Caverns and cats

On my last full day of road tripping, I only had two places to see, but they were good ones! I left Medford, OR early so I could get to Oregon Caves National Monument in time for their first tour of the day. Registration for cave tours opened at 9:30 am, and I was there before then. I was also the only one there. I was asked if I could wait till 10:30 to allow time for other folks to arrive. But, an hour later...no one! So...I got my own personal tour of the caverns! That's the second time it's happened on my road trip...the first was at Black Chasm Caverns in California. To make things a bit special for me, the Park Service guide actually gave me my own flashlight to use. She wasn't supposed to do that...I hope mentioning it doesn't get her in hot water!

As we entered the caverns, I was shown a few Little Brown bats roosting on the wall. I see those same kind of bats at home...I had one on the wall of my house once! For the next hour and a half, we walked through the caves. At one point, I asked the guide if she had seen the movie, The Descent...and, she said she had! It's about a group of women who explore a cave...and become trapped inside and terrorized by its subterranean occupants. If you like to explore caves and enjoy watching horror films, you'll love this one! It was so cool to be the only one down there...well, almost. About halfway into the tour, we encountered a researcher trying to reconstruct pieces of rock that were damaged long ago by people walking on it. Again, since it was only me, she actually showed me what she was working on...what a treat! Oh, and she has seen The Descent, too! The tour ended all too soon, but I'll never forget the experience!

After a quick picnic lunch, I visited Great Cats World Park. By now, it was raining lightly, but that wouldn't dampen my enthusiasm. This unique facility is devoted to educating the public about the great cats of the world...and we're not talking about domestic cats! Most wild cat species are endangered or threatened, and Great Cats World Park tries to educate the public on their plight. In addition, they have a successful breeding program, and also offer the use of their well-trained cats to the entertainment industry and the media.

For about 2 hours, the guide gave us an up close and personal tour of their cats: white tiger, cougar, Amur leopard, black leopard, snow leopard, Bengal tiger, jaguar, African lion, serval, ocelot and a trio of African wildcats. While the guide was doing her talk, she fed the cats pieces of meat...they seemed to know the routine! We were allowed to stand 4-5 feet away from the enclosure fences, which is the closest I've ever been to such cats! I mean, this was really close! And, the cats were SO BEAUTIFUL! I was especially impressed with the snow leopard...what a huge tail it had! I've seen snow leopards in zoos, but never up close. Toward the end of the tour, we got to pet a baby black leopard. Not quite the same as my experience at West Coast Game Park (see my Fair weather and furry faces blog), but still great!

I spent a longer time at the cat park than expected...that was certainly okay...but, I now had a long drive north to my nightly pit stop. It took me about 4 hours, the second half in the darkness and rain...and getting caught in a post-game football traffic jam. I was pretty tired when I arrived at my hotel. Well, tomorrow is the home stretch! Just one zoo...which I might skip if it rains too much. It might be just as well...I can't wait to get to home sweet home!

Little bit of this, little bit of that

I had another relaxing day of sightseeing today. Before I got things started, I went to the local Safeway in Redding to buy a few things for lunch. At the checkout stand, the lady at the register happened to see my Washington State driver's license, and commented that she used to live there. Born and raised in Ellensburg...I knew where that was because my parents live just south of that town! Small world!

It was already a beautiful sunny day as I arrived at Redding's Turtle Bay Exploration Park. This preserve is devoted to educating the public of the natural environment, culture and history of the Sacramento Valley area. I went to the museum first, which had a cool exhibit on costumes used in movies and television. Stuff like Indiana Jones' hat, jacket and bullwhip, and Darth Vader's outfit. The Paul Bunyan Forest Camp outside the museum is geared for children, but it was deserted when I walked through it. I was mostly interested in checking out the animals they had on display. As I walked up to the gray fox enclosure, I saw a little head pop up to see who was coming. Immediately, the fox jumped up on a tree branch to have a better look at me, which allowed me to have a better look at the fox. Inali was confiscated by people who were keeping her illegally. Because she could not be returned to the wild, she was now staying at Turtle Bay. Such a beautiful animal, but so sad she can't be free.

A prominent feature of the exploration park is McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, which I accessed by crossing over the amazing work of art, The Sundial Bridge (see photo above). These gardens include plants of Mediterranean climate zones from around the world. I'm not really big on gardens and plants, but I do appreciate the rare and unusual. I also decided that it would be good exercise to walk the paths of the gardens. In particular, I enjoyed looking at the monkey puzzle tree. I had heard of these trees, but never saw such nice specimens! Because it was so late in the year, many plants were not at their peak. Still, it was nice to take a stroll.

The only other destination of the day was a short drive out of town to Shasta State Historic Park. This park is devoted to the history of Shasta City, as told by interpretive signs with old buildings outside, and displays inside the town's original Shasta County Courthouse. The courthouse actually had a reproduced gallows out back, and jail cells downstairs. As I walked around the jail area, I noticed a smell that I've detected at so many old buildings. Kind of a damp, musty odor...not unpleasant, but a unique earthiness. I guess you can say it's an "old" smell, which lends a certain authenticity!

