It happens once a year at the Orange County Fairgrounds, and this year, the festival organizers have graciously scheduled the event after Lag B’Omer and before Shavous. They may not realize it, but that is what they did. So on Sunday, May 24, 2009 you will have your chance to see hundreds of kilt-clad men participating in the “caber toss” and “putting the stone” (or throwing telephone polls and cannonballs, as my husband says) and playing bagpipes and drums.

You may be saying to yourself right now, “but I’m not up on the latest log throwing techniques, and I don’t think I like bagpipe music. Plus, I’m not Scottish.” It doesn’t matter. This is a really wonderful day. To see thousands of people gathered for good, clean, fun on a clear and fine day in Orange County—well, I think it will make you smile.

In one large field are the various athletic competitions where men attempt to throw heavy items as far as they can, and in a large tent near the entrance is the highland dance competition. Even though the competition consists of girls grouped by age, performing the same dance to the same music over and over, my daughter insisted I watch it with her at length. These girls are quite serious and have obviously practiced a lot. Plus, their dresses are nice.

Meanwhile, my husband was out perusing the different booths. There are stands for the usual fairground chatchkes, but then there are also vendors selling all sorts of things from the British Isles like cable knit sweaters, kilts, handmade jewelry, and linens. Sometimes, at fairs, it seems that food is the biggest feature, and consequently, there is not much of interest to us, but that is not the case at the Scottish Festival, and we were not the only ones to eat bag lunches on the grass while watching the games.

There was also a sheep herding demonstration in the main arena with border collies showing you how it’s done by herding real sheep into a pen. On the outskirts of the fairgrounds kids can enjoy slides, a moon bounce, and even archery.

But the highlight of the games is the pipe band competition. To me, there is something thrilling about a band of bagpipers playing an ancient folk tune from the Scottish highlands. And, after watching all the teams in their matching kilts, marching together and playing, just pipes and drums and nothing else, I had a greater appreciation for it. During the competitions, the judges, in kilts and dress jackets, stand very close to the participants and study them carefully. After a while, we were able to tell who the judges liked by how they kept time with the drums. Some of the more skilled drummers not only play their drums very strictly, but add flourishes while they are playing, tossing and spinning their drumsticks between the beats.

It’s neat to see many of the men in the complete traditional outfit, which includes thick knitted socks, shoes that tie around the ankles, and even the “sgian dhu”, the black knife worn tucked into the sock. Meanwhile, all the announcements over the speaker systems are done by men with thick Scottish brogues, and there are booths with information about the different clans and what their clan tartan (plaid) is.

I’m not sure how else to put this, but it is refreshing to see a bunch of our fellow Californians, boys and girls, men and women, participating in good, clean fun, spending their extra-curricular activity time practicing an interesting skill, while carefully attired in kilts. There were more than a few yidden at the festival last year. I hope to see the whole Los Angeles contingent of our tribe there this year!

Notes:

Sunday May 24, 2009: Scottish Festival, Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA, www.scotsfest.com, $18 for adults, $3 for children (5-12) Extra fee for parking.

California poppies, those bright and simple flowers that happily appear at the first sign of spring, cover the fields and rolling meadows of Antelope Valley at the California Poppy Reserve. The California poppy was declared the state flower in 1903, hence the reason it has become a ubiquitous image in California, like the California Grizzly Bear (but not so much, though, the official California state marine fish, the garibaldi, which is also orange, by the way, as everyone who has visited the Roundhouse Aquarium knows (see Kosher Road Trip, Nov. 2007.)) The poppy is curiously delicate, yet hearty, as you will find if you pick some (which you absolutely cannot do at the reserve), and its brilliant orange sits opposite mesmerizing sky blue on the color wheel. Standing amongst the poppies on a clear day is electric.

The late March day we went to the poppy fields it was breathtaking, and really, really cold. It wasn’t nearly as cold at home as it was in the fields, so consequently, we did not come prepared with winter coats and gloves. A biting wind was blowing, which was truly invigorating, but my first thought was “must—tell—people—to wear—coats—brrr…” I reminded myself that in New England people would be wearing summer clothes in this weather, and we forged ahead, up hills and through dancing fields of wildflowers, orange, purple and yellow, taking pictures and just enjoying the beauty.

I had actually been wanting to see the poppy fields for a few years, but the reserve website kept saying ‘it’s not so great, the poppies are kind of shvach.’ And then finally, last year, the website said it was a good year for poppies, so we went. But guess what? The folks at the reserve are calling this year’s conditions the ‘perfect storm’ for poppies. That means the rain and snow fall has been good and so the poppies should be out in full force; just make sure to check the website or the poppy hotline to find out when the best time of the season will be.

