Tag Archives: Pismo Dunes

1/25/2019 A Stint in SoCal

Posted on by

We left Coarsegold and headed back toward the ocean. Our first stop was at the Oceano Elks Lodge. The Elks are located basically at the gate to the Pismo/Oceano Dunes. We could not have asked for a better location, having the ability to access the beach either by Jeep or by foot. We were able to let Woody take us on a long beach walk, as well as Jeanne getting her opportunity to stretch her 4-wheelin’ wings at the Dunes. We also enjoyed a couple Kentucky Mules while taking in one of Kalifornia’s classic sunsets. After a quick couple of days it was southbound and down.

Our home at Oceano Elks. 
Oceano Elks Lodge.
Welcome to Pismo/Oceano Dunes.
Traffic jam on the beach. 
Better hope the tide don’t come crashing in.
Not quite surfin’ waves…
Jeanne, the 4-wheel Queen at the dunes. 
A view over to Pismo Beach.
With that sand cliff, now you’re REALLY hoping the tide don’t come crashing in! 
Mules at sunset. Ahhhhhhhh!
End of the day… 

A mere 3 hours drive south brought us to the Simi Valley Elks Lodge for a few more days stay while we visited Ronald Reagan’s Presidential Library. That puts us down to 4 more libraries left for us to visit; Herbert Hoover, FDR, Harry Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower’s. So far, in our humble opinion, Reagan’s library is the nicest we’ve been to. Unfortunately, they do not allow flash photography inside the facility, so most of my pix turned out to be crap.

Simi Valley Elks Lodge. 
Our home at Simi Valley. 
In the trees and mountains, but still got satellite reception!
Welcome to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. 
Me and the big guy… 
They did a pretty cool holographic presentation recreating a speech off the back of the Ferdinand Magellan, the Presidential train.
The teleprompter display lets you stand at the podium and see how speeches are done. 
Reagan’s Oval Office recreated.
Reagan’s Air Force One at it’s final resting hangar. 
Some of the gifts received, saddles and belt buckles.
Reagan’s letter to America where he informs them of his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. 
Part of the Berlin Wall display.
An actual piece of the Berlin Wall stands outside the building.
The specialty exhibit while we were there was of the Pompeii destruction by Mt. Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 A.D. 
There were several castings of some of the victims of the volcano. 
Ronald & Nancy Reagan’s final resting places on the grounds of his library.
Outside view of the library. 
Some more of the grounds…
The library sits on a hill with great views of the surrounding valley and mountains.
More of the grounds…

Hell, since we were in the heart of the beast, we just HAD to cruise over to Santa Monica and the Pier. We let Woody take us on a walk along the boardwalk down to Venice Beach and back to the pier, viewing all the freakazoids on parade. 

Welcome to the Santa Monica Pier.
A shot down the Santa Monica Pier.
The carousel on the pier. Not real busy on this weekday…
The end of the line, for Route 66!
Funtime at the pier… 
From the end of the pier looking back.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull overseeing the sunbathers… 
Looking down onto the beach from the pier.
World famous Muscle Beach at Venice Beach.
Woody leading us on a stroll along Venice Beach. 

Our last big outing we left Woodrow Wilson in charge of the bus and we went to Malibu to cruise that pier. On our way back we just HAD to inspect a couple of the local breweries; Figueroa Mountain Brewery and Ladyface Alehouse Companie. At Figueroa I tried their Stagecoach Stout and their 8th Anniversary Barleywine, both OK but not outstanding. At Ladyface they had Picture City Porter, Trois Filles Tripel (Belgian Tripel), and Dreamer-9th Anniversary Ale (a Barleywine). The porter was again, OK, but none were outstanding.

The pier… 
The end of the pier…
A look down the beach from Malibu Pier. 
Hippy wagon set up on Malibu Pier. Get your CBD stuff here!
One lone soldier…
Inside Figueroa…
Inside Ladyface… 
Figueroa Mountain Brewery.

In all of our walking around and driving around Simi Valley, I never knew the area to be big time involved in the movie studio business, but found out it is. And the Elks Lodge is located just a few miles from the old Spahn Ranch, former home/hideout of Charles Manson and his gang of miscreants. Spahn Movie Ranch has been absorbed by the Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park, and its website said it was shut down for damage clean up and whatnot. Cest la vie…

Front gate to Allied Studios.
More sets…
I’ll step way out on a limb and guess the ambulances are props. Just a guess…
Set walls at Allied Studios.

Well, this is the way I like my posts, short and sweet. We’re back on the road again tomorrow…Until next post…