Monterey Aquarium (Elks Lodge 522 – San Jose, CA)

Happy Veterans Day!  Here’s a short YouTube® tribute that my Uncle Alan shared with me:

(Lexi, for Veterans Day)

Thanks Uncle!


We got a somewhat late start on Wednesday and headed down to Monterey to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium (←link).  This time we took our little dog Coach along.

Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 10.29.24 PM

We took the route highlighted in blue (above) and after about an hour drive, we saw the Monterey Bay (below).

IMG_4787

IMG_4791

Soon after, we pulled into the town of Monterey and followed the road signs to the Aquarium.

IMG_4797

IMG_4798

IMG_4916

We found a parking lot just up the street from the aquarium.  We had to pay $15 to park.  Ouch!

IMG_4804
Entrance to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
IMG_4808
Entrance to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Since today was Veterans Day, we didn’t have to pay the $79.90 entrance fee!  That was a nice savings 🙂

IMG_4809

Now enjoy a select number of photos we took on our visit to the aquarium today:

IMG_4811

View of the tidal pool on the ocean-side of the aquarium:

IMG_4813

No seals or sea lions hanging around today 🙁

IMG_4812

We went to the upper level.

IMG_4984

The waterfall (below) is supposed to simulate a tide.  The water runs over a glass enclosure.  You can also watch from the inside.  Pretty cool.

IMG_4982

IMG_4983

IMG_4815

IMG_4912

View of the tidal pool from the upper level.

IMG_4981

IMG_4980

Back inside the aquarium.

IMG_4862

IMG_4820

IMG_4819

IMG_4814

IMG_4917

IMG_4923

IMG_4870

IMG_4873

IMG_4874

IMG_4877

This guy (below) seemed grumpy:

IMG_4878

IMG_4879

Flatfish (below):  Did you know that one of their eyes migrate around or through their head during development!?!  They can also camouflage themselves like a chameleon.

IMG_4884

IMG_4886

IMG_4887

IMG_4888

IMG_4889

IMG_4994

IMG_4890

IMG_4891

IMG_4892

IMG_4893

IMG_4988

IMG_4990

IMG_4991

IMG_4992

IMG_4993

IMG_4894

IMG_4923

IMG_4925

IMG_4928

IMG_4929

IMG_4934

IMG_4948

IMG_4951

IMG_4962

IMG_4972

In the bird sanctuary area, we were told that these were all ‘rescue’ birds:

IMG_4895

IMG_4896

IMG_4902

IMG_4906

IMG_4976

IMG_4977

After finishing up our pleasurable tour of the aquarium we walked down Cannery Row (←link).  Now don’t worry, we didn’t forget about ‘Coach’ who was waiting for us in the truck.  I checked on him once while we were at the aquarium and we left the windows down a bit.  We also had the sun shade in the windshield.  It was a cool 60° all day at the most and partly cloudy.  We also walked him before we wandered around Cannery Row.

IMG_5001

IMG_5000

IMG_4806

IMG_4805

IMG_4998

IMG_4997

IMG_4999

IMG_4995

IMG_5004

IMG_5002

IMG_5005

IMG_5006

IMG_5007

We browsed a few of the shops and stores before we  headed over to Fisherman’s Wharf (←link).

IMG_4795

IMG_5008

IMG_4801

There wasn’t much going on at the wharf, so we headed back towards home (the San Jose Elks Lodge), which by-the-way we paid for an additional 4 nights ($88).  That puts us out of here on Sunday unless we change our mind.  My cousin Phil is trying to get Friday off, so maybe we can do something more together then.

On the way back, we stopped in Gilroy, CA at Applebee’s to take advantage of their free entree for Veterans.  It sure is great that some of these major chains support our veterans by providing a service or benefit of some type. Kudos to them 🙂

Stay tuned…

 

Old Army Buddy Reunion & Dinner at Aunt Donna’s (Elks Lodge 522 – San Jose, CA)

We made plans today (Tuesday) to meet with an old Army buddy of mine that lives in the Santa Cruz area.  So we left the San Jose Elks Lodge in time to meet on the Santa Cruz Wharf (←link) by 11 AM for a lunchtime get-together.

IMG_3669
The Santa Cruz Pier.

We drove through the toll gate and took a ticket to park on the pier.

IMG_3670

IMG_3672

We found my old Army buddy Adam Breed near the end of the pier with his fiancé Shivan and daughter Teagan.

IMG_4589

We had a great lunch at Woodies Cafe on the Wharf while we caught up on old times.

IMG_4598

IMG_4599

IMG_4605

IMG_4604

After a fine lunch and lots of conversation, we did a little seal watching together from the end of the wharf:

IMG_4602
Birds fighting over a fish with a seal off the Santa Cruz Pier.

IMG_4603

Then we checked out all the seals that were hanging out below the pier:

IMG_4591

IMG_4585

IMG_4587

The Santa Cruz Wharf has some convenient open areas in the middle for seal watching:

IMG_4616

IMG_4619

IMG_4618

IMG_4614

IMG_4624

And of course, we had to check out some of the stores on the pier as well:

IMG_4608

IMG_4606

IMG_4607

IMG_4609
Little Teagan enjoyed shopping too.
IMG_4617
Sailing boat in Monterey Bay.
IMG_4592
Art-deco water fountain on the Santa Cruz Wharf.
IMG_4595
Shivan helped Teagan get a drink from the scary looking water fountain.

It was really great spending time with Adam and catching up on recent events.  It’s been over 10 years since we were stationed together in Katterbach, Germany where we deployed for a year-long tour in Iraq together.

