Author: Easin' Along

Without any guilt or regret, I am happy to tell anyone that we have done very little at Point Mugu (pron: Moo-Goo) except relax and enjoy the beauty around us. We have been in this campground for a little over two weeks and have spent our days reading, walking the beach, and enjoying some fine meals.

Point Mugu Campground is located on a Naval Air Station about 15 miles from Oxnard, CA, at the base of the Santa Monica mountains. We camped here in 2017 during our first attempt at RV travel in a rented motorhome. Things have changed little in the years after that. Our fifth-wheel trailer is on the front row overlooking the beach and less than 100 yards from the water’s edge. We saved the best beach camping for last.

I have made a few exceptions to my sedentary lifestyle, including spending time with three new camera lenses and a new camera while walking the shoreline. During the recent full moon, the tides have caused the waves to crash heavily on the rocks along the beach, and I tried my hand at catching a few at fast shutter speeds (1/1000 sec and higher). The picture below represents one attempt.

I don’t have the patience to be a good bird photographer—I leave that to my bloggy friends, Ingrid and Terri—but gulls and pelicans make good models, so I occasionally shoot in their direction. The gull pictured below flew across my view one lovely afternoon.

One day last week, we broke up our routine and drove about 30 miles south along the coast to Malibu, CA. We walked the Malibu Pier and stopped for lunch at Neptune’s Net. I had Fish & Chips (just okay), and Helen had Fish Tacos that she said were delicious. We drove back to Mugu on a divine weather day.

Our big event was visiting the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA. We made the short drive in less than thirty minutes. Simi Valley is a charming town, with the Reagan Library nestled into a lovely neighborhood with little traffic or commercial properties.

The library is an enormous tribute to President Reagan and his term of office. Each room featured video presentations of momentous events of the Reagan Presidency and his battle against his adversaries during the Cold War. Separate rooms featured his life as an actor and his terms as governor of California. The most notable presentations to me were the videos of Reagan as a speaker. In contrast to the Nixon Library, which I found extremely interesting, the Reagan Library was genuinely uplifting. President Reagan had a gift that few have.

We resumed the usual routine at Point Mugu–reading, relaxing, and walking Mortimer. Next week, we will meet our kids and grandkids in El Capitan, near Santa Barbara, for a family get-together. Justin and family will drive up from Redondo Beach to camp next to us. After spending several weeks in Jackson, WY, Collin and family will drive over and set up shop in a cabin adjacent to the campground. We’re so excited to have everyone together–it doesn’t happen often enough.

We will miss Point Mugu. I’ll leave you with a sunset that explains why. See you in El Capitan, we’re Easin’ Along.

Unlike Tennessee, no buffer exists between cities and towns on the Southern California Coast. One town runs into another in an endless string of charming landscapes and lovely homes overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Where Seal Beach, California, ends going north, Long Beach, California, begins. Helen and I decided to cross the line and visit Long Beach on a delightful Sunday Morning. Our reward was a fabulous Farmer’s Market with fresh vegetables, fruit, and meat offerings for two people who love to eat.

Heavy shopping

The marketplace was abuzz with food shoppers, tourists, and locals out for a stroll in the crisp morning air. After walking through the long line of stands, we walked away with a bag of delicious-looking fresh tomatoes, several ears of corn, fresh asparagus, and two thick, organically grown pork chops. Helen spotted a heavy line of shoppers waiting to pick up tamales as we left. We got in the line, and after 30 minutes, we walked out with six. Be assured they were worth the wait. We also saw a miniature Mortimer walking through the crowd. It was a fun-filled experience.

At our son’s recommendation, the following day, we drove to Huntington Beach, California, another in the string of towns, to walk the Huntington Beach Pier (picture at top). We have tried to visit as many piers along the coast as possible, and I plan to write a “Pier Review” later, but this pier is an example of several of the better ones. The pier crosses over a strand filled with walkers, bikers, and others out for exercise before crossing an extensive beach. It was a busy day in Huntington Beach.

In the years we have traveled to California, I have always intended to visit In-N-Out Burger but have yet to make it. On this trip, Helen and I decided the best way to make it happen was to ask our grandchildren to take us. They agreed. Carter loves In-N-Out Burger and usually has two orders of French Fries to accompany his burger—he orders them “Animal Style,” which includes grilled onions and a special sauce or “spread.” He only ordered one serving on this trip. Helen followed his lead and let Carter finish her fries. Abby ordered an “Animal Style” Grilled Cheese and Animal Fries. Big Daddy (that be me) ordered a “Double-Double” combo. Finally, we accomplished our In-N-Out mission and had a grand time. Thanks, kids!

