Phyxius and I are heading out to Cali first week of Dec for a photog vacation... I grew up in Mountain View many years ago and have not been back for a long time...

We are thinking of staying here
Mountain View California Hotel - Hotel Zico CA (http://www.hotelzico.com/index.asp)

Does anyone have any ideas on some quaint little places to stay? And/or ideas for photography? We are planning on hitting Napa Valley, some sites in San Fran, Santa Cruz, and I would love to take a drive up Moody road again...

I remember Palo Alto and Los Altos as small towns... :whistle:

Phyxius and I are heading out to Cali first week of Dec for a photog vacation... I grew up in Mountain View many years ago and have not been back for a long time...

We are thinking of staying here
Mountain View California Hotel - Hotel Zico CA (http://www.hotelzico.com/index.asp)

Does anyone have any ideas on some quaint little places to stay? And/or ideas for photography? We are planning on hitting Napa Valley, some sites in San Fran, Santa Cruz, and I would love to take a drive up Moody road again...

I remember Palo Alto and Los Altos as small towns... :whistle:

When I was young and we lived in San Jose, I really like the Foot Hill Mountains. I don't know about this time of year though.

Wait for RoseRed, I bet she has some good ideas.

Phyxius and I are heading out to Cali first week of Dec for a photog vacation... I grew up in Mountain View many years ago and have not been back for a long time...

We are thinking of staying here
Mountain View California Hotel - Hotel Zico CA (http://www.hotelzico.com/index.asp)

Does anyone have any ideas on some quaint little places to stay? And/or ideas for photography? We are planning on hitting Napa Valley, some sites in San Fran, Santa Cruz, and I would love to take a drive up Moody road again...

I remember Palo Alto and Los Altos as small towns... :whistle:



Pm Unixpirate....

Not sure about access, but the Federal Airfield right there, Moffett Field, and historic Hangar One would make for some great photos. Also, if your heading up SF way, just north of the GG Bridge, theres some old abandoned Nike missile sites.

Phyxius and I are heading out to Cali first week of Dec for a photog vacation... I grew up in Mountain View many years ago and have not been back for a long time...

We are thinking of staying here
Mountain View California Hotel - Hotel Zico CA (http://www.hotelzico.com/index.asp)

Does anyone have any ideas on some quaint little places to stay? And/or ideas for photography? We are planning on hitting Napa Valley, some sites in San Fran, Santa Cruz, and I would love to take a drive up Moody road again...

I remember Palo Alto and Los Altos as small towns... :whistle:

Take me with you! :howdy:

Phyxius and I are heading out to Cali first week of Dec for a photog vacation... I grew up in Mountain View many years ago and have not been back for a long time...

We are thinking of staying here
Mountain View California Hotel - Hotel Zico CA (http://www.hotelzico.com/index.asp)

Does anyone have any ideas on some quaint little places to stay? And/or ideas for photography? We are planning on hitting Napa Valley, some sites in San Fran, Santa Cruz, and I would love to take a drive up Moody road again...

I remember Palo Alto and Los Altos as small towns... :whistle:

Make sure you go to Fresno, you haven't experienced the best coast until you have spent some time in the armpit :lol:

Phyxius and I are heading out to Cali first week of Dec for a photog vacation... I grew up in Mountain View many years ago and have not been back for a long time...

We are thinking of staying here
Mountain View California Hotel - Hotel Zico CA (http://www.hotelzico.com/index.asp)

Does anyone have any ideas on some quaint little places to stay? And/or ideas for photography? We are planning on hitting Napa Valley, some sites in San Fran, Santa Cruz, and I would love to take a drive up Moody road again...

I remember Palo Alto and Los Altos as small towns... :whistle:

I have a really cool cousin that lives close to San Fransico. She's a horse woman also. If you want her phone number let me know. She has good contacts too, used to work for a movie studio and managed a country club. Some day, after all my kids are in college my best friend and I are going to drive cross country and see all the sights. We will definitely look her up when in CA.

Garrod Farms Garrod Farms Stables - Horse Boarding in San Jose, Horseback Riding in San Francisco Bay Area, Horse Rental San Francisco Bay Area, Horse Rental San Jose, Horseback Riding Lessons San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose Horse Stables (http://www.garrodfarms.com/index.html?=contact.html)

Big Basin state Park Welcome to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Big.Basin.org (http://www.bigbasin.org/)

Fort Point Fort Point National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (http://www.nps.gov/fopo/)

Pescadero State Beach Pescadero SB (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=522)

Highway 9 California's Highway 9 (http://www.daytripping.com/hiway9/hiway9.html)

Shadowbrook Shadowbrook Restaurant -- A Special Occasion Since 1947 -- Capitola, CA Santa Cruz County (http://www.shadowbrook-capitola.com/)

Mountain View, California Attractions - Attraction reviews by Dan Pulcrano (http://www.mountainview.net/attractions/)

Sarah William Winchester Mystery House || Birthday Parties San Jose || House Spirits San Jose || Winchester Mystery House San Jose Ghost || Winchestermysteryhouse.com (http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/)

You can always go see Santa in the Box at Rancho Shopping Center in Los Altos. :lol:

Not sure about access, but the Federal Airfield right there, Moffett Field, and historic Hangar One would make for some great photos. Also, if your heading up SF way, just north of the GG Bridge, theres some old abandoned Nike missile sites.

