TravelinFrank

A dear friend just sent me a description of this area and an invitation to visit. It sounds absolutely beautiful. I am looking forward to the trip hopefully this fall …

Due to a mix up in flight schedules (my fault) we didn’t arrive in Los Angeles until mid afternoon, and Venice Beach until quite late. Too late to get in any BBall, unfortunately.

We did dip our toes in the ocean (cold), did a few chin ups and rope climbs (well, the boys did) at Muscle Beach, strolled down the walkway checking out the vendors, and listened to musical artists hawking their CD’s. Original approach to selling music, entertaining and fun. One gentleman on roller skates had an amp strapped to his body and played a pretty mean guitar. Sounded a bit like Buddy Guy.

I’ve adopted Arroyo Grande.

Cheers
TravelinFrank

Thank you to the Mayor of Rockford, the Visitors and Convention Bureau, and all the wonderful volunteers that made the America in Bloom 2007 Symposium and Awards Conference such a great experience for us. We felt very welcome, and could feel the pride people have in Rockford.

We not only enjoyed the convention, but also our time at the Coronado Theatre, lunch at the Paragon, and Vanilla Beer at the Carlyle Brew Pub!

See you again soon.

Cheers
TravelinFrank

Rob picked us up from the hotel in Redlands in his trusty Suburban and towing a trailer. After the obligatory stop for donuts – it’s tradition – we were on our way to El Mirage Dry Lake for our first taste of “Trike” Flying.

As we arrived at the site, the sun rose over the Shadow Mountains. A motorized paraglider and another “Trike” were already up taking advantage of the still calm air of the early morning.

After pulling the aircraft out of the trailer, assembling the hang glider wing and mounting it to the frame (literally one engine, two seats and three wheels), and donning our helmets, we were ready to go. Pressure on the throttle, a quick build up to take off speed (about 40 miles an hour), and we were airborne.

We did several circuits of El Mirage – a triangular shaped flat surface about a mile wide at its base and five miles long – at various heights from about 1,000 above ground, to spinning the wheels along the ground. Then we “chased rabbits” around the edge of the lake where small clumps of vegetation formed random obstacles to dodge in and out and over. Awesome, is the only word I can use to decribe the fun of this kind of flying. Better than a motorcycle. Better than a snowmoblie. Better than a seadoo. Imagine a video game where the spaceship dodges asteroids. Like that, only real, with wind in your face!

We climbed out to about 7,000 feet altitude, surrounded by arid land. We could see Edwards Airforce Base in the distance. Rob cut the engine and we glided, noiselessly, for ten minutes back down to a gentle landing.

Both Ben and I had a chance to fly and now we’re both hooked.

During the few hours we were at El Mirage, we saw other Trikes and motorized paragliders, an unmanned Predator doing tests, radio controlled model aircraft, and even a small private aircraft enjoying the flying conditions.

Thanks Rob, for the introduction to this incredible sport, and beautiful location.

Your suggestions once again helped us plan another wonderful trip, this time to San Francisco. The only problem was we had SO many good recommendations to choose from, we could only pick those that flowed with where we were at that moment and could fit the time we had available.

Of your suggestions, here’s what we were able to do and enjoy:

- Arrived early afternoon at airport and rented the car (we had to have a car to drive to a meeting in Monterey the following day or else the transit system would have been an excellent choice)
- visited Fisherman’s Wharf
- amused by the seals and the people watching them
- excellent lunch at one of the restaurants where we thoroughly enjoyed the sweet and sour calamari and the Anchor Steam beer
- drove to Point Lobos. Even though it was foggy and cool, we had to have the convertable open
- drove down coast to Monterey area

- spent the night in Salinas, and the next day in Monterey and Carmel (the entire time was in fog and drizzle)