Here’s a few pics I found of Adam, both before and during our Iraq tour together:

DSCF2559 copy
Adam Breed in Katterbach, Germany circa. 2003.

Adam is a first-class welder/fabricator.  Here he is making a protective .50 cal machine gun turret for the back of a 5 ton truck out of scrap parts.

DSCF2560 copy

DSCF2555 copy

DSCF2507 copy

And he fabricated these troop seats (below) to be mounted in the middle of a 5 ton truck bed, in order for the troops to be able to face out while being transported instead of towards each other with their backs exposed.

2004 05 06 DSCF4610

2004 05 06 DSCF4608

2004 05 06 DSCF4609

Adam in Tikrit, Iraq (2004).

2004 04 17 DSCF4480

He was my driver in the truck below during our convoy from Kuwait thru Baghdad to Tikrit in northern Iraq.

2004 02 23 DSCF4080

2004 03 01 DSCF4139

Here’s Adam catching some Zzzz’s on top of the truck during a rest halt.

2004 03 02 DSCF4145

2004 03 02 DSCF4152

2004 03 03 DSCF4243

2004 03 03 DSCF4182 BAGHDAD

2004 03 03 DSCF4241

Now this was going to be a project:

2004 03 23 DSCF4372

2004 03 23 DSCF4382

2004 03 16 DSCF4355

Adam and other members of the Service & Recovery (S&R) / Welding Section of the 601st Direct Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division putting another battle-damaged HMMWV together.

2004 03 18 DSCF4364

Too bad we don’t have an ‘after’ pic, eh Adam?

2004 04 17 DSCF4481

IMG_4621

We said our goodbyes and ‘see-ya-laters’… Adam had to get back home and start his night shift at work by 7 PM.  Take care Adam… stay in touch and we hope to see you guys again soon!

After we left Adam and Shivan, we drove around the corner to the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse and Surfing Museum:

IMG_4671

IMG_4629

IMG_4627

IMG_4630

The Lighthouse / Museum was closed so we just walked around the cliff edge and checked out the scenery and wildlife:

IMG_4631

IMG_4633

IMG_4681

IMG_4640

IMG_4679

IMG_4639

Then we were mesmerized by the crazy surfer antics in the Monterey Bay below us:

IMG_4672
Surfers Rules.
IMG_4676
Surfer Memorial.
IMG_4641
Surfers diving off the cliff.

IMG_4644

IMG_4645

IMG_4647

IMG_4648

IMG_4649

IMG_4652

It was hard to believe these guys didn’t run over each other while catching some of those waves:

IMG_4658

IMG_4660

IMG_4661

After watching the crazy, (or were they just skilled?), surfers for a while, we decided this wasn’t a sport we’d like to take up… so we headed north from Santa Cruz on Hwy-1 towards San Francisco.

IMG_4758

IMG_4690

IMG_4687

IMG_4694

It wasn’t long before we came upon the Pigeon Point Lighthouse:

IMG_4701

IMG_4702

IMG_4705

We pulled into the parking area off Pigeon Point Rd and walked out to the lighthouse.

IMG_4704

The website says this about the Pigeon Point Lighthouse: “Perched on a cliff on the central California coast, 50 miles south of San Francisco, the 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in America, has been guiding mariners since 1872. Its five-wick lard oil lamp, and first-order Fresnel lens, comprised of 1,008 prisms, was first lit at sunset, November 15, 1872. The lens stands 16 feet tall, 6 feet in diameter, and weighs 2,000 pounds. Now on display in the Fog Signal building, it sat in a lantern room constructed at the Lighthouse Service’s general depot in New York before being shipped around the Horn. Although the original Fresnel lens is no longer in use, the lighthouse is still an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation using a Vega Marine Rotating Beacon.”

IMG_4707

IMG_4708

Land-side view of the lighthouse.

IMG_4709

The lighthouse was closed for repairs so all we could do was walk around the grounds.
Per the CA State website: “In December 2001, a section of the iron belt course on the exterior of the lighthouse fell off. The lighthouse will remain closed until the structure can be restored. The lighthouse may still be viewed from the grounds. For more information go to Lighthouse Restoration

IMG_4714
Stilla on the whale-watching platform at Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

Sea-side view of the lighthouse and adjoining buildings.

IMG_4715

Notice the huge fog horns protruding from the outbuilding (below).

IMG_4719

IMG_4716

IMG_4717

Informational placards at Pigeon Point Lighthouse:

IMG_4721

IMG_4724

We walked down to the beach.

IMG_4725

IMG_4726

IMG_4729

IMG_4730

IMG_4733

IMG_4738

IMG_4741

IMG_4742

IMG_4744

IMG_4745

IMG_4747

After we finished checking out the lighthouse and beach, we kept going north on Hwy-1 towards Half Moon Bay.

IMG_4754

IMG_4753

IMG_4755

IMG_4759

IMG_4760

IMG_4761

As soon as we pulled into the Half Moon Bay parking area, my cousin Phil texted us about dinner at my Aunt Donna’s house.  It was already past 4 PM and we were expected for dinner by 6… we had to hurry back!

Traffic was good heading back into San Jose until we got about 18 miles from the Elks Lodge…

IMG_4763

then it was stop-n-go traffic the rest of the way… I think our max speed at times was only 20 mph 🙁

IMG_4768

IMG_4765

I sure don’t miss commuting… what a mess!  We made it back to the lodge by 6 PM or so.  My cousin Phil met us there to transport us to Aunt Donna’s so we wouldn’t get lost.  Thanks again Phil!  We took our little dog ‘Coach’ who was happy to see us again after being alone in the Coach again for 8 to 9 hours 🙁 and jumped in Phil’s truck for a ride to Aunt Donna’s house.