Before I left Redding, I decided to eat my lunch in my vehicle, parked in the quiet corner of a shopping center parking lot. I scanned the radio dial, searching for a good station. I was thinking there wasn't one until I finally found a soft rock station. Right at that very moment, they played Five For Fighting's Slice! Ahh...I was enjoying my lunch a whole lot more!

For those who served...

I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing day. I planned to visit a medical museum in Sacramento first thing this morning. But, it being Veteran's Day, that museum was closed. Not wanting to waste precious time doing nothing until the other places on my list opened, I looked for an alternative. I did a Google search and found the Aerospace Museum of California was open at 9:00 am...perfect! Also, I was thrilled to see that they had a special Star Trek exhibit there, and...it was a fitting place to visit on Veteran's Day. When I got to the air museum, I made a beeline for Star Trek - The Exhibition. This special exhibit is supposedly the best display of Star Trek props and information ever offered to the public. I've been a big Star Trek fan from the classic series to the movies, so this really appealed to me. And, I wasn't disappointed...it rocked!

Afterward, I went outside to look at the display of military aircraft. It turned out the first plane I saw is one of my personal favorites...the A-10 Warthog or Thunderbolt II. As I approached the plane, the docent there asked me if I was connected to the A-10 in some way. I said "No, unless you want to count computer games!" I love to fly old World War II fighter aircraft in a computer setting. As for modern planes, the only one is the A-10...I have three games devoted to it! I got to talking to the veteran pilot about the plane. The A-10 is well-known for it's durability and toughness in battle. There have been many stories of pilots getting shot up but still returning home...because they were flying A-10s. He even described a fellow female pilot who experienced that herself while on a mission in the Middle East. Another attribute of the Warthog...it's slow for a jet fighter. For that reason, it might draw more ground fire, but it makes it perfect as a tank killer. The pilot said when he used to fly Red Flag war games, he and the other A-10s would leave for the rendezvous point, while the pilots in the faster jets like F-16s would hang around the base eating cheeseburgers...they had time to catch up to the slower A-10s!

Before I left to check out the other planes, I shook the pilot's hand and thanked him for his service. He seemed surprised, and noted that not many people said that to him. He was very appreciative and thanked me! I walked around and took photos of the military aircraft on the tarmac, then returned to the main building to see the displays inside. Sitting outside the doorway were three more docents...all military veterans. Before going inside, I shook all of their hands and thanked them for their service. One of the men then asked if he should thank me, too. At first, I was a bit confused...until I realized he meant the Five For Fighting hoodie I was wearing! Being of a different generation...or, maybe not a hockey fan...he had no idea what it meant! I explained that Five For Fighting was a musician...who also happened to be a big supporter of the troops. They liked that!

After a quick lunch, I drove to downtown Sacramento to see Sutter's Fort State Historic Park. This historic site is devoted to the story of John Sutter and his failed attempt...because of the gold rush...to build his own farming and trade community. To add to the realism, visitors see volunteers dressed in period clothing re-enacting life at Sutter's Fort. In addition to the fort, the park also includes the State Indian Museum. There, I enjoyed displays of the different aspects of California native American life.

Tomorrow, I've scheduled another easy day. I only drove about 2 1/2 hours today and it will be the same tomorrow. Slow road home is SO much less tiring! Only three more days of road tripping...

Folsom prison views

When I woke up this morning, my injured finger felt a bit better. At least it doesn't hurt unless I apply pressure. Even typing is no problem...if I don't press on the key too hard! Needless to say, I'm VERY careful opening my Blazer's rear window now!

I was planning to visit two caverns today, but when I got to the first one... Black Chasm Cavern National Natural Landmark...I was told by the guy working there that the other one... Sutter Gold Mine...was closed today. Oh, well...I just go to another museum instead then! I arrived at Black Chasm well before the start of the first tour at 10:00 am. But, when that time rolled around...no one else had shown up! So...I got a private tour of the caves! Cool! This particular caverns is most famous for their extensive display of rare helictite crystals...the main reason it was awarded National Nature Landmark status by the National Park Service. And, those crystals ARE impressive!

As many past mornings on my road trip, I skipped breakfast so I was good and hungry after the cave tour. I was on my way to two museums in Folsom when I passed through the town of Placerville...and spotted an In N Out Burger! I had been planning to just eat the other half of my Subway sandwich, but I forgot all about that. Instead, I was envisioning a double double! I made a quick decision and...well, you know what I did! I beat the lunch crowd by just 5 minutes. As I was walking to my Blazer with my takeout burger, the vehicles started streaming into the parking lot! It was pretty amazing. And, yes...that double double tasted damn good!

