Summary:
Whether you're looking for a fun place to go, a quiet place to rest, or an educational and interesting field trip, St. Augustine has something to offer everyone.

Even those on a budget can stay at nearby Anastasia State Park and enjoy the miles of beachfront.

Area attractions include an Alligator Farm and the Lighthouse & Museum.

History:
St. Augustine was founded forty-two years before the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. It's the oldest permanent European settlement on the North American continent.

In 1564 King Phillip II tasked Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles to be the new governor of Florida, instructing him to secure, explore, and colonize the new territory.

Menendez arrived off the coast of Florida on August 28, 1565, the Feast Day of St. Augustine. Eleven days later, he and his 600 soldiers and settlers came ashore at the site of the Timucuan Indian village of Seloy. He fortified the fledgling village and named it St. Augustine.

In 1763 Spain ceded Florida to England. But this was during the war of American Independence, and England would not claim Florida for long. Under the Treaty of Paris Florida was returned to Spain in 1783. This lasted for thirty-seven years until July 10, 1821, when US troops took possession of the territory.

Florida became the twenty-seventh state admitted to the Union in 1845. It's history had its ups and downs until Henry Flagler started to invest in St Augustine as a resort for rich northerners escaping the dreaded New England winters. His investment worked, and St. Augustine has continued to grow and flourish as a year round recreation area.

Now there's a little bit of something for everyone. If you have a lot of money you can stay at one of the better hotels, tour all the places of interest, and soak in the warmth as your friends freeze up north.

If you're on a budget and can plan ahead, you can pitch a tent at Anastasia State Park, enjoy the beach or fishings, and soak in the warmth as your friends freeze up north.

See my attractions page for more on area attractions.

Directions:
From I-95: take exit 311 (old 94). Go east on State Road 207. Or take exit 318 and follow Hwy 16. Go south on Hwy 1 (North Ponce de Leon).

Camping & RV:
If you're planning ahead, up to 11 months, make reservations at nearby Anastasia State Park. Anastasia State Park has 139 camping sites for RVs and tents and at a 2005 price of a little over $25 a night, is a great bargain. The rangers also offer several programs to keep everyone busy. Each site has water and electricity with a central dump station.

There are several commercial parks in the area, but they're expensive and usually only offer short term camping unless you're a regular winter visitor.

Summary:
Yeah, I know what you're thinking. You're rolling your eyes and thinking "Not another historical interest site". But don't let the name foool you. Yes, there's a Real American Fort® here, but if you have the patience to get through the Key West traffic, you'll find one of the best beaches in the area.

Construction of the fort began in 1845, shortly after Florida became a state. The fort was named after U.S. President Zachary Taylor.

During the Civil War Union Capt. John Brannon occupied the fort. The 10-inch Rodman and Columbiad cannons at the fort had a range of three miles. This was an impressive deterrent to the Confederate navy, preventing them from attempting to take the fort or the island of Key West.

Now the Fort is open for guided tours or self paced walk throughs. Butmost visitors hit the beach, slap on the sunscreen, and worship the sun.

Camping & RV:
There isn't any camping at the Fort. There are a lot of state parks and commercial parks in the area, but they can be very difficult to get in to during the winter. If you want to stay at a state park like Bahia Honda State Park (call for status) plan on making reservations the full 11 months in advance. Many of the commercial parks keep spots for short term camping but winter parking is a reserve list with longer term spots divied out by seniority.

For more on this trip see the full description in the Central Arizona Region on The Arizona Tourist.

Montezuma Castle is a nice day trip from either Flagstaff or Phoenix. Or a stopover from one to the other. This is a great location to get a glimpse of the early settlers of this oasis in the Arizona desert.

The castle itself is up on a hill and unreachable, but ther's a nice visitor's center and a picnic area that's a great place to rest on your trip through the area.

Summary: Obviously very scenic and commanding, this cliff dwelling seems to lord over the valley. With an amazing view and lots of information at the visitor's center this is definitely worth a visit.

Here over 600 years ago the Sinagua Indians watched out over the Verde Valley. They must have felt very safe in this keep remeniscent of European castles.

11 miles away, the limestone sink at Montezuma Well pumps a million and a half gallons of water a day, adding to the local rivers and ensuring a constant supply of water and crops.

While you can't get to the cliff dwelling, there are other local ruins, a visitor's center with lots of information, and a picnic area where you can spend some time relaxing and speculating over what it was like to live here.

Features: Views of Cliff Dwelling, visitors center, ruins, 1/3 mile trail with picnic area.

Directions:
Montezuma Castle is located 3 miles off Interstate 17. Use Exit Number 289, 1/2 mile past the Cliff Castle Casino at the traffic light is the access road.

BTW, there's a truck stop by the Casino with a nice gift shop. The cashier I met at the gift shop was a great help in finding out more about the area.

Local Accommodations:
Camp Verde ,  Cottonwood ,  Prescott Valley ,  Sedona

Sorry, no RV camping here. There's plenty in the area, the closest being commecial parks in Camp Verde.

For more on this trip see the full description on The Arizona Tourist in the Central Region

Summary: You can see the beautiful blue sky reflected in the photo of Montezuma Well to the right. The "Well" formed when the cap over an underground cavern collaped, forming this limestone "sink".

