Last Week in Acton

Sophie is trying out Grandma's hat

I'm beginning to feel at home in Acton. It's a quiet little town nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains, a mile or two off Hwy 14 between the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita, CA. I discovered a very nice, well-stocked market only a mile from the RV park. And I can finally drive Soledad Canyon Road without slowing down the traffic six cars deep. In all fairness to me, the speed limit is 55, which means that 50 isn't excessively slow...but if you don't drive at least 60 and take the corners on two wheels, you are ticking off the locals and are expected to get out of the way or get used to vehicles passing you with regularity in the "no passing" zones. After three weeks, I'm finally starting to keep up.

The Soledad Canyon RV Park is not one of the finest Thousand Trails parks in their system, but it's not horrible. Like all their parks, it could use some sprucing up. The family swimming pool is awesome, but it's not heated, which makes it almost impossible to use..."unless you're a polar bear," one of the staff remarked. The adult pool is not kept nearly as clean as it should be, and the Jacuzzi was out of order the entire three weeks we were here. But as they say...location, location, location. And the location is perfect for our needs. If they do some basic maintenance, it could easily be one of their best parks. We'll be coming here every year and I hope to see improvement efforts from stay to stay. Time will tell.

Steve & Mark on Main Street, Disneyland

Anyway, our last week was fun-filled. We went to Disneyland with Steve on Wednesday. It was our first Disney visit since Steve and Alicia got married. We went with them the day after, which happened to be on my birthday. It's been eight years. Unfortunately, this time their sweet puppy dog, Nestle, was feeling sick and Al decided to stayed home so as to keep an eye on her. Nestle has some pretty serious doggy health problems and sometimes needs close monitoring. Fortunately, Steve and Al are annual pass-holders, so the biggest disappointment was not that Al missed Disneyland, but that we missed each other's company. We'll try again next time we come.

Nestle Knab

Disneyland was surprisingly packed for an off-season Wednesday. There were long lines for nearly every attraction we wanted to visit. Even still, I was able to see an attraction I haven't seen since my very first trip there, when I was the tender age of eighteen, "Storybook Land." Oh, what a magical ride that was--taking a slow boat through the giant mouth of a whale into a world of teeny tiny buildings and landscapes. (Yes, I made the guys ride this with me.)

Entrance to Storybook Land

What a difference forty-seven years makes. I think they sped up the boat! I was snapping pictures left and right trying to capture the "magic," and in the process, missed almost everything. If I could suggest an improvement to this attraction, it would be to slow down the boat by a factor of three...or maybe ten. Magic takes time to absorb.

"It's a Small World," on the other hand, should be sped up by the same factor. That ride drives me crazy. We didn't go on it, and I will never  go on it unless compelled by a force too strong to resist. Like a grandchild, for instance.

The only attraction that we wanted to ride (the guys, that is), and missed, was Space Mountain. The wait time was over an hour. I've been on that ride many times, and loved it, during the days when I didn't have to hold my neck stiff with both hands to keep my head from flying off. These days, the arthritis just won't tolerate all the whipping around of a fast roller coaster.

The Haunted Mansion

The park was all decorated up for Halloween, which I expect was the reason it was so packed.

While we were there, Steve introduced me to the latest craze in Disney merchandise:  Pins. Pin trading is a big thing apparently, and as one who is predisposed to collecting things-- buttons,  postage stamps, refrigerator magnets, ink pens...well, you get the idea... anyway, I was curiously drawn in by the concept of collecting Disney pins. Can you be too old to start something like that? Considering the regularity at which I visit a Disney establishment, I figure by the time I leave this world, I might have built up my collection into three, or maybe even four, pins. Just kidding, of course. I will no doubt buy more than one at a time.

Alicia's newest Disney pin

Steve and Al showed me their collections, which quite impressed me. Now I've managed to talk Mark into a trip to Disney World in February when we're in Florida.

So I can buy my first pin.

For my collection-to-be.

And maybe, eventually, I'll trade one.

On Saturday, Katie, Brent and Sophie came over for a last goodbye. We had dinner and sat outside visiting until the sun went down. We said our goodbye's to Alicia on Thursday. Steve came by on Saturday after work and joined us all for a short while before he had to go home and tend to Nestle.

Katie & Brent

In all, it was a very good week. I'm so blessed that Mark and I are able to live this unique lifestyle.  We would never be able to visit our friends and loved ones nearly as often if we lived in a house stuck in the ground. God has given us the desire of our hearts. What a good Father He is!

