Columbia trip reports
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This trip was to historic Columbia, California, in the Sierra foothills. This gold-rush town is preserved as it was during the 1800's as a 'living' museum and state park. This was an especially cool trip for kids.
We stayed at the Marble Quarry RV Park, which is shady and is located a short walk from town. This campground features electric and water hookups, toilets, and showers for $22.50 / night. Their phone number is 209.532.9539. The campground is located off highway 49 near the city of Sonora.
The culinary theme was 'food of California'.
Columbia Town & State Historic Park
Marble Quarry RV Park
(includes a map)
Directions from the Bay Area
The trip from San Jose or San Francisco is approximately 132 miles at an estimated time of just under 3 hours.
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Directions from Points South
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Well, Columbia was a nice weekend for myself and my two daughters!
Kudos to Coyote for his delightful Brussel's Sprouts and to Mike Baumann for his ingenious use of available electromotive force in the preparation of cold fruit-based beverages. Mackie Ernest made my weekend, though, via his dedication to my wife's blueberry muffins.
Columbia was nice -- we did the stagecoach thing -- remarkably reminiscent of my own journey there in the '67... We were robbed... and would you believe the cowboy waving the .45 in my face actually referred to me as "Funny Looking"???
One dichotomy occurs to me: An RV park is NOT a placid, back to nature place. It was fun, of course, but I have some issues regarding our exposure to more than the usual 'community' events such as the backing of those extra long trailers, water pumps, litter and the unfettered scrutiny of six-to-ten year-olds...
I GUESS THAT I AM A 'NATURE' GUY. Is that an oxymoron? Am I a moron?
Planned: The ultimate engineering assessment of Coyote's chair for reproduction at my garage shop. I want to make about five of them -- Gonna have to learn to work with wood, however.
The bird was amazing. I have never seen a parrot eat apple pie.
Next trip--My vote is Pismo or thereabouts. I may get my girlfriend to attend... She's copied on this memo.
You folks are terrific...what a pleasure it is to know you all. If anyone is reading this and contemplating joining the group for a weekend, you could not choose finer folks!
Gene Poole
Fresno
VW FOREVER--EVEN THOUGH MY SPEEDO CABLE BROKE...
After the serenity of the Florence Lake trip, where Betty and I traded in our two boys for 2 dogs, we decided that Columbia would be a kid fest trip. Now, how to avoid the toddler crankiness after a long road trip? Easy, our solution was to head out from Huntington Beach at 0200 Friday. This let Betty and the kids sleep until we got past Fresno, and let me drink way too much coffee while driving.
Despite the dire warnings of Malcolm, we opted to visit a little bit of the Mother Lode country, and headed out Route 41 / 49 from Fresno, accompanied with music from our "Chieftains" CD (PS : Irish flute and minor chord violins sound great when played loud on the cheap tinny OE Vanagon stereo speakers)
We stopped a few spots, and drove very slowly down and up and down the winding road around the canyon walls of the Merced River, arriving in Jamestown around 0930. We toured the Railtown 1897 museum (train runs only on weekends) and had our first of many ice cream cones that weekend. We were later to find out that all these touristy gold camp towns were chock full of ice cream and soda shops, much to the delight of Glenn (2yr) and Kevin (1yr). Of course the 90+ degree temperatures did it's part in melting those ice cream, and the kids ended up wearing more ice cream than they ate.
For you wordpower fans, let's describe it as:
mookey 1) n. a mookey state of being. 2) adj. sticky and dirty, as in kid + ice cream + dirt + heat.
We drove on through Sonora and Columbia to the Marble Quarry RV Park.
Now a word about RV parks : different.
