Ron and I had been hired to repair a playground slide in the neighboring city of Lompoc. We didn't have other repairs in the area so this was originally going to be a quick overnight trip. Not worth towing Roamin again :-( Then I saw that Solvang was nearby :-) I booked a hotel right in the middle of town. They accept dogs so Rufus joined us on this outing.
Our first night there we arrived late in the day. We were still anxious to see the town in all it's Danish splendor. We took a midnight stroll through the neighboring streets. There was a bakery nearby that makes pastries from scratch. We knew we'd have to go there when they were open. The street cleaners were the only ones out, besides us.
The following day we made the necessary repairs returning late in the day. We decided another day to relax and stroll the town was a must! We went for pastries and saved them for the next morning. That was tough!
After lunch we walked down some of the streets. So pretty there. If you're in the area I highly recommend a stop.
Our son, Alex, and his wife, Kana, were in California recently. They stayed with friends nearby and we were able to share some fun times with them during their stay.
There is a nature park about 40 minutes away. It had been years since Alex was there. Kana really enjoys nature walks so it was the perfect place to spend an afternnon together.
Hidden Falls Regional Park boasts 30 miles of hiking/biking/equestrian trails, waterfalls, swimming, fishing and picnic areas. They now operate a parking reservation system because of popularity. On our midweek visit the system was not yet operational and the parking lot had less than one dozen cars. Score!
We walked to the first waterfall overlook. The water was flowing even though it was mid August. There was no trails leading to the fall itself but just downstream there was a nice spot were we could get our feet wet. We splashed in the water and clambered over rocks for nearly two hours before we decided to make our exit. Still have yet to see the rest of the 25+ miles of trails...
 |
| Kana, Alex, Ron, Rene' and Rufus |
 |
| everything is so green :-) |
Alex finally got to see and drive his '64 restored truck. It recently came back from the paint shop. He and Kana were pleased with how it's coming along. Planned projects for the truck include a spray-on bed liner, new seat upholstery, dash panel upgrades and carpet in the cab.
 |
| it took a master paint-tech |
 |
| new chrome for the front |
 |
| their smiles say a thousand thanks :-) |
Meanwhile Rainier now has a custom industrial shell installed. This makes it much easier for us work wise. We're able to park our truck near the work site, leave the generator and air compressor in the back and work away. We're glad we don't have to move it too much 'cause that new generator weighs A LOT!!
