Subject: [Shop-talk] OT - California destinations

From: "Karl Vacek" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 10:33:19 -0500

Since so many list members live in California, this seems like a good group
to ask.

My wife and I are taking our first "real" vacation in 38 years of marriage.
We're flying to San Diego and driving to San Francisco, trying to see
everything we can in between.  Planning on taking the coast highway as much
as possible or advisable.  Shop content - we're renting a Mustang
convertible and that reminds me that I need to change the oil in mine ;-)

Any good automotive, aircraft, or generally interesting things that we
should include?  Events that would interest shop and car and airplane fans
between June 5 and 16?

Thanks for your indulgence!  Please reply off-list

Karl 
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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 18:41:56 +0000 (UTC)

Hearst Castle, on the Pacific Coast Highway in San Simeon, just a ways north of San Luis Obispo.  Have a burger made from cattle raised right there on the property.  Take the bus ride up the mountain to "The Ranch".
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier/3967578507/in/set-72157622574405912/
through
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier/3968362526/in/set-72157622574405912

If you go further north than San Francisco, the Chandelier Tree in Leggett is a coast redwood you can drive your car through.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier/3955216888/in/set-72157622574405912

Japanese Garden in San Francisco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier/3958570814/in/set-72157622574405912

Blackhawk car collection in Danville, in the East Bay area.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier/3961190563/in/set-72157622574405912

The Sandbar & Grill, on the Monterey Municipal dock.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier/3999263543/in/set-72157622574405912/

Seven Gable Bed & Breakfast in Pacific Grove (Monterey)
Phil Ethier West Side Saint Paul Minnesota USA
1973 Triumph Stag LE22439UBW "uncle jack", Sapphire Blue
2004 Suburban 8.1, Sport Red, the only automatic of the bunch
2005 Lotus Elise, Bordeaux Red Pearl
2007 Saturn Ion 3 2.4, Berry Red
pethier [at] comcast [dot] net
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier
http://www.triumphtransamerica.org.uk
http://www.mnautox.com

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Karl Vacek" <[email-masked]>
> To: [email-masked]
> Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2012 10:33:19 AM
> Subject: [Shop-talk] OT - California destinations
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]

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From: Doug Braun <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 15:12:38 -0400

I took my kids to CA over spring break a couple of years ago, and we drove
from SF to Yosemite.
On the way, in the middle of the Central Valley, I saw a sign for the
Castle Air Museum, which I had never heard of.
We stopped by, and saw all sorts of amazing airplanes on display, including
a B-36 Peacemaker bomber,
which I've wanted to see for many years.  It was an unplanned but wonderful
diversion.

 http://www.castleairmuseum.org/

Doug

On Thu, May 17, 2012 at 11:33 AM, Karl Vacek <[email-masked]> wrote:

> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]

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From: Bob Spidell <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:39 +0000 (UTC)

Well, I've only lived in CA for 59 years (since birth) but I'll chime in anyway. 

The Coast Route--Hwy 1--is nice, but for me the ocean gets old after a couple hundred miles. One of my favorite drives--which includes twistys like in the Alps--is Hwy 33 NE off 1 through Ojai (a scenic town in its own right) up to Hwy 166 west back to the coast. Narrow, but good mountain 2-lane that ends in some open prairie and oil/cattle country. 

North of Monterey, try Hwy 46 east to Cholame--where James Dean was killed--then go north towards Parkfield/Coalinga (I was born in Coalinga). Turn west again on Hwy 198 and, if it's not too late in the season, pass some well-known wildflower spots. Take Hwy 25 north and stop at Pinnacles National Park and you're likely to see some condors. Hwy 25 is pretty scenic until Hollister, then you could hop back over to the coast for San Gregorio, Half Moon Bay, etc. then up to SF to cross the bridge (hopefully, you don't have to ask 'which bridge?'). 

There's 'Planes of Fame' in Chino--which supplies a lot of stuff for the movies--but I don't know if it's open to the public or not. 