:howdy: Thanks for the suggestions! I grew up at Moffett Field (11 years) when it was a Navy Base... I've seen Hangar One too many times to count and got in way too much trouble growing up there... :killingme:killingme
I was there when they first started up the big ass Wind Tunnel. Plus, I think NASA Ames owns it now and it is a secure site. :yay:

:howdy: Thanks for the suggestions! I grew up at Moffett Field (11 years) when it was a Navy Base... I've seen Hangar One too many times to count and got in way too much trouble growing up there... :killingme:killingme
I was there when they first started up the big ass Wind Tunnel. Plus, I think NASA Ames owns it now and it is a secure site. :yay:

What years were you there and where did you live?

Take me with you! :howdy:
:howdy: Well come on along!!

Garrod Farms Garrod Farms Stables - Horse Boarding in San Jose, Horseback Riding in San Francisco Bay Area, Horse Rental San Francisco Bay Area, Horse Rental San Jose, Horseback Riding Lessons San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose Horse Stables (http://www.garrodfarms.com/index.html?=contact.html)

Big Basin state Park Welcome to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Big.Basin.org (http://www.bigbasin.org/)

Fort Point Fort Point National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (http://www.nps.gov/fopo/)

Pescadero State Beach Pescadero SB (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=522)

Highway 9 California's Highway 9 (http://www.daytripping.com/hiway9/hiway9.html)

Shadowbrook Shadowbrook Restaurant -- A Special Occasion Since 1947 -- Capitola, CA Santa Cruz County (http://www.shadowbrook-capitola.com/)

Mountain View, California Attractions - Attraction reviews by Dan Pulcrano (http://www.mountainview.net/attractions/)

Sarah William Winchester Mystery House || Birthday Parties San Jose || House Spirits San Jose || Winchester Mystery House San Jose Ghost || Winchestermysteryhouse.com (http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/)

You can always go see Santa in the Box at Rancho Shopping Center in Los Altos. :lol:

I completely forgot about Winchester Mystery House!!! I think it was under renovation and never got inside. :buddies:

I also couldn't remember the name of Big Basin! I knew it was Big something but couldn't remember. If I remember correctly and the trees haven't all fallen down, don't they have the HUGE redwood trees where the base is hollowed out and people can drive cars through? Or you used to be able to do that? It's been so long, that could have been Mendocino.

Looking at the link I can't believe I FORGOT about the banana slugs!!! :killingme I'm going to have to get Phyx to try one... :killingme

Make sure you go to Fresno, you haven't experienced the best coast until you have spent some time in the armpit :lol:

Don't be draggin down Fresno. I was raised there when it used to be nothing but fig orchards and party places. Mom is still there. I hate it now.

:howdy: Well come on along!!

I completely forgot about Winchester Mystery House!!! I think it was under renovation and never got inside. :buddies:

I also couldn't remember the name of Big Basin! I knew it was Big something but couldn't remember. If I remember correctly and the trees haven't all fallen down, don't they have the HUGE redwood trees where the base is hollowed out and people can drive cars through? Or you used to be able to do that? It's been so long, that could have been Mendocino.

Looking at the link I can't believe I FORGOT about the banana slugs!!! :killingme I'm going to have to get Phyx to try one... :killingme

I grew up in the Bay Area and have never been to Winchester Mystery House myself. I had never been to Alcatraz until I went home for a visit in 1994 and my then-fiance wanted to go. :lol:

The drive thru tree is in Leggett (?), up near Mendocino. I went to that back in the 80's when I went on the Redwood Run.

I grew up in the Bay Area and have never been to Winchester Mystery House myself. I had never been to Alcatraz until I went home for a visit in 1994 and my then-fiance wanted to go. :lol:

The drive thru tree is in Leggett (?), up near Mendocino. I went to that back in the 80's when I went on the Redwood Run.

RR, what is the name of that hotel with all the different styled rooms? Somewhere between SF and Santa Cruz, I think......?

RR, what is the name of that hotel with all the different styled rooms? Somewhere between SF and Santa Cruz, I think......?