IMG_4780
My wonderful Aunt Donna. (Donna Hobden)

We had a great chinese dinner waiting for us when we finally arrived.  The whole San Jose gang was in attendance!

IMG_4770
(L to R) Faith, Keith, Stilla, Donna, Phil, Tina, Nathaniel, and Anja at Aunt Donna’s house.
IMG_4771
(L to R) Donna, Phil, Tina, Nathaniel, Anja, Faith, Keith, and Stilla at Aunt Donna’s house.
IMG_4783
(L to R) Nathaniel, Faith, Keith, Anja, and Daria.
IMG_4781
My cousin Phil. (Philip Hobden).

After dinner, some of the gang played a card game while others looked at old family photos, talked, and reminisced.

IMG_4785

IMG_4786

Little Coach even got to play with Phil & Tina’s little dog Boone(sp?). They really got along good together.

IMG_4772

And then it was time for dessert!  Yumm… and we even got to take some home with us 🙂  Thanks Aunt Donna!

IMG_4778

IMG_4779

It was another great day and an even better evening with all the relatives… stay tuned to see what we get into next 🙂

We were thinking of checking out the Aquarium at Monterey Bay… they have free admission for veterans on Nov. 11th according to their website.

 

Hiding from the Rain on a Lazy Monday (Elks Lodge 522 – San Jose, CA)

We just hung around the Coach and hid out from the rain today (Monday) until my appointment time with the Veterans Supportive Services Agency (VSSA) representative.  I wrote about making this appointment in a previous post (HERE) when we went into the San Jose Elks Lodge to check out the Veterans Fair & Luncheon.  The meeting went well and I gave the rep all my paperwork and we filled out some forms.  The meeting was held at a combined VSSA and American Legion building.  After the appointment, we found a post office to mail the documents off to the VA with a return-receipt request.  Now all I can do is wait and see if my rating gets re-evaluated.

I was also contacted by an old Army buddy today that lives in the area.  He is a ‘friend’ on Facebook and saw that we were here.  We made plans to get together in Santa Cruz on Tuesday.  I haven’t seen Adam Breed since before I left Germany in 2005.  We were deployed to Iraq together a couple times.  He was in my welding section when I was the Chief Warrant Officer in charge of a Direct Support Battalion operation in Tikrit, Iraq.  Looking forward to catching up with him and his family on Tuesday… as I’ve said before – there’s no greater bond between men than having served in combat.

Around dinnertime, my cousin Beth texted about getting together again for dinner… Well SURE ! 🙂

Beth and her husband Keith (along with two of their three daughters) picked us up again at the Elks Lodge and drove us over to a local Mexican restaurant that they frequent often.  Great food, great company once again!  Man, what service… courtesy pick-up and drop-off… we’re getting spoiled 🙂

IMG_3666
My Cousin Beth and her husband Keith.
IMG_3668
(L to R) Self, Stilla, Daria, Anja, Beth, and Keith.

Unfortunately cousin Philip and his wife Tina couldn’t make dinner because he was working… he’s still trying for that first million I guess 🙂  We still have time here to get together… and if we don’t we’ll just have to stay longer, right?

Check back later to see how our day in Santa Cruz goes…  The rain stopped and it looks like we have good weather again for a while…

Sunday Post 2 of 2 – Tour of Fort Point, Golden Gate Bridge & Family Reunion Dinner (Elks Lodge 522 – San Jose, CA)

Authors Note: Warning – Another great “tourist day” with lots of pictures … as a matter-of-fact I had to split Sunday up into two separate posts to accommodate all the pics. This is post 2 of 2.  Remember to use your laptop or desktop computer instead of mobile device to get the most out of the pictures… and if any of the pics don’t load, just refresh your browser.


After leaving Pier 33 where we parked the Silverado for our Alcatraz Island tour, we headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge since we still had some time before we were scheduled to meet up with my cousins for dinner around 6 PM back in San Jose.

We stopped along the way at a beach and caught another shot of Alcatraz Island.

IMG_4457

And here’s the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

IMG_4463

We drove towards the bridge and caught sight of the entrance to Fort Point.  I’d heard of this fort and figured we’d stop to check it out.

IMG_4467

We followed the entrance road to the Fort as the bridge came into view getting larger and larger:

IMG_4468

IMG_4469

IMG_4472

IMG_4474

Fort Point is located directly under the bridge on the south side.

IMG_4475

IMG_4477

We parked and watched the surfers trying to catch some waves just below the parking lot:

IMG_4478

IMG_4480

IMG_4481

IMG_4482

IMG_4485

IMG_4484

We entered the Fort and expected to have to pay for a tour, but found out it’s totally free 🙂

IMG_4486

IMG_4487

Here’s a National Park Service link for more information on Fort Point. (Click HERE).

The website says; “The Fort has been called “the pride of the Pacific,” “the Gibraltar of the West Coast,” and “one of the most perfect models of masonry in America.” When construction began during the height of the California Gold Rush, Fort Point was planned as the most formidable deterrence America could offer to a naval attack on California. Although its guns never fired a shot in anger, the “Fort at Fort Point” as it was originally named has witnessed Civil War, obsolescence, earthquake, bridge construction, reuse for World War II, and preservation as a National Historic Site.”  Click link above for more information.