I immediately felt a bit apprehensive as I turned into Prison Road in Folsom. There were signs along the sides of the road saying "No stopping or parking." My destination was the Folsom Prison Museum, but this attraction was located adjacent to Folsom State Prison. The prison is infamous for Johnny Cash's two performances there in 1966 and 1968. This was dramatized in the Joaquin Phoenix film, Walk The Line. I parked in the same lot that prison visitors use, which felt a bit weird. Actually, this is not the first time I've been near prisons. When I had a temporary job with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers back in the early 80s, at least a couple of times I went to the main office and drove past Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. Then, while working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in New Jersey, I occasionally passed by East Jersey State Prison...originally known as Rahway State Prison. Most prisons look the same...high walls and guard towers. The prison museum was extremely interesting. There were exhibits with prison memorabilia, including weapons and contraband constructed and confiscated from prisoners. The nice lady working there took a photo of me standing in front of the prison's East Gate. I prefer staying outside, thank you very much!

Next, I drove a short distance to the Folsom History Museum. I got a lot of information on local history from this museum. Since I didn't have a second cave visit today, I added the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento to my itinerary. I'm not the biggest fan of trains, but I was pleasantly surprised on how well done the exhibits were at this museum. The history of the big railroad companies in the West, railroad construction, and descriptions on railroad life. I spent a good 1 1/2 hours absorbing it all. Oh, and the trains were pretty nice, too.

Tomorrow, more museums and a historical park...did I ever say I love museums? Four more days till my journey ends...

Frozen in time

My day started on a painful note. I was loading my belongings into my Blazer when the rear window slammed down on my finger. A combination of overnight freezing temps and me not pushing window all the way up caused the accident. The end of my middle finger got smashed, and I was fortunate to just pull my hand out of the way at the last second, averting probably worse injury. At first, it didn't seem so bad. Yeah, my finger was numb and hurt like hell..I was hoping it was just a minor thing. But, as the day progressed, I noticed the finger starting to show bruising. And, by the time I stopped at my hotel for the night, my finger was swollen and purplish. I can't apply pressure without severe pain...otherwise, I'm managing. And, I'm doing what I hadn't done all day...icing the finger. It will probably keep it from bruising further, but it will take a while to feel normal. I'm just praying it's not something more serious. I guess time will tell.

My sightseeing for the day consisted of a historic park, a cave tour and a county museum. After spending the night in a quaint older hotel in Jamestown, I made the short drive to Columbia State Historic Park in Columbia. Many of the historic sites and museums in the region are related to the gold rush, and this place was a good example. Next, I drove up the road to Mercer Caverns...the first of several caves tours I planned for my road trip. This was only the 3rd time I had ever visited caves in this country...the other two were Jewel Caves in South Dakota and Shenandoah Caverns in Virginia. Mercer Caverns are what are known as limestone caves. It was a fun tour...especially when the guide turned the lights out. I think they do that on all cave tours. Scary!

I was hoping to see a museum in the historic town of Angels Camp, but it was unexpectedly closed...oh, well. So, I went on to my final destination of the day... Calaveras County Museum in San Andreas. Does the name Calaveras County sound familiar to you? Do you recall the Mark Twain story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County? Yep, THAT Calaveras County! The short story supposedly made Twain famous, and the rest, of course, is history! Anyway, this particular museum proved to be very interesting and well done. It wasn't real big, but I spent a good hour going through all the exhibits. The photo above is a room in the Hall Of Records...looks just the way it did way back when!

Tomorrow, I have two more cave tours planned, and well as two museums if time permits. I hope the swelling in my finger goes down...

Ancient sentinels

When I woke up this morning, the sun was shining through the clouds and the skies were blue. I knew it was going to be a beautiful day! After a quick visit to the grocery store for bananas and carrots for lunch, I left Oakhurst for the short drive to Yosemite National Park. At the entrance station, I showed the interagency pass I purchased on my last road trip....still good till April...then, headed over to Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. The only big trees I've ever seen are redwoods, and I was excited to see my first sequoias.

It had rained yesterday and overnight in Oakhurst, but at the higher elevations in Yosemite, it was snow that fell on the ground. It was still chilly as I started on the trail to see the sequoias...35 degrees! But, I quickly warmed up as I hiked along. At first, the trail gradually inclined. As I kept walking, though, the trails became steeper and steeper. To make it even more challenging, snow was on the ground and the trails...tougher to walk on that stuff. When I first started out, there were some people on the trail, too. I soon left them behind, and I found myself on the trail alone. Now, I admit I'm not in tip top shape, but I think most people would have gotten quite a workout on these trails! I occasionally stopped to take photos and admire the view, which gave me a breather. It was also interesting to see the different animals tracks in the new snow...deer, squirrel, chipmunk. Thankfully, no bear or cougar! As time went on, I began to question the wisdom of me hiking to the top. But, I told myself if I do it, I never have to do it again...so, I kept going. Three strenuous miles later, I made it! Then, I quickly took a different trail back down...SO much easier than going up! When I finally reached the parking lot, I was exhausted and famished. It took me THREE HOURS to do those six miles! After fueling up on Subway, carrots and chips, I was ready to see the main attractions.

