Day tripping from Monte Rio.........Santa Rosa..........Peanuts and the "Greatest Fair on Earth"

Snoopy carefully guarding the entrance to the Charles Shulz Museum and Research Center

 Monte Rio is ideally located for day tripping.  There are multiple options in every direction.  Drive a few miles west and you're on the coast.  There are great choices driving both north and south along the Pacific Coast Highway (California 1).  Inland there are numerous towns and cities with plenty to keep you entertained.  If wine is your thing, Sonoma County boasts over 425 wineries!  All of these options are within an easy, scenic, although winding drive of Monte Rio.   

One of our first day trips after settling in was to Santa Rosa, which is just over a thirty-minute drive inland.  For this adventure we met Sarah and James (Emma was in school) at the Charles Shulz Museum and Research Center.  If you're not familiar with the name, you're most likely familiar with some of the loveable characters he created.  Shulz was the creator of the Peanuts comic strip and introduced us to Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and of course Snoopy.  There were about 10 main characters that appeared throughout the years and about the same number of characters who appeared less frequently. 

Shulz, who passed away in 2000 had been a resident of Santa Rosa since 1969.  The museum opened two years after his death and is the home to many of the original Peanuts comic strips.  There is a theater that features short films about his life and the Peanuts comic strip. There is also a display of his office/studio, as well as both permanent and rotating exhibitions about his work.

This is a 22 foot tall mural inside the museum.  It's made up of over 3,500 comic strips.  I'll bet if it was live action that Lucy would move the football at the last second.

Shulz's office/studio has been recreated using all the original furniture.

James trying to figure out what Charlie Brown and Woodstock are building.

Admission to the museum was very affordable.  The current admission prices are Adults $12, Seniors $8, Youth (4-18) $5.  The museum easily lived up to its high rating and we enjoyed spending a couple of hours roaming the two floors and outside grounds, as well as walking through the adjacent ice-skating rink. 

Shulz's nickname was "Sparky" and the early editions of the cartoon ran under the name of Sparky's Li'l Folks. The first publication of the comic strip as "Peanuts" was in October of 1950.  In his lifetime Shulz produced a total of 17,897 Peanuts comic strips (15,391 daily strips and 2,506 Sunday strips), that appeared in over 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries and translated into 21 languages.  Interestingly, the last original Peanuts comic strip was published on February 13, 2000, just hours after his death.

Sarah admiring James's skills.......maybe we have a future cartoonist on our hands.

He quickly reached the conclusion that I was hopeless!

The museum is a great tribute to both the man and the beloved characters that he created, and is well worth visiting.

Our second Santa Rosa adventure came a few days later, while Beth and I were keeping James and Emma for a few days.  It also proved to be a great day.

We had read about the Sonoma County Fair, which billed itself as "The Greatest Fair on Earth".  We also learned that on the first Monday of the fair that admission was $1 if you brought 3 cans of food, which would be donated to the local food bank.  There was no way that we were going to miss something with such a lofty billing and such a low admission price.

Getting into the spirit of the "Greatest Fair on Earth"!

We carefully planned our day in advance to make the best use of our time and certainly not miss any of the many feature attractions.  The fairgrounds were laid out in a manner that made it easy to navigate, and although it was busy, it wasn't overcrowded.  We marveled at Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel, motorcycle daredevils, juggling clowns and much more.  We kept cool with dipping dots and sno-cones.  But the highlights of the day were the "audience participation" activities that James and Emma participated in throughout our visit.  They battled with rock em' sock em' robots, spun plates on sticks while standing on one foot, and marched in the daily afternoon parade around the fairgrounds.  James was really on a roll.  He took home first place in both the bubble gum blowing and screaming contests.  Emma was so proud of his accomplishments!

Dippin Dots..........just one of many things that put smiles on their faces!

James in an intense battle of Rock em' Sock em' Robots!

Emma battling hard!

A proud warrior......with a ribbon and animal crackers as a reward for her effort.

Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel had James, Emma and the rest of the audience spellbound! 

It was an impressively loud and shrill scream.  The judges face speaks for itself.  

High level talent and on one leg!

Ready for the parade!