IMG_4490

IMG_4489

IMG_4491

We climbed up the circular staircase (whew!) to get to the top of the Fort:

IMG_4495

IMG_4497

View down into the courtyard from the top.

IMG_4496

Here’s some more scenic views from on top of the Fort’s massive walls near the gun emplacements:

IMG_4499

IMG_4492

View of San Francisco from the top of the wall.

IMG_4501

And another view of Alcatraz Island from the top of the wall.  The bird photo-bombed my pics 😉

IMG_4502

I zoomed in for a pic of the opposite side of the bridge.

IMG_4507

Another view on the top of Fort Point.

IMG_4509

IMG_4508

The (now) empty gun emplacements on the top of the walls.  Stilla in the background.

IMG_4510

IMG_4511

Lighthouse on top of the Fort:

IMG_4513

IMG_4515

We walked down to the upper level (third tier) and toured some of the rooms:

IMG_4518

IMG_4516

Old barracks setup.

IMG_4517

Building the Golden Gate Bridge info and displays:

IMG_4519

IMG_4520

IMG_4521

We continued our tour on the next floor (second tier):

IMG_4522

IMG_4523

IMG_4524

IMG_4525

IMG_4526

IMG_4527

IMG_4528

And once we were back down in the courtyard, we viewed some of the cannon and cannon related displays:

IMG_4529

IMG_4530

IMG_4533

IMG_4532

IMG_4531

IMG_4534

 

IMG_4535

IMG_4536

IMG_4537

IMG_4539

IMG_4538

 

IMG_4541

IMG_4542

IMG_4543

 

IMG_4545

The mini-theater had a film running on the big screen.  We only watched part of it since we had to get back to our little dog ‘Coach’ waiting in the Coach and our dinner date with relatives.

IMG_4544

IMG_4546

We left the Fort and drove back up to the entrance (south-side) of the Golden Gate Bridge.  We checked out the parking lot to the visitors center but they charge a fee to park, so we just drove thru and entered the onramp to the bridge:

IMG_4548

And then we drove across the bridge to the north side as Stilla snapped some pictures:

IMG_4549

IMG_4551

IMG_4552

IMG_4554

IMG_4555

When we got close to opposite side, we saw a sign for Vista Point.

IMG_4560

We pulled in, fought the other tourists for a parking spot, got out and took a couple pics:

IMG_4562

IMG_4564

View of Golden Gate Bridge from the north side looking back south from Vista Point.

IMG_4566

We did a u-turn under the north side of the bridge and headed back across.  We needed to be back in San Jose to meet my cousins for dinner by 6 PM.

We noticed signs that mentioned a toll (?!?) but the toll booths were empty.  I went online this morning and found the following information at gocalifornia.about.com:

If you’re northbound on U.S. Highway 101, it’s easy to cross the Golden Gate Bridge by automobile, but southbound, it’s more complicated.
In March, 2013, Golden Gate Bridge toll-takers stepped out of their booths for the last time, but that doesn’t mean they stopped collecting tolls. Instead, they’ve just changed the system and everyone who crosses the bridge by automobile pays using an electronic system.

The website goes on to say: “Oops! I Already Crossed Without Paying –  Don’t fret yet. You have at least 48 hours to pay your toll without a fine. You can pay using a credit card online or pay by telephone at 877-229-8655 (toll free) or 415-486-8655 from outside California.”
“If you cross and don’t pay, don’t think you’ll get away with it. The vehicle’s license tag will be photographed and an invoice will be automatically mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. If that’s a rental company, you can expect a bill for the fine, along with a hefty fee from the company, too.”

So, I guess I’d better pay our bill, eh?  Gotta love California 🙂

We made it back to the Elks Lodge by 5:30 PM and little “Coach” was happy to get out and take care of “business” after being left alone for almost 10 hours.  He did great (once again) and didn’t leave us any ‘surprises’ in the Coach.  🙂


My cousin Beth had been in contact with us throughout the day, and we arranged for her (along with her family) to meet us at the lodge to pick us up for dinner.

Beth and her husband Keith picked us up by 6 PM and drove us over to Harry’s Hofbrau.

IMG_4584

This is a nice German-themed restaurant with a neat atmosphere and pretty good food.  The best part of course, was getting to see my relatives 🙂

IMG_4570

IMG_4568

The restaurant has a buffet-style serving line.  The place must be popular because we had a pretty long line to wait in for our food.

IMG_4572

IMG_4573

IMG_4576

While we were waiting in the serving line, my cousin Phil joined us with his wife Tina and son Nathaniel.

IMG_4580
My cousin Philip Hobden (all he needs is a Bavarian Hat) 🙂
IMG_4578
(L to R) Cousin Phil, his wife Tina, cousin Beth and then her daughters’ Anja, Faith, and Daria. Then my Aunt Donna, Beth’s husband Keith, and on the front right is Phil & Tina’s son Nathaniel.
IMG_4579
(L to R) Daria, Aunt Donna, Keith, Nathaniel, Stilla, Phil, Tina, Beth, Anja, and Faith.
IMG_4583
(L to R) Cousin Beth, Stilla, Tina (Phil’s wife) and my cousin Philip.

The restaurant was rather loud so it was hard to have any large degree of conversation, but it was sure nice to see my Aunt and cousins (from my Dad’s side of the family).  We made tentative plans to get together again while we are still in San Jose.  Looking forward to that! 🙂  And thanks again Keith, for picking up the bill.  See you guys again soon.