Yosemite Valley is home to some of the most beautiful and well known natural attractions in the world. Right after driving through a eastbound tunnel...there they were! At an overlook, were the famous El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridal Veil Falls. The photo above is what I saw. It was truly breathtaking! From there, I stopped along the road often to take pictures. You can't get enough great shots of the sights! Even better, since it was so late in the year, there were not too many people in the park. My only regret is not having enough time to do hike some more trails, although at that point, I think I was all hiked out for the day! After getting photos of Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls, I was ready to leave. As I walked back to the Blazer, I noticed some people taking pics of some grazing deer. I opted to take a pass...after all, I see deer all the time in my neighborhood and backyard!

Tomorrow, a less strenuous day! A historic park, a cavern tour and a couple of local museums...less driving, too! I could use an easy day. Road tripping starts to catch up to you after awhile...particularly if you do it alone!

Were there lizards back then?

I had a terrible stay at my Glendale hotel. First of all, when you enter the lobby and you're greeted by a guy behind a inpenetrable glass wall, you don't feel that welcome! I knew something wasn't quite right when the supposed non-smoking room had it's door wide open...as did several other rooms on the floor! Airing it out...for what? The room itself smelled musty and not all that clean. I soon discovered this was one of many problems. There was NO facial tissue, NO clock radio, NO soap holder in the shower and rough towels! To make matters worse, when I got back from the Five For Fighting show, I passed a couple of people smoking on the walkway, two doors down from mine. I entered my room to find...it smelled like smoke! I think the smoke seeped under the door and through the 1/4 inch gap around the wall-mounted air conditioner! Needless to say, when I do my AAA review of this hotel, I will not be complimentary!

My first item on the agenda today was a visit to Fort Tejon State Historic Park in Lebec, CA. Stationed at this fort from 1854 to 1864 was the 1st U.S. Dragoons. The unit was most famous for their failed experiment of using camels in the U.S. Army. This park has original and restored buildings from that time. But, what interested me the most? Lizards! Small lizards were crawling all over the sunny side wall of the Barracks building. I hadn't seen wild lizards since I was growing up in southern California. All the kids had pets that they caught from the wild...snakes, tortoises...and lizards, too! I spent a good amount of time following the little critters...took a few pics, too, as you can see. So cute! I wished I could catch a couple for pets, but I just left them alone. Hmm...I wonder if those same lizards were crawling around Fort Tejon way back when?

The other fun thing for the day was going to the California Living Museum in Bakersfield. This zoo has animals and plants native to the surrounding area. The place was pretty small, but I managed to find something of great interest...rattlesnakes! Yes, many zoos have rattlesnakes, but it's not often you can actually SEE them really up close! I snapped some nice shots of the reptiles through the glass.

In general, the weather today was pretty nice. That all changed when I reached Fresno...rain! And, it rained all the way to my pit stop for the night. It might still be showering tomorrow morning, but it's supposed to clear up and be sunny the rest of the day. Crossing my fingers that will be the case as I'm going to visit Yosemite National Park!

Super moment...Superman

My last show of the current Five For Fighting tour was certainly a special one...have I been saying that for every show? I attended with friends Lynne and Dave, who were with me at the Redondo Beach concert. Unlike last night, dinner was actually pretty decent at the Canyon Club, although it's pretty hard to mess up prime rib! The crowd was a little better audience with opener Matt Hires...their bantering didn't quite drown out his music. It might have also been the decent sound system, though. Oh, I guess I should mention I had a GREAT seat for this show, courtesy of my two friends! Got some nice photos, like the one you see here.

When John came on stage, he started out by communicating his pleasure at his Bruins football team winning this afternoon. He got right into World on piano, and replicated his set list for the past two nights (see Making things right blog). But, he did things a little differently for Superman. Cellist Victor Lawrence...who has played with John on past albums...accompanied him for that song. Victor was with John for his appearance in The Concert For NYC, and John reminisced on that special benefit concert. Hearing Victor play his cello for Superman was a wonderful addition to John's performance, and the highpoint of the evening.

After the show, I was hoping for one last photo moment with John, but it wasn't to be. I DID get to say goodbye to wife Carla, though! She was talking to a few friends, and when she saw me, told them I was John's biggest fan...she said it again! I guess it must be true? I explained to the ladies that I followed John from show to show when he toured the west coast, and they were pretty impressed. Then, I said my goodbyes to Carla and gave her a hug, and she wished me a safe trip home.

So, my groupie adventure has come to an end. But, my road trip continues. Still more sights to see, more fun on the horizon. And, thank goodness I'll be heading back into the cool weather!

Way out west

The nice thing about early Saturday in the L.A. area...no traffic jams on the freeways. At least I didn't encounter any as I left San Clemente and headed north. Temperatures were in the low 70s...my kind of weather! My only destination for the morning was Autry National Center, located in Griffith Park. Actually, this museum features art, artifacts and exhibits related to the American West. As I've said before, I love museums, and this one turned out to be a very nice one. I ended up staying there 2 1/2 hours. I was especially impressed by the original oil paintings done by famous artists.