By the time we made our way towards the exit, we had spent several more hours than we anticipated.  We had been entertained with wholesome family fun that kept us smiling and laughing the whole day.  It just may have been "The Greatest Fair on Earth" after all!

Heading for the exit after a great day at the Sonoma County Fair!

    

Monte Rio, California

 

Greetings from our cabin in the redwoods of Monte Rio!

Since leaving Florida on July 23, we've made the small village of Monte Rio, California our home.  Once again, Beth out did herself and found us an amazing Airbnb that we're really enjoying.  Monte Rio is about an hour and a half north of San Fracisco.  It's located along the Russian River in Sonoma County, on what would be considered the western edge of the California wine region.  Just over 1,000 residents live amongst the redwood trees in this amazing setting.  

Walking the neighborhood in the shade of the redwoods

When we're at the house you can usually find us in the beautiful backyard

We knew the house came with a pet.  Chloe is an "outside cat" that's letting us share the yard with her.  We've never been "cat people", but Chloe may be changing our minds a bit.

James and Emma love visiting MiMi and Pop's vacation home.........and Chloe!

Monte Rio

We're about fifteen minutes from the rocky shoreline of the Pacific Ocean.  However, there are big changes that take place in that fifteen-minute drive.  The redwoods give way to hilly grasslands where cattle are grazing with a million-dollar view of the crashing waves of the Pacific.  The temperature also changes dramatically.  We hoped for cooler weather, and cooler weather is mostly what we're getting here in Monte Rio.  The morning lows are in the low/mid-fifties and daytime highs are in the seventies to mid-eighties.  Where we are staying is similar to most of the houses in the area and doesn't have air conditioning.  The house is well shaded so even on the hottest days it's not too bad. However, if we want cooler temperatures we simply have to head to the coast.  The temperature drops about a degree per minute on the drive.  As I am writing this blog, the weather channel is showing the Monte Rio temperature as 78 and the coastal temperature just a few miles away is 62.  Along the coast at this time of the year there is frequently some fog, which only adds to the ambience.  This region is a good example of California's "microclimates".

There was no fog on our first visit to the coast............

.......the view was a little different on our next two visits!

I'm not really sure of where it originated, but Monte Rio often bills itself as "Vacation Wonderland".  If outdoor activities are your thing it's hard to disagree with that tag line.  The coast is nearby, there's an abundance of hiking and biking trails and swimming, tubing, canoeing and fishing on the Russian River as it passes by on its way to emptying into the ocean.

Monte Rio Beach on the Russian River.  At this time of year there is more "beach" than "river".........

however, there is still enough water that Captain James was able to navigate the small rapid with Emma as his passenger.  We didn't have time to take too many pictures, we had to chase them down!

Bridge over the river in Monte Rio

It may be a small town, but it has its own theater.  It shows both old and new movies.  One show per night, several nights a week.

If you like golf, you're in for a real treat.  There is a nine-hole golf course, which just happens to be about a 3-minute walk from where we are staying.  It's not just any old nine-hole course.  It's Northwood Golf Club and it's spectacular.  It was designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie, who also designed Cypress Point and Augusta National Golf Club.  The nine holes are laid out among the towering native redwoods, and it is consistently recognized as one of America's Top Nine Hole Golf Courses.  We enjoy walking by it daily and often hear the unmistakable sound of a golf ball colliding with a tree......in this case, not just any tree, but some of the largest on the planet!  My game is pretty much nonexistent these days, and given the number of trees on Northwood, I think I'll just enjoy being a spectator. 

Northwood Golf Club.  The pro shop is on the left and there is also a restaurant overlooking the first tee. 

Northwood Golf Club

Although small, once a year Monte Rio plays host to some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful men.  They gather at an ultra-secure campground known as the Bohemian Grove for two weeks of...............well, who knows what!  It's rumored to be guarded by former military and super secretive as well.  According to historians, it started as an annual gathering of musicians, artists and journalists.  Soon after its formation, they began to accept businessmen, entrepreneurs, and politicians (Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr. and Colin Powell were all members).  The gatherings are held every year in July, so it was likely going on when we arrived and according to Google Maps, the campground isn't far from where we're staying.  We heard nothing and saw nothing other than a private helicopter buzzing overhead one day.  One other thing, it's a "male only" club.  Women can be "honorary members", but as far as full membership goes, it's still "Men Only".  Google "Bohemian Grove" and see what comes up, it's pretty interesting!