At over one and a half million gallons of water a day flow continuously, there's water to provide food and lush vegetation for area residents here surrounded by desert grasslands.

An interesting eco-system has set up here that is self sustaining, but pretty boring for local people. No big trout here, but it did provide drinking water for the residents of the cliff dwellings seen above the well.

A swallet on the east side allows water to rush out, joining the river outside. This water source allowed native Americans to raise crops like corn, squash, beans, and cotton, difficult to raise otherwise in these desert climes..

Hohokam and Sinaguan were early residents here at the well. The Hohokam are thought to be the first permanent residents. They moved in around 1400 years ago, but later moved north of Flagstaff after the Sunset Volcano eruption made that are a fertile farming area.

Camping & RV:
There's no camping at the Well or Montezuma Castle National Monument, but this area does have commercial RV Parks as well as US Forest Service and State camping areas. Start at Camp Verde.

Local Accommodations:

See my California Tourist site for more information.

Summary: With exotic animals in an exotic area near the ocean, this zoo is a world of its own.

The zoo is well known on the coast, but not as well known as other California zoos. The managers have done a great job of creating natural living areas for the animals, while still giving visitors plenty of visibility into their lives.

To be successful a zoo has to raise a lot of money, and I would imagine that being located in such a wealthy area is a great advantage.

After they have that money, zoos have two missions.

The first mission is studying the animals under their care and ensuring their survival as a species.

The second mission is public education. And by creating natural environments, educational programs, and allowing easy viewing they've done a great job of this.

Directions:
From the South on U.S. 101 (Going North): Take the Hot Springs / Cabrillo Boulevard Exit. Turn left on Cabrillo and continue to the first stop light. Turn right on Ninos Drive. The entrance is about 2 blocks on the right side. Note: If you miss your exit, you can use the Milpas Street exit and follow the directions below after going LEFT on Milpas Street.

From the North on U.S. 101 (Going South): Take the Milpas Street exit and go RIGHT on Milpas Street. Cross the railroad tracks, and turn left on Cabrillo Boulevard. Turn left at the first light, which is Ninos Drive. The entrance is on the right side across from the playing fields.

Camping & RV:
South: Emma Woods State Beach, Carpinteria State Beach, Faria, Hobson, Rincon County Parks,
North: Gaviota, Refugio, El Capitan State Parks
East: Lake Cachuma

This area is named for Cochise, an Apache Indian that was born and lived in this area. After an incident at Apache Pass about 30 miles east of here, he and his band spent the next 12 years fighting the US Cavalry. He is supposed to be buried somewhere in the hills.

Summary: Part of the Coronado National Forest, this camping area and trail are a great getaway in the relatively mild climate of the higher elevations of the Dragoon Mountains.

At 5,000' altitude, the vegetation doesn't match that of Sunsites, a local community just east of the Stronghold.

There's a spring that feeds a small stream that's accumulated in a half moon shape pond damned by a block wall, lots of trees and vegetation, and the occasional cow wondering around.

The campground is comfortable and secluded, though devoid of any services including water. Just past the camping area is a nice trail with unusual rock formations along the way.

If you're not up to the 10 mile hike across the divide, there's a smaller nature trail with signs. Rockhounding and mining are popular in this area, but I'm not sure which parts are BLM lands where you can stake claims. Jessica Strong at Goldminer's RV Park in Sunsites knows quite a bit about minerals in this area.

Directions:
From Tucson, take I-10 east 72 miles to US 191. Turn right (south) and drive 12 miles to Ironwood Road. Turn right (east) on Ironwood Road.
From Douglas, take US 80 two miles to US 191. Go north approximately 45 miles to Sunsites, then turn left (west) on Ironwood Road.

Continue on Ironwood Road (which becomes Forest Road 84 at the Forest boundary) for 8 miles to Cochise Stronghold Campground.

Camping & RV:
There are some nice spots here, but water's not available. A newspaper in Sunsite mentioned something about the Forest Service pulling resources out of Cochise Stronghold and letting Cochise Stronghold go. Don't let this stop you from camping here though, it's a great location.

There are also commercial RV Parks in Sunsites just to the east. The park I stayed at didn't accept credit cards, so make sure you bring cash. There's also a nice little market on Highway 191.

These mountains surrounded by desert were created twenty seven million years ago during volcanic eruptions. The Turkey Creek Caldera eruption poured out two thousand feet of highly ash and pumice. This mixture fused into a rock called rhyolitic tuff, which is a lithified deposit of airfall volcanic ash sometimes mixing with original mudstones to form tuffites (now you know I copied this) .

Over time, with wind and rain causing erosion, some very unusual and much easier to pronounce rock formations came into being. Chiricahua is the Apache word for "standing rocks".

Now you can drive or hike through these formations. The altitude also gives this area a longer visitation season than might be found in other local attractions.

There's a nice driving tour up to the Massai Point Nature Trail, which is an easy interpretive trail, hikes of various difficulty through the canyons and through the hoodoos, and historical areas like the Faraway Ranch.

Activities:
Auto touring, bird watching, picnicking, camping, hiking, photography.

Directions:
Chiricahua National Monument is located 120 miles east of Tucson. Exit I-10 at Willcox, and follow State Route 186 36 miles to the monument.