So, tonight will be my final Five For Fighting show of the current tour. I'm happy to see John Ondrasik one more time, but also a bit sad that it will be coming to an end. Canyon Club in Agoura Hills is another dinner venue. Will the food be better than last night? I'm sure I won't care too much...I'll be too busy listening to John sing. And, his stories, too, of course! Stay tuned...

The biggest fan

I guess I should have left the hotel a bit earlier...but, maybe things wouldn't have been the same if I had. Entry to The Coach House was supposed to start at 6:00 pm, and I was told by the box office via phone to be there early to get a good seat. Well, I forgot about RUSH HOUR! It was only about 5 miles to the venue, but the fast route...the freeway...was jam packed with cars. So, I asked my GPS for an alternate route, which got me there by 6:00. But, there was already a good line of people waiting to get in. When I got to the seat assignment guy, he looked over his chart, then told the usher where to put me. I think it may have worked to my advantage that I was alone. I don't think they're used to people flying solo, because I ended up having a choice between two adjacent seats. I selected one, but the other one was basically mine, too...more room for me. My view of the stage was not too bad, although there WAS a rather tall guy at the nearby table who had a big head and would end up making it harder for me to see John Ondrasik at the piano.

I elected to eat dinner there, so I opted for the grilled tilapia with pineapple salsa. It turned out to be just so-so, and would have been slightly more palatable if they didn't put CILANTRO in the salsa...I HATE cilantro! As I scanned the crowd, I noticed Augie Nieto and his wife Lynne in attendance. John mentioned at last night's show that Augie would be there. Augie is the subject of John's song bearing his name. He has ALS...Lou Gehrig's disease...founded his ALS research charity organization, Augie's Quest, and is truly an inspiration. Not too long after, I saw John's wife Carla had arrived. I was hoping to chat with her tonight. While waiting for the show to start, I conversed with a lady across the table from me. Turns out John is her cousin, or something like that. Then, Carla came by and started talking to her...and noticed me sitting there. "Hi, Wynne!" she said. Carla proceeded to tell the lady I was John's biggest fan...hey, I won't argue with that! I asked Carla if John told her about the bottle of wine I gave him last night. Carla thought it was cool, especially the UCLA Bruins wine bag it came in! I'm hoping to eventually hear how it tastes when they get around to drinking it!

When opener Matt Hires took the stage, I couldn't help but feel bad for him. The crowd was VERY noisy...I could barely hear him singing, and forget about hearing him talk. I know, this happens a lot to the opening acts, but I think it's rude. If you want to talk, go to a bar or something...some of us want to actually hear the music! Thankfully, and not surprisingly, the chatterboxes piped down when John came out. He seemed a lot more chipper than usual. John's set list was the same as the last show (see blog Making things right). John tells the same stories for certain songs, but I never get tired of hearing them. He DID have a new one, though...about his appearance on Lifetime's Army Wives, and his stress of having to learn a line for the show. SO FUNNY! Because the lighting on the stage was pretty dim, I didn't have a whole lot of luck getting photos of John. The one you see above is one of the better ones.

When the concert was over, I went over to Carla to say goodbye. As she did at last April's Tuacahn show, Carla asked me again if I ever get tired of hearing John's stories. And, as before, I told her "No." I asked her if SHE ever gets tired of hearing them, and she replied, "Sometimes." But, she DOES like hearing the ones about her! I told her that I would be at tomorrow's show at Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, then bid her a goodnight. I'm pretty sure John wasn't doing a meet and greet after tonight's show...he didn't say he would while on stage. But, that's OK...I already got at least one photo of him with me. Last show of the tour for me tomorrow...like usual, it will be great.

Shrunken heads are cool

I left Redondo Beach this morning, still high from last night's Five For Fighting show...and my backstage encounter with John Ondrasik. John is such a nice guy! Oh, in my haste to put out last night's blog, I forgot to mention there was a special guest in the audience. Unlike myself, HE had an assigned VIP table, and I saw his name when I was looking for my own (see last blog). It was none other than Five For Fighting fan and star soccer player Landon Donovan! He's made it known in interviews that he likes to listen to Five For Fighting tunes before games. And, he was seen wearing a Five For Fighting T-shirt in a CBS Sports video story. When he arrived, the club manager showed him to his table. I could be him quite well from my vantage point. And, after the show during his meet and greet, Landon got a photo with John.

My day today was pretty relaxed. I drove south and checked out the famous Wayfarers Chapel. It's made out of wood and glass and sits on a bluff on the Palos Verdes peninsula, and is a popular site for weddings due to its picturesque location. I also visited the even more famous RMS Queen Mary, but just took some pics. For lunch, I was yearning for a hot bowl of ramen. I made the short drive to Costa Mesa, and visited a Japanese market with a nice food court. That soy sauce ramen from Santouka really hit the spot...SO yummy! Afterward, I decided to feed my mind by visiting the Bower's Museum in Santa Ana. This is a cultural art museum, and it specializes in artifacts from ancient, primitive and modern day cultures. I was especially interested in the more macabre things...stuff like shrunken heads and ceremonial items made from human bones. But, hey, that's me.