There are a number of interesting places to visit nearby.  But those will be for another blog.  Afterall, I don't want to work too hard while I'm here in the Vacation Wonderland of Monte Rio!

Day tripping around Florida.............Dunedin.......for a very special occasion

 

Dunedin's Main Street ends at the marina.  We were happy not only because we were celebrating our 42 year anniversary, but also because the next stop was the ice cream shop!

A commonly used phrase is "time flies when you're having fun".  It certainly seems to ring true most of the time, and it certainly was true for us on July 17.  On that day we celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary..........."time flies when you're having fun".

To celebrate we planned a one-night getaway to Dunedin, which is just a little over an hour's drive from Bradenton.  We had made a brief stop in Dunedin a few years back on our way to Tarpon Springs and were really impressed.  It seems like we aren't the only ones impressed with this coastal town of 36,000 residents.  It is frequently listed as one of the best small towns, not only in Florida but in the United States.  After our one-night stay and exploring around a bit, we certainly are in agreement with the high praise that the city receives.

Dunedin Visitors Guide

We had a Marriott Rewards Certificate that was nearing its expiration date and were fortunate to find The Fenway Hotel had availability.  The Fenway is a historic hotel, located along the tree lined Edgewater Drive overlooking Clearwater Harbor and Caladesi Island State Park.  The hotel opened in 1927 and operated as a "seasonal hotel" until 1961 when it started welcoming guests year-round.  In addition to serving as a hotel, it also housed Pinellas Counties first radio station (WGHB).  The walls in the  public spaces are tastefully decorated with historic photographs and musical memorabilia as a tribute to its past.

The Fenway

The Fenway

Prior to our arrival I had called to let them know we were celebrating our anniversary.  Upon arrival the front desk attendant wished us a Happy Anniversary and informed us that our room had been upgraded to a harbor view room.  When we opened the door to the room, we were welcomed with a huge charcuterie board with assorted meats, cheeses and olives and a bottle of chilled champagne.  We had already started talking about where we were going to eat lunch, but the question was answered for us.

We really appreciated the surprise the hotel gave us for our anniversary!

After lunch and a little relaxation, it was time to head out and do a some exploring.  We had learned that the top ranked Florida State Park was located just a few miles north of Dunedin.  Ironically, the name of the park is Honeymoon Island State Park.  Naturally since we were celebrating 42 years of honeymooning, we had to go.

Honeymoon Island State Park

The park features over four miles of unspoiled beach front.  Because there had been some showers in the area earlier in the day, the park was relatively empty.  The clouds kept the temperature and the humidity fairly low, and we enjoyed a slow stroll for several miles up the beach before turning back.  We finished off the day with a casual dinner at Frenchy's Outpost which is located on the Dunedin Causeway, followed by a casual stroll along the very nice Main Street which was fairly busy with a mix of tourists and locals.

Frenchy's Outpost

We pretty much had the beach to ourselves...........

.......in both directions!

Downtown Dunedin is full of shops and restaurants…..and a few umbrellas!

Sunset across Clearwater Harbor (taken from the hotel)

The next morning, we were up and out of the hotel early.  First we enjoyed a walk along the waterfront path, enjoying views of the harbor as well as the well-maintained homes along Edgewater Drive.  I'm not sure how far the path goes, but before we turned around we were in Clearwater.  We then took advantage of the complimentary bikes offered by the hotel (one free hour, then $10/hour).  Just a few blocks behind the hotel is the Pinellas Trail.  This trail is over forty miles in length running from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs.  Of course we didn't ride the full trail, but we did enjoy several miles of it before turning back.

The Pinellas Trail runs through Dunedin.  It's a great biking, running and walking path!

