It is similar to Yosemite but is not as accessible. Truly a magnificent sight, it is preserved as it was. Visitors can visit Boyden Cave that has tours of this geological site with stalactites, stalagmites and a subterranean stream. There is also a bat grotto   

I recommend this park and Sequoia to anyone who has not been there. Before going, check the website. As of today, some of the roads in are still closed until the snow melts. 

Various camping photos from that trip. 

Me, my brother and Patty.

Patty and I touring the forest.

My uncle and dad. The car is a 1958 Opal Kadett Station Wagon that I got for my 16th birthday several years later.

 

Sort of posed. The boys were being silly as usual.