Obtain gas in Willcox; gasoline is not available at or near the monument.

Hi. As you can see I'm back. After a 5,000 mile trip across the West, I've landed for the winter and I'm catching up with blogs and newsletters.

My apologies to those who have wondered why the articles have disappeared. Driving and photographing every day left little time for posting at night. As you know, I don't post a site unless I've been there and taken plenty of photographs.

My focus will be expanding from the Central Coast to the contiguous 48 states. I still have plenty of the Central Coast to cover, but those newsletters will be coming out less often, and the newsletters covering the other 47 1/2 states will be coming out more often, especially as these sites get into the search engines.

While I started in Los Angeles and headed north, eventually ending in New Mexico, I'll start in New Mexico and head west and north, giving you the areas that are best to travel in now as Winter covers us.

Well, I've been long winded enough.

Today we start with the El Morro National Monument in New Mexico.

With a huge rock pointing to the waterhole you see on the right, El Morro, or Inscription Rock, was a popular stopping spot for Spanish, and American travelers making their way west. Before that, Ancestral Puebloan lived at the top of the ruins.

The pond is natural run-off filled by rain water funneled down to it by the sloped cliffs above.

The trail has short and long sections. The shorter Inscription Trail is paved, 1/2 mile in length, and wheelchair accessible with assistance.It takes you by the pool and beside many of the inscriptions that are dated back to the late 1500s.

The inscriptions date back centuries, the oldest being petroglyphs from native Americans. The first lettered inscriptions date back to the 1500s as Spaniards started exploring this area. Inscriptions in English were added in the 1800s as Americans started taking possession of this area. One inscription is from P Gilmer Breckenridge - 1859, who was in charge of 25 camels used by Lt. Edward Beale in his expedition.

If you're more ambitious you can try the Mesa Top Trail. Including the Inscription Trail it's a 2 mile hike with a 250' gain in altitude. If you have the time it takes you to the top of the rock, around a box canyon, alongside Pueblo ruins, and affords some incredible views of the area.

There's a nice visitors center happy to take your money. As everywhere I traveled, I found the rangers fully knowledgeable and extremely happy to tell the story of the local area for the 10 millionth time.

Directions: 56 miles southeast of Gallup, NM via Highways 602 and 53; 42 miles southwest of Grants, NM via Highway 53. There's camping at the Monument, two RV parks nearby, and lodging between there and either Gallup or Grants.

Have fun.

In high school and college I got out of a lot of boring English classes by taking classes in film that counted as credit.

I don't remember studying the films of William S. Hart (1870-1946) , but he was a prolific actor, director, and author.

He was known for creating very realistic images, really showing the dust and sweat of life on the open range. He was actually a successful Shakespearean stage actor, but was lured to Hollywood and the new film media. He also went on to write books and poetry.

He willed his ranch to the city and that spread has grown into 265 acres, not including the open space behind the park.

The house is still furnished in early 1900 pieces, and is much as he left it. Conducted tours are available, as well as special events. There are self guided tours the Ranch House, a farm with a petting area, a picnic area, and the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society has moved in the Saugus Train Station and several other buildings.

The picnic area has many tables and a reserved area for groups. There are no team sports allowed, so you'll have to be pretty sedentary. Other than hiking.

The Disney corporation donated a small herd of bisons, which are a wonderful surprise on your hike up the hill.

Take the Lyons Exit off of I-5 in Santa Clarita. Head east to Newhall Ave.Take a right on Newhall Ave. The first drive is an exit, take one of the next driveways.

For more, see The California Tourist web site.

Hidden in the back part of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, this lighthouse isn't as well known as many along the coast.

It is publicly accessable, but you need to call ahead and get on one of the guided tours. It's about a 3 1/2 mile hike in to the lighthouse, though the guides will do there best to support special needs.

It's kind of odd. You meet near the nuclear plant gate, sign in, the guide picks up an emergency pager, and you start your hike by walking past a radiation monitor.

The hike back has gorgeous views of the the coastline and wilderness. This area is a neighbor to the very popular Montaña de Oro State Park. You can also see the Old Port Pier and the direction it was laid out when it was in everyday use.

The first push for a lighthouse started in the 1860's. In 1867, President Andrew Johnson signed an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to obtain land and start construction of the lighthouse.

Port Harford, or Avila Beach as it's no known, was a very busy port until the 1900s when a train was finally brought in. The port averaged a ship a day. In 1886 Congress finally accepted the need for a lighthouse.

Besides the lighthouse and the attached keepers residence, a duplex lived in by assistants and their families, structures include an oil house, 2 cisterns, a radiobeacon, a privy, and a workshop.

In 1992, the Port San Luis Harbor District received the 30-acre site from the Federal Government with the requirement that the station be restored and opened to the public. In 1995, the Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers non-profit corporation was formed to take on this responsibility.

First, call 805-541-8735 and schedule a tour. They'll give you a meeting place, but that will most likeley be near the gate at Diablo Canyon Rd.

From Highway 101 take Avila Beach Drive west. Go passed town out towards the pier. There are some shoulder parking areas around Diablo Canyon Road, changing security measures may affect which ones are open.

Camping is available at open areas along Avila Beach Dr, many local private parks, Oceano County RV Park, Oceano Dunes or Pismo Beach State Park.