It was getting close to check out time and we had worked up a decent appetite by then.  We enjoyed strolling through the downtown once again, spending some time in a really nice co-op art gallery that featured local artist and the Penny Lane Beatles Museum (currently located inside the art gallery).  The Beatles museum is a private collection of a local physician.  It had been recommended to us by one of Beth's cousins (Thanks Kristy, it was great).   On our way out of town we stopped at a small family operated restaurant (Delco's Original Steaks) that had received great reviews.  Their specialty was "authentic" Philly cheesesteaks. The restaurant was bustling even though it was still a little before noon.  In spite of being pretty busy they were amazingly efficient and in no time we were munching on a delicious cheesesteak sandwich that was every bit as good as ones we've gotten in Philly.  Based on the Phillies, Eagles and Flyers memorabilia covering the walls from floor to ceiling there's a strong Philidelphia connection.........

Delco's Original Steaks

We loved our one night stay in Dunedin and look forward to visiting again soon.  It's the perfect place for a weekend getaway or to celebrate a special occasion!   

Day tripping around Florida...........The Ringling Museum, Sarasota

The Ringling Museum.......a masterpiece just a few miles down the road!

I'll have to admit that I'm a little embarrassed to be posting this blog just now.  We've spent so much time out here on Anna Maria Island over the years and until last week we had never visited the Sarasota Ringling Museum, which is just eighteen miles down the road from us.  I'm not sure what took us so long to get there, but we're sure glad that we finally made it!

The Ringling Museum

John Ringling was one of five brothers who organized and took their first circus on the road in 1884.  The circus was an instant success and grew rapidly from its inception.  John was considered the most business savvy of the five brothers and diversified his portfolio beyond the circus to include railroads and real estate.  In 1905, at the age of 39 he married Mable Burton (age 30).  The Ringling's never had children but were passionate about entertaining family and friends as well as collecting top of the line furniture and artwork from around the world.

In 1911 they purchased 20 waterfront acres in Sarasota, which at the time was a small fishing village.  The Ringling's saw the potential for development of the area and soon built their large home on the property.  While building the house they also decided to build an art museum that they would leave behind as part of their legacy.  Additionally, they made the decision to move the winter home of the circus from Connecticut to Sarasota.  Both of these decisions were considered key in the early development and continued growth of Sarasota.

There's plenty to see and do on the grounds of the museum.  In fact, we found so much to do on the day of our first visit that we went back the next day.  Of course, there was a reason for the double visits and naturally it had to do with savings!

On Mondays there is free admission (called Legacy Day) to the large and very interesting art museum.  The collections on display include ancient Indian sculptures, masterpiece paintings, photography, modern art and much more.  We enjoyed spending a couple of hours roaming the 21 connected galleries as well as the glass pavilion showcase.  Access to the very impressive grounds is also included in the free admission.  We didn't spend too much time roaming the grounds which are covered with huge Banyon Trees because of the heat.  We've already made plans to return once cooler temperatures arrive and enjoy a picnic at one of the many tables scattered around the grounds. We had left our phones (cameras) in the car so there aren't any pictures from the art museum or grounds that we took.  There are plenty of photos of both in the link. 

What is not included in the Legacy Day is admission to the Ringling's Mansion (Ca'd'Zan Mansion), or the Circus Museums.  What caught our eye was the "Summer Circus Spectacular" which runs several days a week through mid-August.  This event is a one-hour circus which featured five traditional circus acts for $20 and admission to the Circus Museums for an additional $5.  We had so much fun in the Art Museum, we couldn't pass up the opportunity for more fun and adventure, so we purchased circus tickets for the next day............and we're sure glad we did.

The circus was very entertaining, but the star of the show was the two circus museums which were outstanding.  They featured interactive displays and memorabilia from Ringling Brothers and other circuses that traveled the country performing, first under the big top, and then in large arenas.  Most impressive was learning the logistics of setting up, tearing down and transporting the circus from town to town, especially when we learned that in most cases the typical length of time in any town was one day!  There is also a massive display of wooden figures that were carved and painted by hand showing how it all worked. There are over 42,000 pieces in the 3,800 square foot display. It's so large and detailed that pictures don't do it justice.

The circus is held in a small theater that seats approximately 200.  The majority of the audience at the performance we attended were day camp children.  They brought plenty of enthusiasm with them which made it even more fun. 