 

Sunday Post 1 of 2 – Alcatraz Island Tour (Elks Lodge 522 – San Jose, CA)

Authors Note:  Warning – Another great “tourist day” with lots of pictures … as a matter-of-fact I had to split Sunday up into two separate posts to accommodate all the pics.   This is post 1 of 2.


We got up early (Sunday) to make sure we made it to San Francisco’s Pier 33 in time for our 10 AM ferry ride to Alcatraz.  We gave ourselves a 2 -1/2 hour headstart in case we had trouble finding a parking spot.  We left little “Coach” in the Coach for the day.

Screen Shot 2015-11-09 at 10.03.28 AM

It was wet and drizzling by the time we completed the ~50 mile trip.  We arrived with only a half hour to 45 minute cushion to board our ferry.  We found a covered parking area just a block away from the pier but saw it was an outrageous $30 per day (Weekend Rate).  So we drove around to find a cheaper parking lot.  We found another lot that was farther away, but it was also $30 per day because we were “over-sized” per the attendant… so we went back to the first parking area and grudgingly paid the fee 🙁

IMG_3664

IMG_3663

We parked and made the short walk to the pier to pick up our tickets at ‘Will-Call’ that we had reserved before we left my brother’s house in Westley, CA last Thursday.  The tickets for the tour were $31 per person.

IMG_4070

I took pictures of the informational placards on the pier as we waited to board the ferry:

IMG_4428

IMG_4427

IMG_4431

IMG_4430

And here comes our ferry (below).  We boarded and found a seat inside to stay dry.

IMG_4067

IMG_4402

Our first views of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The clouds receded a bit and it quit drizzling.  It looks like we got lucky for once with the weather 🙂

IMG_4072

IMG_4079

Our first view of “The Rock”.

IMG_4073

IMG_4074

Looking back at the San Francisco skyline.

IMG_4078

Here’s a little history of Alcatraz Island that was posted on the wall in the ferry.

IMG_4403

And here’s some info on the ferry itself that was displayed on the flat-screen TV.

IMG_4071

We pulled into the dock and disembarked.  The ferry ride was short and smooth.  We were also able to get a quick breakfast onboard to help fuel our day.

IMG_4081

IMG_4084

IMG_4085

IMG_4335

Once on the island, we listened to a park ranger give us safety instructions and an introduction to the island.  Then we headed over to the nearby theater for a short film.

IMG_4096

IMG_4328

There were several screens playing the film at the same time in order to accommodate large crowds.

IMG_4332

Then we toured the lower part of the old fort.  Learn more about that by clicking HERE.

IMG_4320

IMG_4321

IMG_4329

IMG_4323

IMG_4327

IMG_4333

This room (below) had information on the American Indian occupation of Alcatraz in the late ’60s to early ’70s.  Click HERE for more information from Wikipedia® on that.

IMG_4330

IMG_4331

After touring the lower portion of the island, we walked up the walkway(s) to the main cell block building.

IMG_4101

I have no idea what significance the old truck (below) has on the island of Alcatraz – but you know me… I just had to take a picture 🙂

IMG_4108

View up to the main cell block building as we walked up the pathway.

IMG_4107

The officers’ club is in need of serious repairs.

IMG_4105

IMG_4104

IMG_4100

IMG_4098

A lot of the old walkways and stairs were closed for safety reasons.

IMG_4099

IMG_4112

Many areas of the prison are in dire need of repairs:

IMG_4110

IMG_4111

IMG_4109

View back down towards the dock (below) after we walked up the pathway to the upper levels and main cell block.

IMG_4106

Once inside the main building we viewed the clothing and bedding issue area.

IMG_4113

IMG_4114

IMG_4115

The communal showers.

IMG_4117

And here’s where we got our headpieces and started the audio-tour (below).  Follow along on our audio-tour with these silent pictures:  😉

IMG_4118

IMG_4119

IMG_4120

IMG_4123

Typical cell block with a copy of the stringent ‘Rules & Regulations’ booklet on the table.

IMG_4126

IMG_4125

We toured the cell blocks and listened to some of the inmates’ stories on our headphones.

IMG_4124

We walked out into the recreation yard.

IMG_4127

IMG_4129

IMG_4130

IMG_4131

IMG_4133

View of the Recreation Yard with Stilla in the foreground.

IMG_4142

We took the steps back up to the cell blocks from the Recreation Yard for more audio-tour.

IMG_4146

IMG_4149

IMG_4148

The infamous “D” Block – solitary confinement.

IMG_4150

The prison library.

IMG_4155

Cell re-creations with authentic personal items:

IMG_4164

IMG_4165

IMG_4167

IMG_4168

IMG_4169

IMG_4170

IMG_4171

IMG_4172

IMG_4174

IMG_4175

The Administrative area of the main cell block:

IMG_4197

IMG_4183

Check out the old ‘period-correct’ office equipment, i.e., phone, rolodex, typewriter, fan, etc.,

IMG_4184

IMG_4185

The visitation area.

IMG_4182

Front door to the Admin area.  This is where you had to go if you wanted to visit with an inmate.

IMG_4195

Informational placard and island model in the administrative area:

IMG_4193

IMG_4199

IMG_4200

IMG_4198

Then the audio-tour talked us through the 1962 escape from Alcatraz… click HERE for more info on this infamous event.

IMG_4217

IMG_4218

The Anglin brothers’ cells (below).