So, tonight I'll be going to my 2nd Five For Fighting show of the current tour at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. It will be my first dinner show. You're seated at a table, have your meal, and that will also be your seat for the concert. I neglected to call ahead of time for a reservation so I'll have to cross my fingers I will still have a fairly good seat. Blogging after the show...

Making things right

Well, my night at the Brixton South Bay started out on the wrong foot. When I got there, I had a feeling something wasn't quite right. First of all, I wasn't on their VIP list...just kind of a separate list. I got my tickets and proceeded to the entry point. I showed my tickets, but there was some confusion about my VIP seats. Then, I was told to look for my designated seating area...my name should be on a table. I looked...and looked...and looked. No name and no table! I started asking around and was told to get one of the wait staff to help me out. When I explained my situation, she ended up notifying the club manager. Turns out she was never notified by the Five For Fighting management that I had VIP seats. OH, NO! It appeared there had been a communication problem between the Muscular Dystrophy Association...they sponsored the charity auction that resulted in me winning the Five For Fighting show experience...and John Ondrasik's manager. Someone neglected to let the Brixton management know that I was to have VIP seats. Wanting to make things right, the very nice Brixton manager seated me and my friend at a booth...but, the view was lousy. Yeah, I was close to the stage, but I was sitting way to the side. I admit I was a bit upset at the whole matter, but tried to put a positive face on the situation. In the meantime, the Brixton manager said she would let John and his manager know what happened.

Well, I was sitting there still feeling kind of down when the Brixton manager and John's manager came to the table. They had a remedy to the screw-up...proceed backstage to the Green Room and spend some time with John! Now, I had NEVER been backstage in my life, although I had always wished for something like that. So, my friend Lynne and I followed John's manager to the Green Room. I found John sitting on the sofa in front of a table of rather generic snacks...I don't think he was eating any of it. John greeted me and I introduced him to Lynne. John asked me how things were, and I told him a little about my road trip so far. I presented John with a little gift...a bottle of Washington State merlot. John is a big wine fan, and he appreciated the gift...which was encased in a UCLA Bruins wine bag! Yes, John's alma mater!

Then, John suggested we do the planned interview. So, I turned on my digital voice recorder...John made sure it was working...and got to the questions. Now, I had been told previously that I would only be allowed to ask a certain number of questions. But, I ended up asking John every single question I had brought with me...and then some! I told John at the start that I would be asking him stuff that he probably had never been asked before...or at least not very often...as I'm sure he sometimes gets tired of answering the same old questions. And, the interview went wonderfully. At the end, John complimented me on my questions, which made me feel great. It was only after I went back out to my booth that Lynne asked me why I didn't get photos with John. DOH! Well, I should get a pic with him after the show.

Even though my view of the stage wasn't the greatest, it didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying the show. And, I managed to get a few decent photos, although the lighting...which was some what dim...made it difficult. The audience loved his stories...and of course, his music, too! His set list of the night was as follows:

World (piano)
The Riddle (piano)
Chances (guitar)
Slice (guitar)
65 Mustang (guitar)
Freedom Never Cries (piano)
Superman (piano)
Easy Tonight (guitar)
If God Made You (guitar)
I Just Love You (piano)
Augie Nieto (piano)
100 Years (piano)

Encore: Disneyland (piano), Hope (a capella)

As expected, John had a meet and greet session for those who stayed after the show. And, yes, I got my photo with John! I also took pics of Lynne and her two friends who also came to see John. One of them, Trish, had never been to a Five For Fighting show and came away a new fan.
Tomorrow, I travel to San Juan Capistrano to see my second Five For Fighting show at The Coach House. I have a dinner ticket, so we'll see how that goes. I'm ready for more!

Getting ready to rock!

I left my hotel in Hollywood vowing not to stay in a non-chain hotel in the future. Yeah, there was some effort to make the best of it, but nothing could change the fact that it was an older building, and it's the little things that make all the difference in the world. The room was pretty cramped, with furniture crammed in that really didn't fit. Even the bathroom was small...you couldn't even open the door inward without hitting the toilet! I stayed there two nights, but never got the right configuration of towels. The parking lot was pretty cramped, too...not enough spaces for every room, although I was lucky enough to get one each night.

