Santa Cruz - June 2014

So this is what most people envision when they think of Santa Cruz, CA. This is a panoramic view of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk which is a pretty nice beach boardwalk very close to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Santa Cruz is a beach town on the Monterey Bay and home to University of California at Santa Cruz. This gives the town a unique mix of being a college town, Silicon Valley suburb, and beach town all in one.

My first stop in Santa Cruz was the University. The campus is rather large with buildings nestled into the foothills and canyons. I have to respect those students who bike and walk to class as their daily workout is pretty strong. Although, walking through coastal redwood forests is not the worst place. They also maintain a very nice arboretum on campus which is very nice and showcases plants from around the world. I was able to get some interesting close-ups of some flowers as shown above. A wedding cut my time short here, but it was a nice escape from the standard Santa Cruz fare. You can even hear the steam whistle from the Roaring Camp Railroad!

After a fun night of teppanyaki and card games with some new friends, it was back to the beach for a little sun and fun. The boardwalk is one of the few remaining boardwalks from the turn of the century and has all the standards - candy, carnival games, rollercoasters, and a big sandy beach full of families escaping the heat. They still operate a vintage carousel which I recorded below:

Santa Cruz is a popular place with a well-earned reputation as a playground for college students, families, and beach bums alike. If you have $1 million for a small old house, you too can live there. Or rent a converted garage for almost $1,000 per month! For the rest of us, a weekend day trip is a perfect opportunity to escape the real world and gorge on junk food before hiking through the coastal redwoods. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Roaring Camp Railroads - June 2014

So, if you were a kid in the Bay Area and have a father who likes trains, you have probably been here - Roaring Camp Railroads. The park is near Santa Cruz in Felton, CA. It is done in the style of a mountain logging camp in 1880. While most of the area was being actively logged, this area of Big Trees was a popular tourist attraction and was spared the axe. The route ran from the beach to the mountains, and is still used for a beach train in the summer.

You probably did not drive here for the hot dogs. The core of the experience is riding a historic steam train. The sounds and smells are very unique and were responsible for building most of the United States. They could burn coal, oil, or wood depending on the location. The technology was also somewhat simple, although they require a tremendous amount of maintenance and labor. They also use a lot of water which eventually doomed them. However, they are still used all over the world for scenic railroads and making kids happy.

The route takes you up steep grades through the redwood forests to the top of a mountain. It is a narrow-gauge railroad with a narrower distance between the rails. Narrow-gauge allows for tighter curves and lighter bridges due to smaller rail cars, however they were only used in limited situations - like mountainous terrain. Some of the sections reminded me of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad though!

Ultimately, this is a place for kids and kids at heart. You can hear the steam whistle echoing through the valley and everyone is anxiously peeking down the track to see the first puffs of steam. It is just a cool experience for everyone and a good reminder of how much easier things are today! Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below:

Livermore Wine Tasting - May 2014

I recently had the opportunity to do some wine tasting in the Livermore Valley. Most people know Livermore for their new outlet mall or national laboratory, but this area is home to some very old wine. Before California was even a state, Robert Livermore was out planting wine grapes. Amazingly, he planted them in Livermore Valley! He was later joined by Mr. Wente and Concannon to create a thriving wine region just off Interstate 580 heading to the Bay Area.

First stop was the Wente Vineyards along Tesla Road. It was named for Nikola Tesla, although there are probably a few Tesla Model S electric cars driving there these days. The place is very beautiful with outdoor gardens, fountains and art, and even a bocce court. They are famous for their Chardonnay, although their reds are pretty good too. Livermore has a climate similar to most of the inner coastal regions of California with its own peculiar soils. Wente does not focus on the buttery, oaky Chardonnay, but produces a more fruit-forward wine.

Lots of people were having fun at Concannon Vineyard. For being a grandfather of California wine, the place still attracts the young. Concannon has a different style than Wente and focuses on several good red blends in their tasting room. The wineries charge a tasting fee, but this is an unfortunate consequence of modern wine tasters not actually buying the wine! Both vineyards host many events during the summer. Concannon has a beautiful old house in the vineyard that I am sure hosts a lot of events.

These vineyards in Livermore are literally in someone's backyard; Livermore is a suburb of San Francisco & San Jose. Nevertheless, the grapes were here first for good reason. Do yourself a favor and try them out if you are ever in the region. The experience is much more humble than Napa and a lot easier on the pocketbook. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.