IMG_4215

IMG_4214

IMG_4213

IMG_4211

IMG_4212

IMG_4207

IMG_4208

IMG_4209

IMG_4220

IMG_4219

More cell block pics:

IMG_4222

How did she get out?  🙂

IMG_4224

Entrance to the dining hall.

IMG_4225

IMG_4234

IMG_4226

More dining hall pics:

IMG_4228

IMG_4229

IMG_4230

IMG_4231

IMG_4232

IMG_4233

View from dining hall window.

IMG_4235

IMG_4236

We finished the audio portion of the tour and headed down the stairs…

IMG_4239

to turn in our headphones.

IMG_4241

And of course, the exit goes through the Museum Store.

IMG_4242

Souvenirs anyone?

IMG_4245

IMG_4247

IMG_4260

IMG_4248

IMG_4249

IMG_4250

IMG_4252

IMG_4253

IMG_4254

IMG_4255

IMG_4256

IMG_4263

IMG_4264

IMG_4265

IMG_4267

IMG_4269

IMG_4273

IMG_4274

IMG_4276

IMG_4257

IMG_4259

IMG_4266

IMG_4278

We went back outside the main cell block building after getting through the gift shop and wandered around the grounds:

IMG_4279

I think this was the old Warden’s building:

IMG_4288

IMG_4286

IMG_4285

IMG_4284

The old lighthouse.

IMG_4289

The old parade grounds:

IMG_4291

IMG_4292

Walkway down to the west side gardens.

IMG_4293

IMG_4294

IMG_4316

IMG_4296

IMG_4297

IMG_4298

A couple nice views of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The sun peeked out a few times during our time on the island.  No rain at all 🙂

IMG_4299

IMG_4300

The stairs (below) go up to the Recreation Yard.

IMG_4301

IMG_4302

IMG_4303

IMG_4305

IMG_4306

IMG_4307

Another Golden Gate Bridge picture with sailboat.

IMG_4310

IMG_4311

IMG_4312

Dilapidated guard tower on the corner of the Recreation Yard.

IMG_4313

IMG_4314

IMG_4315

View of the old lighthouse as we came back up the path from the gardens.

IMG_4318

I zoomed in on the San Francisco skyline from the southwest-side of the island.  I thought these pics came out pretty good:

IMG_4203

IMG_4204

IMG_4205

We gathered back down at the dock with the other tourists and waited for the next ferry.  They run every 30 minutes.

IMG_4337

We were herded back onto the ferry for our return trip to Pier 33.

IMG_4338

Sign near the dock:

IMG_4340

IMG_4339

The island receded into the distance as we cruised back to the mainland:

IMG_4341

IMG_4342

IMG_4344

IMG_4349

IMG_4348

IMG_4346

IMG_4351

IMG_4353

Views coming back into port:

IMG_4368

Pier 33:

IMG_4374

IMG_4375

IMG_4399

After we got off the ferry, we went to check out the picture they took of us as we boarded earlier in the day.  Everyone’s picture was posted in order of departure time:

IMG_4404

IMG_4405

We decided to buy the cheapest photo package ($20) for a 6 X 8 in a frame:

IMG_4437

IMG_4432

Stock photo of the dock on Alcatraz (below) was provided with our picture (above).

IMG_4436

We were hungry after our long walking tour, so we walked into the Alcatraz Landing Cafe that was located right next to the loading area on Pier 33.

IMG_4439

We shared our lunch with a couple pigeons that seemed to be at home on the floor of the Cafe.

IMG_4449

 

IMG_4441

Hope you enjoyed our tour of Alcatraz Island.  We thought it was great!  It was well worth the $31 pp fee, I just wish parking in the area was more reasonable.

After our quick lunch at Alcatraz Landing Cafe, we decided to check out some more of the area, i.e., Fort Point and the Golden Gate Bridge.  Check my next post for a recap of those attractions.  We also had a dinner date with my cousins and Aunt Donna later in the evening.  I’ll try to get it posted asap…

Through the Forest & To the Beach… (Elks Lodge 522 – San Jose, CA)

We started out our Saturday here at the San Jose Elks Lodge by going into the lodge because we were told by the camphost (Glenn) that there was a Veterans Fair and luncheon from 11 AM to 3 PM.

I talked to a Veterans Supportive Services Agency (VSSA) representative and got an appointment for Monday to review my disability rating.  This is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now.  It was nice to get this unexpected opportunity.

Then we toured the lodge and checked out the pool…

IMG_3564

IMG_3563

Very nice pool… too bad it’s closed for the season.

IMG_3565

IMG_3566

A nice lunch spread was provided for the veterans.

IMG_3567

After we enjoyed some lunch and checked out the Veterans Fair in the lodge, we jumped into the Silverado with our little dog ‘Coach’ to make the most out of the rest of the day.  My cousin Phil told us about a nice route to take towards Santa Cruz.

Screen Shot 2015-11-07 at 10.42.10 PM

We went south on scenic CA-9 through the hills (or should I call them mountains?) and turned west into Big Basin Redwoods State Park on CA-236 which was basically a loop that returned us to CA-9.  (see GPS pic below).

IMG_3624

IMG_3593

What a beautiful drive.  The road through most of the State Park was very winding and narrow, we often had to stop at wide spots to let oncoming traffic pass.

IMG_3596

We stopped briefly at the Park Headquarters:

IMG_3617

IMG_3618

IMG_3620

IMG_3622

IMG_3623

The park website tells us that Big Basin is California’s oldest State Park, established in 1902. Home to the largest continuous stand of Ancient Coast Redwoods south of San Francisco, the park consists of Old Growth and recovering Redwood Forest, with mixed conifer, oaks, chaparral, and riparian habitats. Elevations in the park vary from sea level to over 2,000 feet. The climate ranges from foggy and damp near the ocean to sunny, warm ridge tops.