Summary:
The lighthouse is part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. I lived in the area for a while before I started to look beyond the Bridge visitors area, but there's a lot to see here. Most of it is military, as this part of the Bay defended San Francisco. An exception to that is the lighthouse.

The Point Bonita Lighthouse was constructed in 1855 and was moved to its current location in 1877. It was the third lighthouse to be built on the West Coast following Alcatraz and Fort Point.

The lens is a second order fresnel lens. There's an attached fog signal building, though it's been replaced by air horns and is no longer operational.

In the 1960's, the Coast Guard closed the station to the public. By 1979, Point Bonita was the last manned lighthouse in California and by 1980 it was fully automated.

The station, while still maintained by the Coast Guard, was handed over to the National Parks Service as Park of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. The Parks Service re-opened the station to visitors and currently it's opened to visitors 3 days a week. They close the lighthouse tours by closing a door at the tunnels, so look ahead from the top of the trail, it could be a walk for nothing.

From San Francisco, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and take the first exit. From 101 South, take the last exit before the Golden Gate Bridge (it's marked as the last exit). Head uphill to the west, not back under the road to the bridge visitor's center. This Conzelman Road. Drive carefully - the narrow road lies along a cliff and is a haven for cyclists. There are some great opportunities to get photos of the bridge from here, but use one of the pull-outs or stop at Battery Spencer.

There's a left as you come down the hill at McCullough road, which leads around to Fort Cronkhite and the Marine Mammal Center, and one other intersection, but they're all well marked. I don't remember a sign on the way out at McCullough Rd so you may want to take a good look here.

There are good signs all along the road, just follow them to the lighthouse. When I was there it was open Saturday, Sunday, and Mondays 12:30 - 3:30. Make sure you leave time for the hike down to the lighthouse. It'll take you longer to get back then the downhill to get there. See the photo tour for a photo of the hill.

There are five tent camping areas in the Golden Gate Park, for RVs you'll need to look for state or local parks.

Fort Clinch State Park is just north of Fernandina Beach about as northeast in Florida as you can get. Located between the Amelia River and the Atlantic Ocean, fishermen have an opportunity to pull out fish like flounder, whiting, redfish, striped bass, sheepshead, and speckled trout among others.

You'll be asked if you want to staty at the River Area Campor the Beach Area Camp on the way in.

The oldest of Florida's state parks, the park is well kept and comfotable. Whether for a day or a week, you'll find plenty to do here.

Of course the largest draw is the fort. Built just before the Civil War, it's seen armies come and go, and today you'll see docents dressed in period costume running around the grounds ready to talk about the history of the fort.

Ft. Clinch was named for General Duncan Clinch. Listed on the official site as an important figure in the Seminole war. Other sources like Our Georgia History say that he helped slaveowners stem a tide of slaves escaping to the help of the Seminoles.

Construction on the fort started in 1847 and continued while Confederate forces occupied it during the Civil War and federal troops took it over after a withdrawal a year later.

The State of Florida bought 256 acres in 1935 which included the fort and the Egan Creek Marsh. This was the first purchase for state parks in what would later become a program of preservation and recreation which now includes 151 parks.

There are two family camps, a youth camp, hiking and bicycling trails, a pier, the Fort and an adjacent gift shop. About once a month their are garrison weekends when the fort is manned by uniformed soldiers. Candelight tours are offered in the summer and guided natur walks on Saturdays. See the official site for schedules.

From I–95 take the Fernandina Beach/Callahan exit east (Milepost Exit 373 - Old Exit 129). This road is A1A. This road becomes 8th Street within the town limits of Fernandina. Stay on A1 going 16 miles until you come to the intersection of 8th Street and Atlantic Avenue. Turn right on Atlantic Avenue and go about two miles, take a left at the entrance into Fort Clinch State Park. I had no problem driving this road in a 33' motorhome.

Enter the town through the impending Chinatown Gateway (600 N. Broadway) and you have no doubt where you area. The gate stands 25 feet high and features two dragons appearing to descend from the clouds while resting on four steel pillars.

Further downtown you'll find shopping areas with names like Bamboo Plaza, Saigon Plaza, Dynasty Center, and Wing Hop Fung Ginseng and China Products Center, fragrant with herbs and tea, and overflowing with chinaware, garments, arts and crafts.

Continue down Broadway and you'll come to Central Plaza, known for its distinctive "Gate of Maternal Virtues," a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic of China, and a wishing well dating to 1939.

Walk through Central Plaza, if the many shops don't stop you, take a right, and you'll come to Bamboo Plaza, where you'll see stands of bamboo growing to three stories.

I walked down to Bernard Street but missed the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (415 Bernard Street) and its neighbor, the Chinatown Heritage and Visitors Center (411 Bernard). Here you'll see exhibits which include historic photos and archeological artifacts. Call 323/222-1918 for information and Visitor Center hours.

This area is also famous for its restaurants. Cantonese barbecue, Phó noodle houses, and Chinese delicatessens. A few of the restaurants are Sam Woo BBQ Restaurant , CBS Seafood Restaurant, Hop Woo Restaurant, and the Empress Pavilion.