But, enough about the hotel. Things should be better for the rest of my road trip. I didn't really have much to do today. Besides, it was another scorcher and I didn't want to be outside much. At this point of the trip, I decided it was time pick up some liquid refreshment. I love Mountain Dew...diet, please...and that includes their Code Red variety. Well, it turns out the Pepsi Company, who makes Mt. Dew, decided that diet Code Red wasn't selling well enough in my state of Washington. So, they quit stocking it on the shelves of all the stores in the state...Oregon and Idaho, too! That really irked me, but there was nothing I could do. A couple of friends were nice enough to bring back a half case for me when they traveled elsewhere in the country. That didn't last, though, and I needed to replenish my supply. So, I did a Google search and found a convenient grocery store to stop and get my Code Red today because they still have it in California. But, as luck would have it...rather bad luck...they were sold out! Well, there would be other opportunities.

I had an early lunch at Neptune's Net in Malibu...fried calamari and scallop basket...then headed south. I made a brief stop in Venice to check out the beach front and the famous canal area. Onward, to Redondo Beach! I had some time to kill before checking into my hotel, so I went to another grocery store for my soda. YES! They had it...I ended up buying all 4 half cases on the shelf! No, it's not all for me. I have a friend back home who is also a diet Code Red lover, and two cases are for her. I may have to stop one more time for at least another case...three should be enough to hold me until my next road trip planned for March.

I'm now waiting for my friend to pick me up. We're having dinner before we head over to Brixton South Bay for the Five For Fighting show. It's been six months since I've last seen John Ondrasik perform live, and I really miss seeing him. Nothing beats watching and hearing him in concert! I have my questions ready and I'll be interviewing John at the meet and greet post show. I hope it all works out well. Stay tuned...I'll be posting another blog tonight!

Nomming with Nom Nom Truck

I only had a few hours this morning to spend sightseeing. So, I decided to stick to the touristy stuff in Hollywood. First, the obligatory visit to Grauman's Chinese Theatre to check out the celebrity hand and footprints in concrete. The last time I was here was 25 years ago, and since then, there have been a lot of additions to the display. Next, I went to the Hollywood Museum, home to a lot of old Hollywood memorabilia, with a sprinkling of newer stuff.

Having skipped breakfast again, I made the short drive to Studio City to rendezvous with the now famous Nom Nom Truck. This mobile food truck was featured on Food Network's The Great American Food Truck Race this last summer. I was rooting for Nom Nom Truck...they specialize in Vietnamese style bahn mi sandwiches...but, they fell short and had to settle for runner-up. During the competition, from city to city, they wowed people with their food. I knew I had to try them out for myself. I found out their lunch location from their website, and spotting the truck, parked in front of it. Since I would only be a few minutes, I decided not to put a coin in the parking meter. Just as I stepped on the curb, a Los Angeles County sheriff's car parked on the street behind me! Panicked, I told the sheriff's deputy exiting the car that I neglected to pay for parking. He cheerfully told me not the worry about it. I think he and his partner were more focused on getting bahn mi! I already knew what I was going to order...honey pork bahn mi! Grilled marinated pork with pickled vegetables, cucumber, jalapenos, cilantro and mayo on a crusty bagette. I drove to the nearby Fryman Canyon Park to enjoy my sandwich...and it was awesome! I might try to seek out the Nom Nom Truck again tomorrow before I head south.

My biggest event of the day was attending the taping of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. I did this last November, and it was so much fun, there was no doubt I wanted to do it again! I parked my Blazer at The Grove parking garage, and walked around the outdoor shopping center to kill some time. I came upon what appeared to be a filming set-up, and read signs that said they taped segments for the TV show Extra with Mario Lopez. I was interested in seeing him, but I wanted to get to CBS Television City early enough to be at the front of the line. After returning to my car to leave my camera...it wouldn't be allowed in the TV studio...I walked back to the mall to find...Mario Lopez had arrived. Rats! Maybe I should have waiting another 10 minutes...I could have gotten pics! Oh, well. At least I saw him!

It was blazing hot today...the thermometer said 98 degrees! I walked the short distance from The Grove to the CBS entrance. I was pleased to find no one waiting yet...I was first in line! That would hopefully translate into a primo spot in the audience seating area. At least the assigned waiting area was in the shade! When the time came to enter the studio, sure enough, I found myself in the front row! That sure beats back row like last time, although you really don't have a bad seat in the house. One thing you may not know. The musical guests may not necessarily perform on the day that you see them on TV! We were treated to a pre-show performance by a group, whose name escapes me. But, we were told they would appear on a future show. The same warm-up comedian as last time was there...goes by the name Chucky B. REALLY funny! The guest for the show was Jayma Mays, who plays Emma Pillsbury on the TV series, Glee. She and Craig were great...lots of laughs! So, I guess you can say I enjoyed myself! Needless to say, I would love to see the show again in the future , and I would highly recommend it to everyone!

I ended my day by stopping by the Farmer's Market adjacent to The Grove to pick up dinner. I already knew what I wanted to get...Brazilian grill! They had a nice buffet at the Pampas Grill, and I got takeout. Lamb, garlic beef and the always tasty fried plantains!