Before we left the Seal Beach area, we wanted to visit the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California, about 20 miles from the campground. We arrived around 11:00 a.m. and found only a few parking spaces available. We received a warm welcome from the volunteer staff and were directed to a small theater, where we watched a short film about Nixon and his presidency.

I was a college student when Richard Nixon was elected President and a young Army Officer serving in Germany during his second term. I admired his visit to China and watched his downfall with sadness. The library visit put much of his presidency’s history into context, and I’m happy we went. My personal opinion of the man is that he was brilliant, hard-working, and politically astute. Richard Nixon was also complex, untrusting, and very insecure–traits that led to his undoing.

To the credit of the library founders, every aspect of the President’s term was covered fairly. The accomplishments covered the walls and were displayed prominently on movie screens throughout the library. The last room on the tour was devoted entirely to the Watergate coverup. I was somewhat of a Watergate Junkie during the 1970s and followed the details from the break-in to the impeachment hearings. Every detail of the sordid affair was covered accurately in the library’s recounting. I’m glad we went, and I recommend a visit to all.

We had a fabulous time in Seal Beach, but after 16 days, it was time to Ease Along. Our next stop is Point Mugu, California, and I hope you’ll join us there. I’ll be the big guy in the big beach chair…

My apologies to my friends back east because it’s not fair. After driving across the country in temperatures of 100° or higher, we have spent the last month in fantastic weather. After leaving El Centro, CA, where the daytime temperatures soared above 110°, we arrived in San Diego and enjoyed 75° weather daily and 65° at night. I’m happy to report that those enviable conditions have remained unchanged for the last month.

We are now camping at the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach, CA, about 20 miles south of where our son lives with his family in Redondo Beach. Although we are not on the beach during this stay, we are within a mile of it, and the breeze from the Pacific keeps us very comfortable.

Justin, Wendy, and the kids joined us last weekend in the campground. Justin is allowed to keep his camper in the storage facility at Seal Beach, so he pulled it from the lot and parked it next to Helen and me for two days. They also brought Honey, a sweet Golden Retriever, and Todd, a tiny long-haired daschund. Mortimer was delighted to have playmates.

Helen finally persuaded Carter to play Pickleball with her on the road beside our campsite. He was a good sport about it and hit the ball well. When he put down his paddle, he hit the Volleyball with Abby. Volleyball is his preferred sport. Abby, Helen, and Justin spent the evening immersed in a jigsaw puzzle.

The next day, Justin rented a Paddleboard, and we all drove to Mother’s Beach in nearby Long Beach, CA. Seemingly, half the county had the same idea, so the crowd was enormous. Abby and Carter walked down the beach and away from the crowd to find a launch site for the Paddleboard. Wendy also grabbed a ride. The family drove home on Sunday, but only after we made plans for the Fourth.

Cheryl, Wendy’s Mom, hosted an annual Fourth of July gathering and invited Helen and me to join her around her pool and sample some great food. We joined in and had a great time with some extended family members. Abby was out with her friends at a block party. Justin operated the grill. The salads and dessert were extraordinary. I ate so much that I wished for a nap, but we had to return to Seal Beach, and I toughed it out.

At the campground, fireworks explode around us, creating noise resembling a war zone. Fireworks in Seal Beach are a no-no, but apparently, they are allowed in Long Beach and some neighboring cities around us. Most of the visible rockets were within a mile of us. I tried to capture a few on camera. The pictures below are the best I could come up with.

On Friday, Helen and I went for a walk on the Seal Beach pier along with many locals who had Friday off. We parked in the quaint section of town near the pier and window-shopped as we made our way to our destination. The open-air restaurants and bars were doing a landslide business. I noted a few for a visit later in the week. Some of the Mexican restaurants looked inviting.

Sunbathers covered most of the beach, and several surfers sat on their boards, eager for the next “big one.” The sun, out in full, made for a lovely day, but the breeze was cool enough to keep me out of the water–I suppose Californians are used to it, but most surfers were wearing wetsuits. After meeting our daily step-count goal, Helen and I returned to the campground.

Walking along the pier, Helen noticed a banner carried above the beach by a small airplane. Reacting to the banner, Helen said, “You won’t see many like that in Tennessee!”

By now, readers have probably noticed that we’re enjoying life at the speed of an aging turtle. It’s true, and it’s nothing like our usual lifestyle that hums from one event to another. (I’ve read three books so far, mainly during the day, something I rarely do). Don’t feel for us–we’re enjoying ourselves immensely. We came to California to spend time with our family and enjoy the downtime when they were not with us. We are blessed to have that opportunity. We have four more weeks in this cool California air and more time planned for family gatherings. Please stay with us.

I’m Easin’ Along now–it’s time for a nap. Where’s my blanket?