This week we've been  at the Alfateer's repair shop in Fontana, California. We came in initially to have our back cap re-attached. After they repaired the damage from our accident last year, something happened that caused the cap to shift, which we discovered when the bedroom ceiling leaked after a rainstorm. When they inspected it yesterday, they determined that whatever caused it to shift was not the result of their workmanship (they had before & after pictures). Bottom line: If we wanted it re-attached, we'd have to pay for it. We opted not to. The emergency repair that was done after the leak was well-sealed and holding, and there was no good reason to mess with it.

The other problem we've been having over the past month or so is deploying the leveling jacks. So we asked them to inspect those while we were here. The good news is the jacks are fine. The bad news is the hydraulic pump for the jacks is weak and not doing its job. We gave them the go-ahead to replace it, but when they tried to order a new pump from the manufacturer, it would be weeks to get one in. Weeks we don't have. The new plan is to have this work done in Shreveport on our way to Florida. There is a worthy repairman in that town that services the Alfas and will be able to take care of us in December. We're trusting God to keep our leveling jacks working until then.

Tomorrow we head east again on our way to Texas, where we will be doing our civic duty and voting. Get out and VOTE! And may God have mercy on this great land we call home.

The So Cal Family Visit

Soledad Canyon RV Park, Acton CA

Our time in Southern California is winding up. It seems like we just got here, and already we're half-way into our last week.

We were able to get three weeks this year at the Soledad Canyon Thousand Trails RV Park, thanks to our recent purchase of the "Elite" plan. Like every RV park, this one has its pros and cons. The biggest pro is the proximity to our kids, being about half way between Steve and Katie. It's quiet and spacious, but 50 amp sites are hard to come by. We ended up in a 30 amp site, but we're borrowing power from the empty spot next to us, which makes everything work as it should. Last year one of our issues was that we couldn't get a phone signal or internet. One section of the park is on a kind of ridge, and we were able to find a spot there this year, where we can get both phone and internet service through our hot spot.

Even though the kids all work, we've been able to share our time between them pretty evenly because they have different weekends. Katie and Brent have the traditional weekend, whereas Steve and Alicia are off on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Most of our time has been spent just hanging out and catching up on family news.

Petting zoo adventure

Last Saturday, we went with Katie and her family to the Tehachapi Apple Festival. Sophie was excited to get outside and experience the petting zoo. We had fabulous BBQ for lunch at the "Red House BBQ" and bought pastries at one of the local bakeries, something I always regret later.

Sophie is gradually warming up to us. It seems like she's finally getting used to Grandma and Grandpa just in time for us to leave again. But I know that will change as she gets older and remembers who we are from one visit to the next.

Vasquez Rocks

On one of our family "off" days, Mark and I took a drive over to Vasquez Rocks County Park. This place is famous for its use as a movie backdrop--mostly westerns and sci-fi flicks. You'll likely recognize this famous picture from some movie or another. The park is fairly small , but has some nice hiking trails and is worth visiting if you're in the area.

We're still hunting Jerry. Mark secured all our HVAC vents with copper mesh last week and we put out a couple more traps, but no sign of the wily critter so far. In the process we discovered another significantly large opening underneath the cabinetry below the sink where a mouse could easily hide. Mark and Sophie checked it out with his phone camera and didn't see anything, but it's certainly a good potential hideout for a clever mouse and we're going to have to figure out how to block it up.

I also got a new faucet last week on my bathroom sink. The old one was, in a word, shot. Mark had to buy some parts to adapt the new unit to our unique plumbing configuration, but the end result was beautiful...and the sink no longer sings to us in the night.

Out with the old...in with the new

Hanford Fun... and Jerry

Forestiere Gardens entrance

On our way south to Acton, we stopped in Hanford, CA, a smallish town situated about thirty miles or so south of Fresno. The Hanford area is where Mark's grandson, Arick, is serving his final weeks in the U.S. Navy. It is also the home of his daughter, Melanie's, inlaws, Phil and Judy Bohnsack, who are dear friends of ours.

The only practical RV "park" in the close vicinity is the Kings County Fairgrounds, where we stayed last year as well. Accommodations are first-come-first-served, and we are happy to report that we found a very nice grassy spot to park ourselves for the week.

The day after we arrived, Phil and Judy took us to lunch and then into downtown Hanford for a visit to the Hanford Carnegie Museum, that unfortunately turned out to be closed on Tuesday, along with just about everything else of interest in Hanford. Nevertheless, we had a very nice visit and made plans to get together again before we left town.

Caitlyn & Arick

Practicing our skills

The next day we met up with Arick and his lovely girlfriend, Caitlyn (I hope I spelled it right), and went to the shooting range. Mark and I haven't been shooting since we lived in Chaska -- it's probably been four or five years. Good to know I can still hit the target. We learned something about bullets that day:  the empty shells are burning hot as they are ejected from the pistol. For the first time ever, we were both victims of a stray shell hitting us on the collar bone and leaving a painful blister. This is one of the very good reasons that protective eye gear is required at ranges. Turtle-neck sweaters are also a good idea.