Chinatown is located near the intersection of Highways 101 and 110. I recommend you skip driving and take the Metro. Union Station is just a few blocks away and opens up onto the also famous Olvera Street, and there's a Metro station at the edge of Chinatown. The main streets running through the new Chinatown are Broadway Avenue, Spring Street and Hill Street.

For more see my California Tourist site.

If you can talk to oaks, then you can contemplate the meaning of life with redwoods.

This strand of old growth redwoods dates back centuries, if not millennia.

After logging had cleared most of the old growth trees in the San Francisco Bay area, Congressman William Kent and his wife, Elizabeth Thacher Kent, bought 295 acres in the Muir Woods in 1905. This was later given to the government, and with new powers resulting from the work of John Muir, in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt declared it a national monument.

Naming the park after the famous conservationist was a fitting tribute. Founder of the then less political Sierra Club, Muir spent his life protecting areas like this.

The trail through the redwoods is a short walk, but there are connecting trails that go for miles. Most people are content to come up here and take the short walk among the redwoods, leaving with a new sense of peace and contentment.

The trail is in a kind of figure 8, with the trails splitting twice over Redwood Creek. There are four small bridges, but even as short as it is few people make it to bridge four.

Parking can be difficult to find on summer weekends, I recommend either getting there before 9:00 am or taking the bus. There's a small parking lot near the entrance with a drop-off point, a larger parking lot further down, and parking along one side of the road.

There are fees for parking at the top and an entrance fee. Guides are available to buy or borrow.

There's no picnicking, fishing, or dogs allowed at Muir Woods. Wood trails protect the tree roots and make access available to wheelchairs.

There's also a small gift store and food stand, if you don't mind paying $7 for a hot dog meal.

Take the Highway 1/Stinson Beach exit off of Hwy 101 in Mill Valley. Head west and follow the signs to the woods.

See the California Tourist for more.

Mom put together a lunch, which often included a barbecue. Colorado is an area rich in natural beauty and areas to explore.

Another great location for a family picnic, a quiet place to read a book, or to wet a hook is Marina Park in Ventura, California.

Right in the middle of town, just north of the marina, this is an all around great park to pack up the SUV and take your family to for an afternoon adventure.

There are plenty of picnic tables with adjacent barbecues, there's a grassy area to run in, a children's playground, a dock, and a beach where you can wet your feet and feel like you're on a deserted island.

If that's not enough, there's even a concrete and wood boat where your kids can imagine they're off to search for gold or finding new continents.

Marina Park is easy to get to. From the 101 take the Seaward Avenue exit and turn towards the ocean. Drive across Harbor Blvd and take the next left on Pierpont Avenue.  Continue driving until you reach the end of the road.

There was plenty of parking while I was there, though I'm not sure what it's like on the weekends.

Avast ye lubber, get out there and have fun.

I've had the television on today while I've been working. Like 9/11, it's been hard to listen to the stories on New Orleans and Mississippi, but whenever I change the channels to regular programming I'm soon drawn back.

Especially emotional were Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera reports on how after five days people were still abandoned at the convention center and on I-10 over the convention center.

I stayed at St. Bernard State Park near New Orleans earlier this year. At $12 a night and a stone's throw from New Orleans and Slidell, where many of the Mardi Gras parades occured, it was a great bargain. They even had washers and dryers at the main facilities.

I really enjoyed driving around the area and sampling the restaurants. There were items in the local market that I've never seen before, but the restaurants knew how to turn them into wonderful meals.

I was mesmerized by the architecture, and had a great time walking around the French Quarter. But the drive from the park to downtown was a passage through a myriad of cultures.

Driving into New Orleans I stopped in at an auto parts store. I was obviously in an all black (I don't like African American, because the people I met were all American) neighborhood. I've seen resentment towards whites in southern neighborhoods like this before, but there was none here. No one seemed to take special notice of me, and the employees walked the whole store helping me look for a hose I needed for my RV. Then there was the parking lot employee that wouldn't let me in because he new there was plenty of free parking around the corner.

All the people I met were warm and friendly. They worked hard and hustled to make a living in these poor neighborhoods, but they never let that override their humanity. Now that they need help, I hope everyone responds and gives until it hurts. My prayers and heart are with you.

While the hurricane has shaken us, a different kind of shaking has been going on in Southern California. While we've been focusing on the southeast, a swarm of earthquakes has struck the southern edge of the Salton Sea near El Centro. By swarm, I mean over 600 earthquakes in less than a week. The biggest I've seen is a 5.1, but there are plenty of 3s and 4s. Known as the Brawley Seismic Zone, swarms are known to hit here in the middle of the San Andreas, San Jacinto , and the Imperial fault areas.

It's not in a fault, and there's no sign that activity here is a precursor to something else. Not that I haven't filled my water tank and bought some canned goods anyway.

It's hard to see the reports on earthquakes and not think of Parkfield, California. Northeast of Paso Robles on the Central Coast, a history of 6.0 earthquakes approximately every 22 years has piqued the interest of geologists and the US Geological Survey.

The area has been studied since the 1966 earthquake, and in 1985 an official project called the Parkfield Exeriment was launched. Wells were dug, instruments were planted, and scientists waited for an expected 1993 earthquake.

Well, of course, since scientists were waiting nothing happened until 2004. But strike it did and everyone was prepared. Needles wrote, instruments moved, and studies were launched.