The first thing we noticed was a rather prominent notice "NO FIRES" posted on just about every vertical piece of wood in the RV park. Betty had doubts as to weather this was the right place. I had to agree, a CCC camp without fire?? What would be next, virgin margaritas? Oddly enough, we have to report a yes answer on both counts. The sites were on level ground in two largish areas under shade from large oak trees. This section of the park was for car campers, and we had to share with a few of the ubiquitous Suburbans. We fared better here than in the Class A area of the park (red clay, close packed parking slots, and less shade) The kids did love the pool and playground, as well as the ability to run up to the office / store and get popsicles. After a restful afternoon the Pooles and Coyote showed up. I fired up the blender, and everyone enjoyed a relaxing evening with frosty fruity drinks. Due to a fortuitous change of plans, the Ernests also showed up Friday, just about 1/2 hour after we turned off the blender and went lights out.
Saturday started just a little later than usual for us, with the kids sleeping in till 0730! Gene offered up Espresso and homemade Muffins for everyone (Our thanks to Olivia). Later we all wandered in to Columbia, had a few sarsaparillas, floats, and ice cream cones while wandering around the town. One of the highlights for the kids was a stage coach ride, complete with a holdup just outside of town! Mackie wished he had his water gun to get that bad guy with, and Glenn just freaked (afterward he told us that the robber guy was "kinda mean"). In the mean time Coyote was walking Guinness around the town, and was the object of much attention from wandering females who all stopped and asked about his doggie. [Ed. note: When I said Guiness was a 'babe magnet' I wasn't just talking about females. - Coyote] (Of course we kept this from Spalding the parrot, since he is known to be just a bit jealous.) Later on the afternoon heat had everyone looking for cool and shade. Some went to the pool, some napped.
The dinner potluck was superb as always, even though we were overrun by vegetarians this time. Luckily, Coyote brought enough butter to drown the brussel sprouts and artichokes. Ahh, there is nothing that can't be improved with a lot of animal fat! Patti made a great chicken/chili/potato salad, the Pooles brought a most gigantic salad including baby corn, which was a real hit with the kids (as least as much as salad can be). Betty and I BBQ'd some chicken, and got some pies in town. Mix that with an ample amount of daiquiris and we had as pretty good feast. After dinner we took turns drooling at Coyote's Euro camping products catalog, and retired early.
Sunday we had another great breakfast thanks to the Pooles. We packed up, made a last visit into town, and headed out. The Ernests and ourselves stopped in Jamestown for the train ride. Pretty enjoyable 45 minute ride, it was actually kinda restful. After the train ride we headed south.
As the kids napped out, we took the Route 59/J59 back to Merced. Now I can see why Malcolm wanted to travel up that road, even though he was already up in the foothills. The road passed some very scenic vistas, streams, and reservoirs and the wide sweeping turns allowed us to push the 70's most of the way back. Definitely a first class traveling road. Too bad that it lasted just 60 miles. Just as we were finishing up my wife's "Les Miserables" sound track, and we were singing the songs of angry men, Route 99 appeared. The rest of the trip was as boring yet majestic as the SJ valley can be. Four and a half hours and one gas and burger stop later we were back in Huntington Beach, just in time for the sunset over the pacific (well, actually it sets over Wilmington, but that doesn't generate the right visual).
Once again our compliments to a fine group of folks for a good relaxing weekend. Next time, we are looking forward to having that mini TV/VCR for the kids (thanks to Russ), the astroturf carpet for under the awning (thanks to Coyote) and perhaps the charger, inverter, fridge fan, etc., etc.. - The Baumanns
PS : Next trip, I concur with the other Columbians to do the beach. I vote for Jalama near Lompoc but any central coast will do. Dates are a little shaky for us right now. Betty may have off Friday the 19th of Sep., but she is working overtime, and may not have any weekends off at all.
PS2: Russ, I have the trophy pictures of you Jeff and Tracy on Freemont Peak. Let me know if you want me to mail them.
PS3: I start the fall batches of home brew soon. With luck I can have some early beer by October, definitely by November.
Mike
Mike & Betty Baumann
+ Glenn + Kevin + Guinness aka "babe magnet"
90 Westy
Huntington Beach CA