Madonna Inn Madonna Inn - San Luis Obispo, California (http://www.madonnainn.com/)

Madonna Inn Madonna Inn - San Luis Obispo, California (http://www.madonnainn.com/)

:clap: I want to spend a week there in 7 different rooms. I love that place. Thanks for the memories. :huggy:

:clap: I want to spend a week there in 7 different rooms. I love that place. Thanks for the memories. :huggy:

We stopped in there once with my Dad when we were kids. We had to look at the gilded men's room. :lol:

We stopped in there once with my Dad when we were kids. We had to look at the gilded men's room. :lol:

Stopped in there once, probably in 77. They were cleaning the rooms so we got to look at a bunch of them. I still remember that. I was with an ex, who has since passed, but I always wanted to go back there. Not far from my mom's, so I could do it.....

Stopped in there once, probably in 77. They were cleaning the rooms so we got to look at a bunch of them. I still remember that. I was with an ex, who has since passed, but I always wanted to go back there. Not far from my mom's, so I could do it.....

Road trip!

Road trip!

:clap: My mom would LOVE you! She pretty much doesn't like anyone, but she'd approve of you. A weekend at Marilyn's, then off to the coast, then a few days back at Marilyn's, then home we come. I could so do that.

Crap. She just sent me a birthday card with a personal note that says "I love you more than you know." It made me cry. I'm not sure I'm up for a trip there yet.... haven't seen her since my dad died.

:clap: My mom would LOVE you! She pretty much doesn't like anyone, but she'd approve of you. A weekend at Marilyn's, then off to the coast, then a few days back at Marilyn's, then home we come. I could so do that.

Crap. She just sent me a birthday card with a personal note that says "I love you more than you know." It made me cry. I'm not sure I'm up for a trip there yet.... haven't seen her since my dad died.

She doesn't know me :evil:

She doesn't know me :evil:

Oh, you would soooooo win her over......I love your mom more than mine. :lol:

Off to bed.

To the original poster: Sawry for getting it off topic. Fisherman's Wharf in SF is awesome.....as is most of S.F.

I grew up in the Bay Area and have never been to Winchester Mystery House myself. I had never been to Alcatraz until I went home for a visit in 1994 and my then-fiance wanted to go. :lol:

The drive thru tree is in Leggett (?), up near Mendocino. I went to that back in the 80's when I went on the Redwood Run.

I left in 84.. but what I remember from the early 80's and late 70's being young, we went on camping trips every other weekend up to Mendocino or to the Delta. My lasting memories from Mendocino were my older sister getting a 4 pronged fishing hook stuck in her two fingers and having to drive 2 hours to a hospital.
And the best was my mom riding her dirt bike (we all had dirt bikes) one last time around the trail. She plastered herself on the trail that "one last time" and it was mayhem...

I never felt a need to go back to Alcatraz.. :whistle:

I left in 84.. but what I remember from the early 80's and late 70's being young, we went on camping trips every other weekend up to Mendocino or to the Delta. My lasting memories from Mendocino were my older sister getting a 4 pronged fishing hook stuck in her two fingers and having to drive 2 hours to a hospital.
And the best was my mom riding her dirt bike (we all had dirt bikes) one last time around the trail. She plastered herself on the trail that "one last time" and it was mayhem...

I never felt a need to go to Alcatraz.. :whistle:

I went boat camping with my BFF in summer of 1977. Spent a week in Manteca, back when the water slide was new, then a week at Lake Oroville and two weeks at Clear Lake.

'79 to '82 I lived just off the coast and up the mountain at Point Arena, loved that area. They sure grow big plants out that way. :whistle:

I left in 84.. but what I remember from the early 80's and late 70's being young, we went on camping trips every other weekend up to Mendocino or to the Delta. My lasting memories from Mendocino were my older sister getting a 4 pronged fishing hook stuck in her two fingers and having to drive 2 hours to a hospital.
And the best was my mom riding her dirt bike (we all had dirt bikes) one last time around the trail. She plastered herself on the trail that "one last time" and it was mayhem...

I never felt a need to go to Alcatraz.. :whistle:

Oh, that reminds me, theres an ORV Rec park, or was, I was there from 84-90 stationed on base. Hollister Hills ORV Park. Might be some good photography to be had out there. They had "toys for trucks", like a huge see-saw you would drive on, to see if you could balance your vehicle on the center, a tank trap full of old tractor tires, and a whole section of trail that had been landscaped to mimic some of the famous Rubicon Trail. Some pics from a forum that google found for me.

Might not still be there, but there was a microbrewery in downtown Mountain View, the vessels were all stainless and might make for some good shots.

Pictures from Hollister Hills ORV park - CustomTacos.com Forum (http://www.customtacos.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78304)