Despite the earthquake activity, Parkfield can be a nice getaway. I don't recommend it in summer, but it's a nice, quiet, town with varying seasons, a peaceful atmosphere, and an eccentric artist that leaves his mark around town.

There's no RV camping nearer than San Miguel, but there's an inn and a restaurant in town. A local ranch offersers cattle drives ala Billy Crystal,there's boar hunting, a bluegrass festival, a rodeo, and you can walk along the stream that follows the San Andreas fault.

Just walking through town and looking at the fountains and sculptures is fun too.

There's a USGS trailer and a large bulletin board with the latest information on earthquakes. Clearly this area has gained its reputation from the fault activity, but it's a nice getaway for a peaceful weekend. Except for that 22 year thing.

For more information and photos, see my
British police crack missing gnome case

In an apparent breakthrough in a series of mysterious garden raids in Scotland, police in Britain have charged two women after discovering a huge cache of garden gnomes, the BBC reported Wednesday.

Police reportedly found least 40 gnomes, hedgehogs, rabbits and furniture in a house in Alloa, Clackmannanshire in central Scotland in what they described as an Aladdin's cave of garden ornaments. They also unearthed more than 60 plant pots and 25 solar lights, according to the BBC.

People in Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk in Central Scotland had complained that gnomes, hedgehogs and rabbits had gone missing, it said.

The Elfin Forest in Los Osos, California is a 90 acre natural area on the north east end of Los Osos/ Baywood Park.

Its plant communities include coastal brackish marsh, riparian woodland fringe, pygmy oak woodland, maritime chaparral, coastal dine scrub, and oak and manzanita complex.

The Elfin Forest supports almost 200 species of plants, as well as 110 kinds of birds and 13 species of reptiles and amphibians.

This is a nice walk on a wheelchair accessible boardwalk through a forest of pygmy oaks and other short or "Elfin" plants. It's adjacent to Morro Bay. The best time to go is during high tide. Sunsets can be a beautiful experience. There are benches along the trail where you can sit and watch the sunset or the many birds that live in the estuary.

Take the Highway 1 / Santa Rosa west exit off of Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo approximately 12 miles. Exit at the South Bay Blvd / Los Osos exit. Take a left at the bottom of the exit and head south approximately 3 miles to the stoplight on Santa Ysabel. Take a right, then exit one of the next 4 - 6 exits on your right, all which dead end at the Elfin Forest. I forget which ones have wheelchair access to the boardwalk but signs indicate the larger parking areas.

Just a short drive into the hills from Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood, California is a site that's been the backdrop for shows and movies for decades. Most famous as the Bat Cave, it's also been used in Star Trek, Bonanza , Gunsmoke , Little House on the Prairie, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and dozens of other shows and movies.

This area was originally a rock quarry where rock was crushed to build surrounding roads like Sunset Blvd. Now it's a small back corner of Griffith Park.

Besides the caves, there's a nice park with playground equipment, more trails, and Camp Hollywood, an inexpensive city camp for girls.

The Caves are the result of quarrying activity in the hills to supply road construction materials. Over the years many movies and televions shows have been filmed here and a friend in the industry says he frequently works up here.

From the front you see one entrance, but inside it splits into three which all exit into the quarry hollow. You can see a panorama here. As you exit head to the left and you can see a wonderful view of the Hollywood sign. There's a small but very slippery trail up a small hillock which gives you a fuller view of the sign.

Canyon Drive doesn't extend to Hollywood Boulevard, though it does intersect with Franklin Ave which parallels Hollywood. For fun I exited Hwy 101 at Vine, drove down to Hollywood Boulevard, took a left and drove east about 2 miles to Bronson Ave just east of another intersection with 101. Follow Bronson north to where it dead ends on Canyon Drive. Take a left driving through the gates. Just above the playground on your right there's a large dirt parking lot, or you can try your luck at the smaller parking lot just below Camp Hollywood. The road was gated just above this parking lot.

Just a couple of warnings. I saw a rattlesnake in the road, and homeless people are known to hike in the hills. Also, the gates are closed at night so make sure you're out by the closing time in the signs.

Two women who took turns steering a broken-down vehicle face drunk driving charges after their slow-moving car crashed into a parked car.

Kaylyn Kezy, 34, of Gary, was pushing the disabled car, while Melissa Fredenburg, 32, of Chesterton, steered from the passenger seat, police said. The two were moving the car into a parking lot at a nearby motel early Friday in the city about 10 miles east of Gary.

Police said both women had a blood-alcohol levels of 0.17 percent, more than twice the state's legal limit to drive.

Authorities said the women were operating the vehicle while intoxicated — even though the car's engine wasn't working.

A Kenyan says he offered Bill Clinton 40 goats and 20 cows for his daughter's hand in marriage five years ago -- and is still waiting for an answer.

Godwin Kipkemoi Chepkurgor told the East Africa Standard newspaper last week that he wrote Clinton asking for Chelsea's hand in 2000 during the then-president's visit to Kenya.

The crime spree in one southern California community has a name - Jason Wines. Officials in Thousand Oaks say the 25-year-old college dropout is responsible for about half of the city's 13 percent increase in major crimes this year.

He's pleaded guilty to eight felony counts and has been sentenced to a year in the Ventura County Jail. Sheriff's officials say Wines confirmed he was responsible for 65 thefts or burglaries.