Just a very small part of the 42,000 piece model circus display.  It's the world's largest and it's amazing!

Maybe I missed my calling.............

Maybe Beth missed her calling as well.

Lou Jacobs was a famous clown in the Ringling Brothers Circus.  He could somehow fit himself into this car and drive it into the arena.

The traveling ticket office that was used when the circus was performing under the "big top"

John and Mable Ringling's private rail car that would travel with the circus from town to town.  There were two bedrooms, a parlor, two bathrooms (one with a bathtub), a kitchen and dining area.

One of several circus wagons that were used both during performances as well as for parades that were held to announce the circus had come to town.

It took us a long time to get to the Ringling Museum, rest assured it won't take us as long to get back!

      

Summertime Florida fun with family and friends.............

The time we have to all be together is rare, but it's always super special

 Since returning from Athens in early June we've been in Florida.  As is always the case at this time of year it's a bit on the hot and humid side, but it's also a special time of year for us because it means time with family and friends.

For two special weeks around the 4th of July the annual Beach House gathering of Beth's family takes place here on Anna Maria Island.  Her family has roots on the island that go back to at least 1911.  As I understand it, that's when a family member purchased a piece of property on the island.  Shortly thereafter the tradition of summertime on the island started, and it's been going strong now for close to a century.

Generations change over the years, but the legacy that was started, not only remains, but is going strong and really growing at a rapid rate.  This year at the peak of the two-week reunion there were well over 100 family members on the island enjoying the sand, surf and fellowship. When I say the numbers are growing at a rapid rate, I'm not kidding.  This year we made an attempt to get a head count on the number of kiddo's thirteen and under and as best as we could determine there were about 30, and the majority of those were under five years of age!  It's nice to know that the legacy and tradition of Beach House is being passed on to the younger generation, just as it has been passed down through the years.

This is about 2/3's of the Beach House group.........an amazing tradition!

Beth and I felt exceptionally fortunate because for a few glorious days we had Ben, Sarah, James and Emma with us (we missed you, Joey!).  Ben's time was limited to just two days, since it's one of the busiest times of the year at the campground.  We're grateful for those two days and the fact that they overlapped with the six days that Sarah, James and Emma were with us.  James and Emma loved spending time with their cousins (no matter how distant the relationship is, everybody at Beach House is an aunt, uncle or cousin).  They also had a blast eating popsicles in the pool, waging nerf gun battles and visiting with NaNa.

A pose that's been recreated many times through the years!

In addition to Beach House, I had the opportunity to get together with my brother Gerald for a couple of meals, one of which Beth joined us.  Unlike Beth's family, my family is small, but the love for each other is the same.  We get to see each other a few times a year and just like Beach House, the time together is always fantastic.

It's always fun to get together with Gerald, especially when there is fresh seafood.  This is at the Tide Table in Cortez.  Our favorites are Tide Table (Cortez), Star Fish Company (Cortez), Anna Maria Oyster Bar (Bridge Street Location) and Woody's River Roo (Ellenton).  

We'll be leaving the island in a few days and heading out to California.  We have an Airbnb rented for the month in the small. eclectic town of Monte Rio.  We're looking forward to the cooler temperatures near the Pacific coast and under the redwoods, and of course spending time with Sarah, Joey, James and Emma.  

Before leaving there was one final big event.  This one is a little hard to believe.  Next year will mark the 50th year since I graduated from that academic powerhouse known as Mulberry High School.  The class ahead of mine (Class of 74) held their 50th class reunion last night.  Mulberry was a wonderful place to grow up and the high school, like the town itself is rather small. Everybody pretty much knew each other, not only at school but around the town.   It was kind of the Class of 74 to open up their reunion to the other MHS alumni to attend.  It was a blast getting to see so many friends from the past, many that I haven't seen in 50 years.  One strange thing about it..............they all look older now!

MHS Class of 74.........we appreciated their hospitality!

MHS Class of 72

A few of us were there from the classes of 75 & 76

Still Standing after all these years!

It's been a wonderful six weeks here...............the adventure continues!