Tomorrow, I drive south to Redondo Beach and my first Five For Fighting show of my groupie road trip. I'll be on the VIP list at Brixton South Bay, courtesy of the Muscular Dystrophy Association charity auction. Then, after the show, I'll have a meet and greet with John Ondrasik. And, if that's not enough, I will finally...after much asking...be granted the privilege of interviewing John for my fan site, Five For Fighting Fan Central. I was able to get a print interview last year, but I was looking for the more coveted face to face. So excited it will become a reality! It will take me awhile to dictate to print what my digital voice recorder will pick up. But, I'll give you the lowdown on tomorrow night after the show!

Hail to the chief

Before leaving San Luis Obispo this morning, I just had to get my groupie mobile washed. It was a mess from the rain in Oregon, a couple of muddy roads in Northern California and not to mention the dust I just seemed to pick up yesterday. I ended up going to the same car wash I went to the last time I was in town... Sunset North Car Wash. It's one of those typical hand wash places, but they're fast and do a great job at a fair price. Fifteen minutes later, my Blazer looked great!

I was in the homestretch and due to arrive in the Los Angeles area today. But, before I made the drive south, I had to take a little side trip to a radio station in Bakersfield. You see, back in September, I bid on a couple of items in their charity auction...a guitar and a poster, both autographed by John Ondrasik. Happy to support a good cause, I placed my bids and ended up winning both items. Rather than go through the hassle of having the items shipped, I arranged to pick them up during my planned road trip. I stopped by Kelly 95.3 this morning, and received my auction prizes. The guitar was especially nice...a pretty blue acoustic. While I was waiting in the lobby, I noticed there was writing on the sofa there. I soon realized they were autographs of musical artists who had visited the station. Scanning the signatures...yes, there's John's Hancock! He signed his name with the note, "I Got Your Back!" Why? The autograph was located on the inside seat back...funny! While I was there, I asked if I could have a couple of Kelly window stickers. The one on the back window of my groupie mobile was holding up pretty well, but I would want to eventually replace it. The nice radio station guy gave me FOUR! Before I left town, I had my first meal of the day...and my first In-N-Out Burger of my road trip. Tasted great, and SO much better than Five Guys' greasy food!

My task complete, I headed south to Simi Valley and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. I love museums, and I heard this was a good one. When I got there, I was a bit surprised to find that they had a polling place set up there for Election Day. On the other hand, it was only fitting...I mean, why not? After looking at a replica of Reagan's White House Oval Office, I headed into the large pavilion holding an Air Force One Boeing 707. In the same building, there was also a special motorcycle exhibit, with vintage and movie motorcycles. The high point of my visit was seeing a model miniature White House, complete with tiny rooms with equally tiny furniture and objects. The photo above is the visitor's entrance to the White House...looks real, huh?

Well, tomorrow I'm planning to spend the morning playing tourist in Hollywood. Then, I'll be attending a taping of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. I did the show last year, and it was awesome! Hoping to get a seat up front this time, though!

Take me to the bottom of...the ocean

It was nice to wake up to sunshine for a change. But, I think the sun contributed to the slowdown in rush hour traffic as I left San Francisco and traveled south. Drivers blinded by the morning rays directly in their faces, and a little fog in one spot from the sun hitting the cold waters of the bay. But, the tie ups weren't so bad, and in no time, I reached Santa Cruz. I was looking forward to getting a real breakfast for a change. My destination was Santa Cruz Diner...an eatery featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Every road trip I try to seek out restaurants I've seen on television. A few days ago I went to Pacific Pie Company in Portland, and now this place. I got country fried steak with eggs to go, and made the short drive to the nearby Natural Bridges State Beach. I settled down at a picnic table and enjoyed my meal in the mid-morning sunshine.

This particular state park had two features I was interested in checking out. It's a wintering area for monarch butterflies traveling from the north to escape the colder weather. And, there is a natural mudstone arch that was one of three carved out by wave erosion...the other two were destroyed by wind and waves. I was hoping to see thousands of butterflies, but there were just some flitting around the trees and tall shrubs. More monarchs than I've ever seen at one time, but nothing impressive...a disappointment. After taking photos of the arch, I left the park for Monterey.

At this time, I realized that I underestimated the amount of time it would take for me to complete the day's activities. I had been planning to visit Point Lobos State Natural Reserve later in the afternoon, but I decided that was out of the question. When I arrived at Monterey Bay Aquarium, I checked my GPS and found out it would take about 2 hours to drive to my pitstop for the night. Better to concentrate my time at the aquarium, and leave Point Lobos for a future road trip.

Monterey Bay Aquarium has always been one of those places I just had to visit. I had heard so many great things about it, and I found out it was all true! The fish tanks and exhibits were awesome! I was especially impressed by the jelly fish and the seahorses. But, my high point of the day had to be my close encounter with a bat ray. These gentle creatures were swimming around in a touch tank, and yes...I touched them! They were surprisingly...soft! Kind of like running your hand over wet fur! Strange, but true!

Tomorrow...Los Angeles! And, two days later...my first Five For Fighting show of the trip! Yes, Thursday will be a VERY special day for me...in more ways than one! Stay tuned...