Afterward we headed over to a delicious Mexican restaurant at the mall and spent the evening getting to know Caitlyn and hearing about Arick's post-navy plans. Caitlyn is a NICU nurse at the hospital in Visalia near where they live. Because of her work schedule, we weren't able to spend any more time with her, but it was fascinating hearing her talk about her work with critically ill babies. It takes a very special person to do that kind of nursing...any kind of nursing, for that matter.

Caitlyn, Arick, Mark & me at Que Pasa Cafe

On Saturday, Phil and Judy invited Arick and us to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, with a visit to the Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno afterwards. The Forestiere Gardens is like taking a walk through an old Roman town.

This is the summary from the website's welcome page, www.undergroundgardens.com:

     "In the early 1900s, Sicilian immigrant, citrus grower and visionary Baldassare Forestiere began turning what was useless farmland into a vast network of rooms, tunnels and courtyards as a subterranean escape from the sweltering Central Valley summer heat.
     Using only shovels, picks and other hand tools, Baldassare was inspired to excavate for forty years, going as deep as 25 feet underground and spanning over 10 acres. He grew fruit trees and grapevines underground - many of which are still thriving today!
     Today, guests from around the world tour through his grottoes, passageways and underground homes. Although he never officially opened the Mediterranean resort of his dreams, we think Baldassare would be thrilled by all of the guests marveling at his life's work today and finding inspiration underground."

Judy & Phil, and our delightful tour guide

This is one of the most interesting tours I've ever been on. I would love to have been able to explore it on my own, but that wasn't an option.
Still, it was an amazing feat for one man to accomplish, practically single-handed, and well worth visiting if you're ever in Fresno.

Shortly after we checked into our spot at Kings County Fairgrounds, the park attendant informed us, with apologies, that a dirt track race would be taking place the following weekend at the Kings Speedway, which is part of the fairgrounds. And that Saturday, our last evening in Hanford, the time had arrived for the event. About 6:30 we started hearing the engines revving, and I decided to take a walk over to the Speedway, which was all of a couple hundred yards away, and check out the activity. I realized right away I had basically two choices:  lemons or lemonade. I could sit in my living room and complain about all the noise, or...

Kings Speedway dirt racing

Back to the coach I went for my lawn chair, which I parked next to the chain link fence giving me a good view of Turn #2. It took about two minutes for the racing authorities to drive over in their truck and inform me I couldn't sit there. "Not safe." Okay, thanks, no problem. I moved my chair back a bit and set it up safely behind a tree. Then I walked back to the fence some distance closer to the bleachers and stood next to a huge steel light post. This should be safe, I thought. Not two minutes went by, and along comes another racing authority. "You can't stand here. Not safe. Watch from behind the tree or in the grandstands."

"How much to get in?" I asked. He thinks for a second and then says, "Come on-- meet me at the gate, I'll stamp you in."

My (probably) annoying persistence saved us $24 in admissions and we had a blast watching the dirt racing until about ten thirty when it finally finished up. Our favorite event was the "Dash" cars. We witnessed a few crack-ups, but nobody got hurt.

Sweetie keeping vigilance

We picked up a tiny grey-haired hitchhiker in Yosemite. I'll call him "Jerry." Jerry boarded without permission, so I suppose that makes him a stowaway as well. It was an unfortunate decision on his part, as it will likely lead to his untimely demise. But so far he's managed to evade capture. Sweetie's no help. Apparently she's also retired. Being the well-fed city cat, she doesn't seem more than mildly interested in Jerry. And Jerry is so far not in the least enticed by our almond butter offerings, but seems perfectly content to live primarily in the "tunnels" of our ventilation system, dining on who knows what... perhaps Sweetie's food and water at night when no one is looking (no proof as yet).

We have ten vents like this

We'll be tackling this unexpected problem on two fronts. Tomorrow Mark will remove all the vent covers and attempt to vacuum out as much of the dirt, crud, and nesting material that he can with an industrial strength shop vac we have borrowed from my son. If we can vacuum up Jerry and deposit him alive in the great outdoors, that would be my preference. In the meantime, if Jerry continues to evade the death traps that have been set for him, we will be purchasing some live traps and some mouse-resistant mesh material that we will install under the vent covers to prevent any future intrusions from mouse-sized critters.

Updates to follow.


More pictures from Forestiere Underground Gardens...

The kitchen

The summer bedroom

Grape vines hanging overhead

This tree has several fruit varieties grafted onto it

This is an upper level walk around the tree pictured above
used to harvest the fruit without requiring a ladder

The ballroom

The "roof"