After our stop at the Park Headquarters and Visitor Center, we continued south on CA-9 until we reached the beach in Santa Cruz… just in time for the sunset.

IMG_3627

Nice looking beach… we’ll have to come back here when we have more time.  People were firing up their campfires as dusk closed in on us.

IMG_3629

IMG_3630

This is the Santa Cruz pier in the background (below).

IMG_3631

And this is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park (below).  Check out the link.  Looks like a lot of fun.  We drove by the other side of the park later but didn’t go in… parking looked dicey and we didn’t want to pay just for a quick look.

IMG_3637

The sign (below) near the beach access says the area is closed.  Looks like the locals didn’t think so.  What a difference from our time at the “no fun” beach we visited near L.A. earlier this year.  I wrote about Manhattan Beach in this post.

IMG_3634

IMG_3635

After a quick drive by the Santa Cruz pier and amusement park, we headed back north to San Jose through heavy traffic on CA-17 where we stopped at a Korean restaurant for dinner.  Another great day 🙂

Screen Shot 2015-11-07 at 10.42.10 PM

Check back tomorrow for a full recap of our Alcatraz tour.  We locked in a 10 AM (Sunday) tour a few days ago.  Hopefully the weather stays nice.  The forecast calls for rain 🙁

Moving Day to San Jose (Elks Lodge 522 – San Jose, CA)

We said our sad goodbyes to my brother Ronald, his wife Terry, and son James on Friday morning in Westley, CA and hit the road by noon.  It was an uneventful drive to San Jose with the exception of the bumpy pothole-ridden freeways.  We pulled in to the San Jose Elks Lodge about an hour and a half later.

Screen Shot 2015-11-07 at 9.00.01 AM

There was only one small hiccup – at our last exit, the GPS said to turn right at the intersection and the Lodge would be on the left in a couple hundred feet.  It wasn’t there!  We found out (later) that the entrance to the lodge was directly across the street at the intersection after our exit.  We didn’t see the lodge sign; put our trust in the GPS; and turned right.  Arrgh!  We had to turn around in a shopping center parking lot.

IMG_3551
The Urban Escape Vehicle packed in at the San Jose Elks Lodge.

Once we pulled into the lodge parking lot, we saw all the rigs and started wondering if there was an empty spot.  It turns out that a large portion of the parking area is also storage.  I called the lodge the day before but only got a recording that said “first come – first serve” for the 28 RV spots with electric and water.

As I was walking around the lot to see if there was an open site left, the camp-host walked up to help us out.  What a nice guy… and very talkative too 🙂  I think he told us his name was Glenn.  He directed us to the last 50 Amp spot that was open.  It turns out that there was a 30 Amp spot on the back side of the row too.  So, I guess we were lucky.  The only problem is that they don’t have a dump station on site.  We should have dumped on the way here, but wrongly assumed that the lodge would at least have one dump station.  Oh well; Glenn gave us very detailed directions to a nearby dump station, and after another 10-15 minutes of conversation, we disconnected the Silverado, parked it in our new site, and drove over to the dump station to take care of the dirty deed.  We only got lost one more time. 🙂

When we returned to the lodge, the camphost Glenn was there again to direct us into our site and then he waited to supervise our hooking up the electric and water to make sure everything was alright.  Nice guy 🙂

We paid $110 for 5 nights ($22 per night) by putting a check into an envelope that is available at a pay station alongside the RV parking lot.

IMG_3552
Elks Lodge 522 (San Jose) front view.
IMG_3553
Sign in front of Elks Lodge 522 (San Jose). Notice that the exit from the freeway (on the right) is directly across from the entrance to the lodge (behind the sign).

Shortly after we got set up, my cousin Phil texted that he was on his way home from work and would stop by if that was OK.  Of course, that was OK 🙂  We haven’t seen Phil since our campout together at Lake Tahoe in July of last year.  This was before I was doing the blog, so unfortunately, I can’t paste a link here like I usually do.

Anyway, it was great to catch up with my cousin Phil – albeit briefly.  He had previous plans to go camping with his son this weekend so we won’t see him again until Sunday.  We hope to get together again then for dinner.  His sister, (my other cousin), Beth and her family are also here in San Jose, so hopefully we can all get together with them as well.

IMG_3560
Second row of RV sites (behind our row) at the San Jose Elks Lodge.
IMG_3561
Vehicles in storage at the San Jose Elks Lodge.
IMG_3562
Vehicles in storage at the San Jose Elks Lodge.
IMG_3558
Someone here at the lodge parking lot put out food for all the stray cats.

After Phil left, it was getting dark and we hadn’t eaten yet.  So we jumped in the Silverado and headed around the corner to find a small Greek restaurant.  There was also a hair stylist next door, so Stilla jumped at the opportunity to get a quick hair cut while we waited for our food.

Good haircut, good food!  We relaxed in the Coach for the rest of the evening because we didn’t see much activity (very few cars) at the lodge.  Maybe we’ll go inside tomorrow (Saturday).