- Drove from Monterey to Napa for a day of wine tasting at several wineries
- after an enjoyable day of sunshine, high 80 degree temperatures and several glasses of wine, we hit the fog bank (not wine related) just north of the Golden Gate bridge
- crossing the bridge was etherial, with clouds obscurring the view beyond the railings, and anything above the arching cables which disappeared into the mist
- stayed at the Miyako hotel, a nice mid range hotel in Japantown
- visited Filmore Street area north of Geary Street that night and window-shopped the funky little stores
- found an outstanding liquor store selling more varieties of single-malt scotches than I’ve ever seen in one place

- the next morning, following a hearty breakfast we walked along Post street to Market Street, where we caught a cable car one stop north of the turn around (rather than lining up at the end with all the other tourists)
- took the cable car to the Hydde Street end. My wife and our friends had so much fun riding it, we took another one back to Market street, this time hanging off the outside rather than being wedged inside
- following a fortifying coffee and walk around Union Square (and a VERY brief peak into the Louis Vitton Store to satisfy our curiosities, and frighten our wallets), we again rode the cable cars as far as Lombard Street
- walked up Lombard right to the top, admiring the buildings, and the flowers that lined the “World’s Crookedest Street”
- walked back down Hyde Street to Ghiradelli Square to satiate a passion for Chocolate
- Tasted a few beers at an outdoor pub in Del Monte Square, and listened to a couple of sets of some fine jazz sax
- hopped one of the historic street-cars that run along the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building (Anyone from Toronto paying attention? Refurbishing old street cars is an excellent way to showcase heritage in a tourist-friendly way)
- We loved the Ferry Building Market! Congratulations to all the vendors for the intriguing visitors’ experience they create
- had a lunch of artisan cheeses complimented by flights of wine to taste
- strolled through the Embarcadero Plaza starting area for the San Francisco marathon to be held the following day
- marvelled at the City’s architecture
- rode a bus along market to the Haight area, while chatting to a few fellow passengers who gave us an interesting history of the City Hall building and San Francisco’s connection to the UN. Thanks to them – and to the bus driver – your friendliness was a high point of our trip
- walked through Haight and down to 18th street
- On the recommendation from a shop owner in Carmel, we made restervations at Delfinas
- It turned out to be a marvelous restaurant serving up an inventive Italian fare. All four of us left raving about our delicious meals.
- Took a cab ride from Delfinas to Buena Vista for an Irish Coffee. The driver made Steve McQueen’s Bullet ride look tame. I still have imprints where our friend Jill dug her nails into my thighs everytime the cab crested a hill at speed
- Irish coffees were excellent that night!
- Took a cab ride back to the hotel

Left the following morning promising ourselves we’d come back. Still have dozens of 43place suggestions left to discover.

Was it cold in July? To all of you who warned us to bring appropriate clothng, you were right. However the fog did lift about 10:00 am on the day we were there, and the weather for the rest of it was perfect.

Was it the “Greatest City in the World” as ToddieM claims? Not having seen them all, I don’t know, but it certainly is one of the “Great Ones”.

There’s no doubt, Eureka Springs is one of the more interesting places my wife and I have visited in recent years.

Located in a valley in the Ozark Mountains, the topography isn’t really mountainous, but rugged enough to force the town’s streets and uneven walkways to rise and fall, twist and turn. Exposed limestone outcrops and ridges define streets and neighborhoods. A multitude of springs throughout the area are set in beautiful little parks among trees.

The restored and well-kept buildings are in a 1900’s style found in other southern cities, but many have Victorian era and distinctly European overtones. A number of buildings are architecturally and historically significant.

Do not miss Thorncrown Chapel, set amidst a forest, all timbers and glass. It is located just a few minutes outside of town and in contrast to other places of spirituality I have experienced, this was moving and inspiring by its powerful simplicity.

The residents were wonderful, if perhaps a little too laid-back at times. We found a diverse population including a thriving arts community, lending a special quality to many of the shops and galleries. Kudos – and thanks – to the talented local musician Opal Fly and her band the Swatters, who played the conference we attended. We loved the distinctive blend of jazz, blues and bluegrass.

