The Early Season Vacation

As appears to have become my custom, I took a week vacation in April. I didn't have anything in particular in mind when scheduling the time, but knew I'd find something. From a couple of years ago, my younger son had enjoyed the trip to Ventura, with the shot up to Solvang, so that's what we did for the first couple of days!!!

Once we got there, and checked into our lodging (also the same as last time, once again per my son's endorsement), we headed over to the restaurant we'd been past while walking around the harbor where they'd had the live music last time. I had called before we went, to see if they'd have a band during our time there. As I thought, nope, it's a weekend thing.

The place is called Margarita Villa (see what they did there???), and it's upstairs, with an indoor area, and outdoor patios to the front and back. We popped in, and the inside was pretty loud and echo-y, bad acoustics, so we opted to eat outside. Turns out, they're refurbishing the back patio where we'd heard the music last time, and for now when they do have the live band, they are inside. I can't imagine.

After we ate, the boy and I crossed the street to the beach, to check it out. I think the tide was out, and it had made a pretty dramatic, over 3 foot, drop off in the sand near the shore!!!

While we were walking along, we came across some shark or ray egg cases!!! (At least, I'm fairly sure that's what these were!!!)

We walked down a bit, to the breakwater area.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same area as where we had walked last time, and there were two rock jettys not far apart, which looked to have been designed to make a surfing area!!!

There were a lot of surfers out there. The surf wasn't huge, but it was OK, and better there than on the open beach. It was overcast most of the time we were in Ventura.

As we came back, and there was a shot of the calm harbor.

They added the new “I ♥ The Sea” illuminated selfie sign.

Last time we were there, the fire pit wasn't going, but it was this time!!! If we had been waiting long, it would have been a good place to hang out. Or, if we were sitting, listening to the live music, like last time!!!

The next day, we managed to get going in time to make it up to Solvang early enough to get in on the æbleskivers. First thing we did was find a place and get some.

They had an æbleskiver pan for their doorstop!!!

Afterwards, we wandered around, bought souvenirs and took in the sights. My son wanted to grow some tulips, and we were looking around for some, or some bulbs. We didn't find any, but we were near the visitors center, and they suggested going to the Ace Hardware, not far over, and checking there. They had them, and a bit after we got back, we picked up a couple of box planters and soil, and they're in there. Perhaps an update, if they come up. There seems to be a local critter that'll dig 'em up!!!

When my wife was talking to my mom prior to the trip, my mom told her about an ostrich farm in the area. I looked it up, and it was just a little past the main tourist area in Solvang, and an actual alternate way to get back to the 101 to head back!!!

We stopped in, and got bowls of ostrich chow, and fed those bad boys!!!

We didn't stay there that long at all, but it was something different, and pretty fun and cool!!!

Mid-week, the boy had a dentist's appointment that had been rescheduled twice already, with my wife's surgery and recovery, so we headed back for that, and a little breather in between.

The next day, the boy and I went to Knott's Berry Farm!!! They are having the Boysenberry Festival, but we didn't get in on any of that. It's been a while since I've been there, and there was a new coaster, Hang Time, that I've been wanting to go on.

It wasn't busy at all when we arrived, right after it opened, and we headed over and got on with almost no wait!!! It features a 95° first drop, and it takes you to the top of the hill, and holds you where you can't see the track for a few seconds, then drops you, and goes through several inversions. Great coaster!!! Oh, and there was my current Pokemon GO buddy, an Eevee with a flower crown, that I evolved into a Sylveon once he was to best buddy level.

We went on it twice, then the Coast Rider in the same area. One of the best there, the Accelerator, was closed, as was the classic log ride, and the entire Fiesta Village area. Got on the Silver Bullet and Ghost Rider before the lines started getting long.

We were in line for the Pony Express, and it broke down, so we crossed over to Calico River Rapids, formerly Bigfoot Rapids, which had probably the longest line of any ride we went on. I got fairly soaked, and the boy got slightly damp.

Went on Knott's Beary Tales, which has been redone yet again, and is a jelly-shooter 3D ride now, it was pretty low-key fun. Other low-key classics we went on were the Calico mine train, on the back side of the log ride mountain, and the train.

The train was changed up for the off season, instead of the steam locomotive with several cars, they had swapped in “The Galloping Goose”, an engine with the front end that looks like it's from a vintage car, followed by a single passenger car. Indeed, they said it's powered by a Cummings 4 cylinder diesel.