The only firm plans we have right now are for a tour of Alcatraz.  We got on the website yesterday and found out the tours fill up quickly, so we reserved a tour for this upcoming Sunday.  I’ll let you know how that goes with lots of pictures…  meanwhile, there’s lots of other things to see and do here.  Cousin Phil gave us some tips, so stay tuned 🙂

R & R with Family and some Welding (Westley, CA)

Our fun-filled family time here in Westley, CA has almost come to an end. 🙁  We’re still parked at my brother Ronald’s house – my Mom, stepdad, brother Steve & Cheryl, and my Aunt Kathy left yesterday (Thursday) to head back to Casa Grande, AZ.  I just got a message this morning that they’re still on the road after spending an overnight in Quartzsite.  They should be back home by the time we leave here today (Friday).

IMG_3549
Urban Escape Vehicle parked outside Ronald & Terry’s house in Westley, CA.

We will head over to San Francisco from here (about 90 miles).  Our destination is the Elks Lodge in San Jose where I have a couple cousins from my Dad’s side of the family that we have to visit since we’re in the area.  We’ll also check out some of the sites in San Francisco, like Alcatraz… always wanted to take that tour. 🙂

The last several days have been great spending time with family! 🙂  And since my brother Ronald has a Welding & Machine Shop onsite, I took advantage of his skills and hospitality to ‘beef up’ my hitch extension.

IMG_3505

I need the hitch extension for a couple reasons.  Whenever I haul the Harley or the ATV in the bed of the pickup, the tailgate has to be down, so I need the extension to be able to use the bike rack.  And yes, I know… why do I need a bike rack since our bikes were stolen in Las Vegas?!?  🙁  I wrote about that HERE.  But, it also doubles as a tie-down for the ATV because it has an adjustable ball-hitch on the upper part that secures the ATV when it’s in the bed.  It basically clamps down on the ATV’s tow ball to secure it while traveling.  I keep the ATV stored at Steven & Cheryl’s in Casa Grande, AZ and swap out the Harley with the ATV whenever we’re in the area as the situation warrants (for example; if we’re headed to Quartzsite).

IMG_3502

My brother Steven used to work here in years past.  He used the lathe to machine and thread some new ‘beefed-up’ adjustment bolt points for the ATV hold-down portion.

IMG_3509

IMG_3514

Brother Ronald worked the welder.

IMG_3517

The almost finished product (below), the tall upper portion is removable and has a trailer hitch portion that slides up and down as needed for securing the ATV.

IMG_3507

Grandpa John checked progress…

IMG_5901

And then we put it all back together after a fresh coat of paint.

IMG_5896

Thanks for all the help Ronald!  The last time we were here, he helped me ‘beef-up’ the mount for my motorcycle ramps on the truck rack.  (link HERE).  It’s good to have brothers 🙂

IMG_3550

Ronald also had other work going on… here he is unloading a commercial sander/blaster for some welding repairs.

IMG_3438

IMG_3445

Otherwise, when we weren’t playing in the machine shop, we hung around the fire barrel because evenings have been getting pretty cool.

IMG_3519

IMG_3533

IMG_3523

And here’s Steven & Cheryl’s Class-C pulling out yesterday (Thursday) to make the trip back to Casa Grande…

IMG_3536

We all said our sad farewells and ‘see-ya-laters’…

IMG_3545

IMG_3547

BTW – With regard to the bikes being stolen in Las Vegas (link HERE), I highly recommend Miller Insurance for all your full-timing insurance needs.  They came through on our claim and we’ll be getting a check to help us replace the bikes.  They covered the bikes up to $1000, but we’ll only get a $750 check since our deductible is $250.  I just hope our rates don’t go up as a result of the claim, we’ll have to wait and see… the agent I talked to didn’t think so, but you never know.

Stay tuned… our next post will be from the San Francisco area where we’ll visit with some more family…

Spending Halloween with Relatives (Westley, CA)

Happy Halloween everyone 🙂

It’s been a few days since my last post… we’ve been busy visiting with relatives here in Westley and Patterson, CA.

We left the Main Street Station RV Park around noon and drove straight through to my brother Ronald’s house in Westley, CA.  As I mentioned in my last post, we convoyed with my brother Steven, his girlfriend Cheryl, my mom, stepdad, and Aunt Kathy who joined us in Las Vegas in their Class-C from Casa Grande, AZ.

Screen Shot 2015-11-01 at 9.23.10 PM

We got here around 9:30 PM on Thursday and it’s been a virtual whirl-wind of activity since.  I have a lot of relatives here in the area from my Mother’s side of the family… some of which I haven’t seen since I was a pre-teen, and others; I got to meet for the first time.

IMG_0251

IMG_0250

Halloween was also the 90th birthday celebration for Grandpa John!

IMG_3470

Happy Birthday John! aka: Uncle; Grandpa; Great-Grandpa…

IMG_3484

IMG_0278

We all attended an awesome birthday celebration / BBQ at one of our distant relatives’ beautiful home in Patterson, CA.

IMG_3499

IMG_3485

Lots of fun! Lots of good food!  Lots of characters… some even dressed up a bit:

IMG_3468

IMG_3469

IMG_3466

IMG_3467

IMG_3474

IMG_3472

IMG_3471

IMG_3476

IMG_0163

Towards the end of the Halloween / Birthday Party; someone was even able to successfully herd everyone outside for a group photo:

IMG_0246

When we weren’t out at parties, dining out, or sitting around the yard with a barrel fire, some of the guys could be found in my brother Ronald’s machine shop.

IMG_0283

IMG_0291

IMG_0290

More good times to enjoy here in CA with close and not-so-close relatives 🙂  Stay tuned…  we might head over to San Jose and/or San Francisco in a few days after this.