Many of his victims were students at California Lutheran University. That's where Wines went to school before turning to a brief life of crime.

Castaic Lake is a great opportunity for city dwellers to get out of the almost never ending suburbs of Los Angeles and get out on the water.

This 8,000 acre lake has lots of places to try and disappear via hiking, bicycling, horse back, and boat. It's large enough to be split up into sections depending on whether you're looking for the slow life of floating or the fast life of water skiing.

There are boat launch areas, one with 18 lanes and the other has a 6 lane ramp. Boats are continously moving into an out of the water here.

The Lagoon area at the bottom is a little slower with beaches, a pier, and campground area.

There are 60 camp sites located in three lots, though no hook-ups are available. There is a dump station.

Castaic Lake is easy to get in to and out of. There is a entrance fee that would make stopping by daily to go fishing pretty expensive, but a day outing with the family is a great way to get away from the asphalt streets of Los Angeles.

See more at my California Tourist Site.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, West Hartford police were called to a grocery store May 29 and found Berzins lying on the floor and bleeding from her head. Berzins told police she did not know what happened.

Investigators concluded that Berzins inhaled from three cans of whipped cream containing nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, the affidavit said.

ET couldn't even do this. The nation's largest direct marketing group set up a registry Thursday to remove dead people from its telemarketing, e-mail and direct mail lists — for $1.

The Direct Marketing Association, which has more than 5,200 members in the United States and 44 other countries, said its Deceased Do-Not-Contact list was designed to help families dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Friends, relatives, and caregivers of deceased individuals are encouraged to register the information on The DMA’s Consumer Assistance Site at: http://preference.the-dma.org/cgi/ddnc.php.

Like chinese firecrackers. Two undercover policemen and a shooting suspect fired at least 103 rounds during an early morning shootout Saturday (June 4, 2005) that jolted residents of a Homewood housing complex, but resulted in no injuries.

"All I heard was 'Pow! Pow! Bing! Bing!' Then you started hearing the police," said Homewood resident Tracey Taylor, who was in bed when the shooting started. "We thought they were at war up here -- shooting out car windows. It was crazy."

Irish prisoners lose maids. Prisoners in Irish jails will no longer be permitted to hire servants or order in private supplies of food and alcohol under new draft rules published today by the justice ministry.

In the first update of Ireland's prison regulations for almost 50 years, the proposal would also rule out punishments, which are now considered inhumane, such as a restricted diet or corporal punishment.

Morro Bay State Park is re-opened, mostly. I walked through the campground lately to have a look at the new design. I didn't really notice a lot of difference other than the entrance and some of the restrooms.

This is a very popular campground in the summer. Right on the waters of Morro Bay (well, across a small road and through the marina), with lots to do, and easy access to Morro Bay and the coast, it's well situated for anything you might want to do.

The camp itself is a parking lot style, with campers elbow-to-elbow. Since only a few of the sites have electricity I was greeted by the sounds of generators from a couple of units.

But get away from the campground and there's lots to do. There's a marina across the street where you can launch or rent a kayak or canoe. Near the rental shack is one of the most popular restaurants in Morro Bay.

Just up the hill from the marina is the Natural History museum. This is a great museum for children with lots of interactive displays.

A great 18 hole golf-course is up the hill from the camp. You'll get a good work-out from walking up and down the hills of the course, but the great weather here means the grass stays green and in excellent condition.

There are nature hikes up Black Hill. The road to the trail head cuts through the golf course, or you can hike all the way up from State Park Road. There are more hikes on the other side of South Bay Blvd. too.

A trolley runs into Morro Bay, where you can shop, eat, antique, or just wander the shops along the Embacadero.

Weather wise summer is unpredictable and can be chilly or failry warm, so be prepared for either. As hot weather in the Central Valley pushes up the air, fog is sucked in off the coast and can spread all the way into San Luis Obispo. The Autumn when off-shore winds blow can be the best time to visit, with warm temperatures for the beach and crystal clear air.

Morro Bay State Park is in the crook where Highway 1 turns from westerly to northerly. Take the Highway 1/ Santa Rosa exit in Morro Bay and head west approximately 18 miles. Take the South Bay / Los Osos exit. Turn left at the bottom and take the second right onto State Park Rd.

See more at California Tourist.

I've heard that if you've seen War of the Worlds, you probably have a good idea of what Lake Piru looks like. This recreation area off of Highway 126 between Santa Clarita and Ventura is a popular area for movie productions. In fact the day I drove up there were cast and crew parking areas along the road.

Like Piru was formed by the Santa Felicia Dam constructed by the United Water Conservation District in 1955.

The lake is a short drive up from Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Head north on Interstate 5, take a left (right exit, left at top of ramp) on Highway 126 West just north of Magic Mountain.

You'll pass through the small town of Piru on the way. There's a nice park here and a steel bridge. There's also a citrus processing facility, which is an important industry in this area. You'll see oranges up and down the highway which ever way you come.

The road to the lake is pretty easy to drive and heads to the top of the dam. There are three camping areas, but only two were open when I was there in June. Called Blue Point, it's been temporarily closed due to requirements of the Endangered Species Act.

The two opens camp areas are just past the entrance and at the same intersection as the main marina.

