Memorial Day Weekend we rented a cabin in Pioneer, California, which is in Amador County. During the weekend we made trips to various spots, including the Black Chasm cave in Volcano, Sly Lake Park near my grandfather’s old place in Mount Aukum, Lake Camanche and Big Trees Park in Calaveras County, Sutter Creek and the casino in Jackson, CA. Here are all of the videos from the trip:
Joe’s introduction to cabin rental.
Big Trees Park, Calaveras County
Sutter Creek, CA
Shando’s walk with the dogs near cabin in Pioneer, CA.
Driving back from Palm Springs we decided to take the scenic route via 101, but even more so by trying to stick close to the ocean on Highway 1/PCH through the Morro Bay/Vandenberg Air Force Base area. The clouds were out most of the way, but it was still kind of cool to see a part of the route between San Francisco and Los Angeles that I’ve never seen. We did stop for a bit at Stern’s Wharf in Santa Barbara, and we took some footage as we were leaving Palm Springs itself, before reaching “the 10.”
We had a good time enjoying the consistently 90-degree-plus weather for a long weekend. It was my first time flying into the PS airport. My good friend George, with the two schipperkes pictured below, let us borrow his car and I crashed at his lovely home one night while Shando was still at his work retreat. George, Shando, and I are pictured in a booth at Lulu’s Restaurant. Lucille Ball made an appearance in our album, too.
I certainly never saw these parts of Manhattan before and I regret that I didn’t get to explore it even more. My friends live nearby on Cabrini Blvd., so I usually stay with them there and should be able to check out the cloisters and such again in the future.
I have a long history with the Twin Towers going back to the late 1970’s when they were only a few years old. I have footage of them from my apartment window on Governor’s Island elsewhere on this site in color back then. I was there in NYC when the towers fell and interviewing for a job on the 76th floor of one of them a few weeks before September 11. I document that on this site in great detail as well. I happened to be at this event just as the last few windows were being put on the Freedom Tower and the museum was open for the survivors and first responders. A friend of mine actually got tickets for immediately after but it didn’t work out for my schedule. The thought of him suggesting that I go with him was very touching, though, as I don’t get back to NYC all that often these days.
Much has changed on Christopher Street since I moved away from NYC, but I still have a ton of nostalgia for this area which was so formative in my coming out process. I still feel a sense of strong envy for those who live in such a dynamic area and in the amazing buildings that will survive centuries more than they already have. Fortunately the streets were closed for a vendor fair when I waltzed down and took this video with my friend Steve.
Alex, Jesus and I (with the Yorkies) went to see Rose, Sara Rose, Erick and Kristal. I also got to see a few of my friends from years ago — Garrison Singer and Brian Holland.