Bob 

-------------------------------- 
Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA 

----- Original Message -----

Karl 

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From: Michael Burdick <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 19:19:20 -0400

My dad just went to the Mullin museum in LA and said it was great.
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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 22:20:56 -0700

If you're going past San Simeon (Hearst Castle), be sure to stop at the
Piedra Blancas beach just north of there and see the colony of elephant
seals.  I don't think you'll see any mature males this time of year, but the
females and pups are impressive enough.
http://goo.gl/3XOUE

The Petersen automotive museum in West LA (founded by the same Robert
Petersen that published Hot Rod magazine, Motor Trend, Motor Life and
CARtoons) is worth a visit, IMO.
http://www.petersen.org/

If you have time and are so inclined, walk up Wilshire Blvd a few blocks
from there and see the La Brea tar pits.
http://goo.gl/m20Rf
There is a museum next door that exhibits many of the fossils that have been
dug from the tar; but the pits are more interesting to me.  Although they
have been faked up a bit (the mammoths in the pit aren't real <g>), that is
still natural petroleum and gas bubbling up out of the ground.

-- Randall  

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From: nick brearley <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 08:39:43 +0100

Hi Karl,

Can't claim any California roots but have enjoyed many holidays there 
over the years. A few suggestions:

La Brea Tar Pits in LA are interesting, nothing automotive but pretty 
unique natural history stuff.

NASA JPL in Pasadena do guided tours, book via website. For an 
Englishman it was very good, for an American I imagine you'd be 
interested to see how your tax dollars are spent.

Mulholland Drive LA is a great scenic drive. At the western end there's 
an interesting cold war radar site.

Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo are worth visiting. Solvang in between 
is a faux Danish town but nicely done. Go to Firestone Winery near Los 
Olivos to see how a winery can be done if you don't have to rely on wine 
profits to build it.

Morro Bay or Cambria make good stopping places on the route north, handy 
for Hearst Castle. Bar the power station Morro Bay is a nice little town.

Coastal drive in Monterey is good.

+1 on Castle Air Museum but it's some way inland on I99. A great road 
for Big Ag.

Marin County and Point Reyes just over the bridge from SF are very scenic.

Wondered about a Mustang convertible for our next trip, I'd be 
interested to hear how you get on with fitting your luggage in the trunk.

Good luck.

Nick Brearley

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From: Mike Rambour <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 08:04:12 -0700

> unique natural history stuff.

   LOTS of automotive stuff  next to La Brea Tar Pits, its only a short 
block from the Peterson Museum, we ususally park at Peterson and then 
walk to La Brea, its not even a full block away.

> interested to hear how you get on with fitting your luggage in the trunk.

  How much luggage do you have ? wife and I can go for 2 week road trips 
in my S2000 with lots of left over luggage space and the Mustang has 
enough luggage room for ... uh...lets just says it has enough for a few 
months worth of luggage.
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From: Fred Katz <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 21:42:07 -0700

Jack Mendenhall Museum of Gasoline Pumps
in Buellton, near Santa Barbara, is a must see. Lots of vintage gas pumps, and
old signage. It's a private museum and you have to make reservations. Car
clubs often have displays of their vintage cars at the museum - again, by
reservation. Buellton is like three minutes from Solvang. Solvang is a Danish
settlement with lots of great eateries and Danish treats.

Fred -
Sent from my iPad

> Thanks for your indulgence!  Please reply off-list
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]
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From: Eric Murray <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 May 2012 12:55:25 -0700

HIghway 1 is usually full of tourists on the weekend.  Expect slow and 
erratic driving.  It's not bad if you're checking out the scenery but if 
you want to enjoy a nice twisty road it can be frustrating.

There's a nice moderate sized motorcycle museum in Solvang:  
http://www.motosolvang.com/

I found it by accident when I was there for a bicycle ride.  My wife and 
I spent a couple hours there after the ride.

Pretty much anywhere you go on the coast will be interesting.   I've 
lived here for 50 years and I'm still finding new stuff.

Eric

On 05/18/2012 09:42 PM, Fred Katz wrote:
> On May 17, 2012, at 8:33 AM, "Karl Vacek"<[email-masked]>  wrote:
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]

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