To Michelle, proprieter of a local business: we loved the opportunity to rent Victorian costumes. You were right, there “was magic in the clothes” as we were transformed into “Life in the Past Lane”.

The restaurants we ate at were excellent, notably Ermillio’s and DeVito’s, two very different but both serving delicious Italian fare. The choice of cuisine in town ranges from fine-dining to tasty bar-be-que, found at Bubba’s and Fat Guido’s where “walk-in, waddle-out” was an apt slogan.

Eureka Springs is definitely on our list of “experience again” places.

Cheers
TravelinFrank

After two days of driving (in a hurried meander) through upper New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, we crossed the Mississippi into Missourri and finally into the Delta region of Arkansas.

For us Canadians, it was the first ever view of cotton fields. Miles of cotton fields. A brief literary tour around Jonesboro brought us to Big Oak the site of the novelist John Grishams’ “Painted House”. Then to Lepanto, to the actual house where the Hallmark movie adaption was set.

The drive across northern Arkansas brought us to the Ozark Folk Art Museum, an interesting facility near Mountain Home that gave us a nice cross section of the arts, music and culture of the region.

Further west the Ozark “Mountains” are actually a massive raised plateau where erosion has created valleys giving the effect of mountains. It’s a beautiful landscape worth exploring with an intersting mix of villages, trees, plants, fields, streams and exposed limestone rocks.

We stayed in Eureka Springs (see entry) and enjoyed the time so much, added an extra day before returning home.

Without a doubt, the Experimental Aircraft Associations’s AirVenture is the greatest place to experience general aviation, on the ground and in the air. From lovingly restored and maintained warbirds, classic aircraft, homebuilts, ultralights, helicopters and commercial built planes, to amazing aerobatic demonstrations, workshops, fascinating presentations and the fabulous EAA Museum, Airventure has it all for the aircraft enthusiast. This annual week-long event at the end of July, is a must see if you have any interest in flying or aircraft.

My son and I just returned from two fantastic days at “Oshkosh”, where we walked for miles looking at hundreds of planes, and experiencing everything we could pack in.

Maybe you saw us. Two smiling, non-tanned Canadians wearing shorts, in a convertible (with the top down and the heat up – despite the threatening rain) exploring roads between San Diego and San Fransisco, during the second week of April 2006.

Unlike previous road trip adventures – when we were totally on our own with just a map and a bit of research to guide us – this is the first time we had the help of dozens of recommendations from 43places. It added a whole new dimesion to the vacation because it increased our anticipation beforehand and enhanced our enjoyment during. It felt as if we were reliving our friends’ travel experiences.

We had several CDs of fantastic “California road-trip” music compiled from your suggestions! About one third of the tracks were new to us. What a fun musical ride! Thanks!

We would never have thought of trying fish tacos – probably would have just stayed with the traditional beef or chicken – but several of you suggested them so we did. We’re hooked!

We would never have found what’s become one of our “Top 10” favourite restaurants, if it wasn’t for a recommendation for “Authentic mexican cuisine … in a romantic setting”. If you’re in San Diego, “Candelas” in the Gaslight district, is an exceptional dining experience.

The California coast is pretty long. Without your recommendations, we might not have discovered the beautiful beach in Coronado, or stayed in Santa Barbara. (One secluded beach we did encounter on our own was near Cambria, a lovely spot to picnic and beachcomb).

Napa Valley has so many wineries to choose from. Your suggestions were very helpful in planning a route on the map. Again, without your suggestions, we probably would have driven right past V. Sattui, and missed the fun of tasting there. And missed their deli where we bought the best, without a doubt, Triple Cream Cheese I have ever eaten.

So thanks again to all of you who really helped make our trip so much fun. And to all of the wonderful Californians we met on our trip … hope to see you again when we come back to explore your great State some more.

Cheers