Left goes to the large Olive Grove Campground, right down Oak Lane. Oak Lane drops down and is a nice quiet area, but there were some disturbing survivalist looking types down at the bottom.

Full hook-ups were $36 a day when I was there, making this a premium camping area. The Olive Grove camping area is packed wall-to-wall, dusty, and there are almost no views of the lake.

The lake has a full marina with a bait shop and a variety of rentals. Or launch your own boat here. There's also a full snack bar called the Condor Point Café that serves all meals. It was still closed on weekdays when I was there in June, so plan on taking your own. Fillmore is probably the closed full grocery store.

The lake allows water skiing, but personal watercraft are forbidden.

Further on the road there's a nice swim area, and another marina at the end of the road. I parked here and walked back quite a ways, never reaching the final campground.

Watch for rattlesnakes while out in the hills. The snake I met was polite and simply gave me a couple of rattles on his way out, but who knows what your luck may be.

The lake is good sized with some nice coves where you can get away and find some quiet water. Or beach and enjoy a nice picnic.

Lake Piru is a great area for families that want to find a getaway where the kids can have fun and you can get a hook wet. If you're looking for a quiet weekend getaway, I'd probably recommend finding somewhere else to go.

A lot of people go to Las Vegas. Winter, summer, hot, and cold. But fewer head out to see an engineering marvel, Hoover Dam.

Just down the Boulder Highway from Las Vegas, Lake Mead and the dam hold marvels and mysteries. Looking from the top of the dam down to the bottom is an amazing view and a true icon of man's engineering ability. While the lack of seasonal floods along the Colorado river has become a controversial issue in the last few years, there's no doubt about the benefits of electricity generated here. Lake Mead is also a destination for everyone one from avid fishermen to party animals out on the famous houseboats.

There are campgrounds all around Lake Mead, with an entrance just before the dam. If you're lucky you can turn off before the traffic starts slowing going across the dam.

For those brave enough to wait through the traffic line, there's a new parking facility and visitors center at the dam. I recommend not taking a motorhome or trailer through here. Security searches many of the cars and RVs going across the dam, which can really slow access to this area. But once you're there you'll find plenty of parking and an easy walk down into the visitors center.

Sign up for the tour and you'll get to see historic displays and a view of one of the tunnels and generator rooms at the bottom of the dam. They don't allow visitors to go outside anymore, which seems silly considering the metal detectors you go through to get in and the thickness of the concrete at the bottom. I don't think a small tactical nuke could do any damage.

The area around the dam is pretty barren. But get on a boat and there are almost limitless nooks and crannies around Lake Mead. There's an active marina where you can launch or just rent a boat for a while. Groups may even want to rent one of the houseboats to get away in luxury for a while.

There's even a casino (surpise) near the lake. The casino also seems to be a scale for truckers, so look out for heavy traffic and a surpise signal light as you round the corner.

I've been exploring the area north of Los Angeles lately. Highway 126 is a large open area just over the hill topped with Anti-Balllistic Missiles from Los Angeles.

One of the fun places to explore is the Fillmore Fish Hatchery. Open 365 days a year to self-guided tours, you can walk the rows of tanks with a birds-eye view of growing trout. No, you can't bring a net, but for a quarter you can get a hand-full of approved food. The food has a high fat content and is specially designed for the fish, so please don't bring your own. To see more photos see my sister site at the California Tourist.

Throw the food in the tanks and you'll soon see a froth of foam from fish chasing the pellets. Save some of the food for the downstream end of the tanks. Just outside the mesh you'll see a variety of birds waiting for pellets to flow downstream or eating the fish that wait for swim just outside. I saw ducks, egrets, and herons while I was there.

The hatchery is off Fish Hatchery Rd. on the south side of Highway 126 2 miles east of Fillmore and 18 miles west of Interstate 5.

A new California earthquake has just been reported in the Truckee area of northeast California. A 4.8, normally just a conversation starter. Reporters are speculating on whether or not this just California's famous Pacific plate letting off steam. The bad news is that most geologists say a sever quake is so much stronger these smaller quakes really don't make much difference.

My first earthquake in the RV resulted in some general bouncing around, but seemed to take it well. I did think about putting down the jacks so I'd be sitting on the springs, but it didn't seem serious enough. I'd like to hear any more stories about riding the shock wave in your RV.

See the USGS recent quake map for more.

Camp Recipe - Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• 1-2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/4 cup catsup
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Brown hamburger in a skillet. Drain grease and return to skillet with the remaining ingredients. Watch the fire is you're cooking over an open flame. Cook and stir until onions turn translucent. Serve on toasted buns.

Servings: 6-8
Preparation time: 30 minutes

After years of being derided by the FTC for their health claims that Vitamin D helps prevent cancer, it looks like those infomercial guys were correct. Some sun exposure is important to help prevent cancer.

In all things, it's about moderation. Two recent studies indicate that there are health benefits for various forms of cancer and even PMS in getting some sun. But be careful how much you get.

Supplements are also available as a source. Make sure you get both calcium and vitamin D.

While my Central Coast Tourist and California Tourist sites cover a lot of camping areas and parks, there are still a lot more in California. Here are two articles that talk about a few favorites.

Photos copyright 2005 Don Pickerel