The last day, we went out for lunch to a sushi place that we've been frequenting, along with my son's friend. We got some ice cream afterwards, and then went to the movies.

We went to see Dungeons and Dragons, it was pretty good!!!

Let's Try That Again...

Once again, back from vacation with many a picture and many a tale!!!

This vacation, due to the financial constraints imposed by the sewer repair from earlier this year, is something of a revisit of two years ago's vacation where everything broke!!! This year came out somewhat better than the last one, but there were a few rough patches along the way this year, too.

The first couple of shots here I'm thinking of entering in my works second photo contest. I entered a couple shots in the first one, and didn't prevail with either. To be fair, there were a LOT of great shots entered!!! The first shot is of Descanso beach, where you go to start the zip line tour. Yeah, we did that again this year, on the first day we were there!!! The price has gone up, but they've improved the course with automatic braking at the end of the runs. They've added night runs, and that was (kinda) what we got. It was actually a twilight run, which could have gone until it was full dark, but the tour we were on only had two other people besides our group. Only had to have our headlights on for the last line. The younger is heavy enough to go on his own now!!! The second shot is from the top floor of the Casino building.

We went paddle boarding & kayaking around the harbor the next day (or the day after??? It's all a blur)... after we'd gone parasailing!!! Another that the younger had wanted to do, but chickened out on last time. He made it this time, though, and thoroughly enjoyed it!!!

A couple of new things we got to do this time were the inland tour (on a 1953 Flxable bus!!!) that made it to the far side of the island with a stop at the Catalina airport, the Airport in the Sky, and the behind the scenes tour of the Casino. Both were very cool, and both could get a post of their own. See if that happens!!! First time I've ever been inside the Casino, even though I've been to the island probably a dozen or more times since I was a kid!!!

I'd meant to put a shot or two of the Airport in the Sky... still could, but if I don't maybe I'll get to doing a post about that trip!!! There's the bus...

And there's a group shot from on the bus!!!

What about those rough patches??? They were both due to online travel sites, or at least so it seems. First one came on the day we arrived in Catalina. We caught the shuttle van up to the hotel, same one we'd stayed at last time, and went to check in. The desk clerk checks, and lo and behold, no reservation!!! She looks a bit further, and finds it... three days later, the day we were supposed to check out!!! Of course, there's no available rooms of the class we'd reserved. The desk clerk was awesome, and it took about 45 minutes and four hang ups on the phone from Expedia, but finally they got them to fax over an overwrite, and they put us up in an open room... the executive suite!!! Awesome room!!! It has a separate master bedroom, full kitchen, huge bathroom with a two person whirlpool tub and a giant shower stall, and two balconies on either side!!! EPIC!!! Better than our home, but a bit smaller. If I win the lottery, I'm moving in there for a few weeks straight!!!

The second came back on the mainland. To avoid any vehicular mishaps, a la last time, I had a rental car reserved. Headed over to pick it up, and, surprise, no reservation!!! Furthermore, no, we don't even have any cars, so you're out of luck!!! This was in Long Beach, so I headed over to my parents house to use their computer and retrieve the reservation information. Half an hour on the phone with Hotwire (much of it on hold) and they finally connect me to Budget rental company: "Oh, I see you've got a reservation with us... yes, we have that and we have your car waiting for you..." Funny how now they do... Needless to say, I'm not much impressed by either of these companies. From this point on, I called ahead on every reservation to verify.

There's the minor outline of the island portion of our vacation, as well as the worser parts. Back on the mainland we hit several parks, but none of them for a full day. We did a night in Buena Park, with an afternoon and evening at Knott's Berry Farm, then the next morning Knott's Soak City water park. Down to Carlsbad (same resort as two years back) and a morning at the Lego water park (which you have to go through the Legoland park to get to) then left for lunch with the thought of returning to Legoland for the afternoon-evening. Both boys were tired out and stayed back, but mom and I had to return to retrieve our stuff from the locker, as well as go on the Dragon coaster and check out Miniland some. The next day we went to Legoland some more, then down to San Diego. We went to Boomers mini golf & fun zone that evening, where we rode the go-carts several times, did the batting cages, rode the world's weakest bumper boats (but with a cool built in water cannon) and played 18 holes. Our last full day we headed off to Sea World until around 2 or so. I know there's a lot more I could tell about, but we'll save that for another post!!!