When you see all the flowers and the vast expanse with a horizon so broad you can see the curve of the earth, remember that this is the Mohave desert and that with all of man’s sprinkler system technology, these green fields are dependent upon the rain…“Who fashioned a channel for the torrent, or a path for thunder clouds, that it may rain upon a land without man, and in a wilderness in which there is no person, to sate desolation and wasteland, to make vegetation sprout forth?” (Iyov 38:25)

And yes, they have an “Interpretive Center” with the standard attractions: gift shop—check, taxidermied wildlife—check, old fashioned style informational video—check. We appreciated the center for the opportunity to warm up a bit before braving the cold again. I’m joking; it wasn’t that cold. My daughter strongly recommends earmuffs, though.

So this year is shaping up to be great for poppies, and for all those of you who have considered going to the reserve but thought it would be too big a road trip, take note: it’s an easy drive from the 5 N. to the 14 into Lancaster and takes about an hour and a half. Your GPS or Google maps will tell you to take the 5 to the 138 because it’s shorter, but I’m recommending the 14 because it’s faster and easier, although not as pretty. Also, for people wondering about accessibility at the reserve, they do have a paved pathway around the main loop through the poppies, so I hope everyone really tries to get out there this year to catch a glimpse of these beautiful flowers that bloom for a very brief period of the spring.

Notes:

The Reserve is located 15 miles west of Lancaster at 15101 Lancaster Road.
Poppy Reserve Wildflower Hotline (661) 724-1180, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=627

Park is open sunrise to sunset.
Interpretive Center open beginning March 14:
Weekdays 10 AM - 4 PM
Sundays 9 AM - 5 PM

parking: $5 per vehicle

With Jewish Life Magazine now entering its fourth year of publication, B”H, it hasn’t escaped my attention that I’ve written about a lot of railroad museums in California (and there’s at least ten more I haven’t been to—yet.) So, it was kind of intriguing when I was taking the kids to the Cabrillo Aquarium in San Pedro one day and I saw a sign along the highway that said, “Lomita Railroad Museum.” After driving around trying to find it myself with no luck, we went to the aquarium, but I was determined to locate that mystery museum someday.

The fact that I’d never heard of this museum before was already an indication to me that it was probably kind of tiny, but then, small museums can be fascinating and house nearly priceless items you wouldn’t expect to find in such remote locales. The Lomita Railroad Museum is a very, very small museum, with only a few train cars on the premises. Housed in a replica of a Wakefield, Massachusetts train depot, the museum has a very modest collection of railway treasures like dishes used on the dining cars and conductors’ pins. The best part was being able to walk around in an old caboose and also stand in front of all the knobs and levers in the engine. This was satisfying even to those who can barely say the word “train” (but say it repeatedly.) You could have a picnic lunch there if you like—it’s a nice little neighborhood—and then head off to another activity perhaps.

We got back on the 110 Harbor Freeway and took it right through downtown and then to the 5 North to visit the “Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum” in Griffith Park. You wouldn’t guess from the name that this museum is really something of an amusement park that only offers rides on miniature trains. Or would you? The passenger cars are those padded seats you straddle, but the engine and the caboose look pretty authentic and they run on little train tracks. Sure there’s lots of places that offer little train rides, but this one is surprisingly long. It keeps going and going—into the woods and under tunnels, and past tiny gold mining towns and old west main streets. It’s the closest I’ve come to actually riding a toy train through a miniature village. And the trees and hillsides that you roll past are something special, too.
Since these tiny trains only run on Sundays, there’s a line to board the ride, and if you come at noon, as we did, there’s an even longer wait because most of the conductors have gone to lunch. But for a suggested donation of $3, it’s well worth it. Just watch out if you are under 34” tall. The smallest member of the family almost wasn’t allowed on, but the miniature train officials brought out the official ruler and, wearing his white leather Stride Rites (detailed with trains, by the way), he managed to squeaked through.
The live steamers at this museum are actually “1/8th scale miniature steam, diesel or electric locomotives” and are run by serious train enthusiasts who work on all the trains as a hobby. They’ve probably been to a lot of train museums themselves.

P.S. Look for a report on my website about the places I didn’t write about. Perhaps Boron is your kind of town.

Notes:

Lomita Railroad Museum: 2137 West 250th Street in Lomita, California, (310) 326-6255, www.lomita-rr.org, admission fee, $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for children under 12.

Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum: 5202 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, California 90027, (323) 661-8958, www.lals.org, suggested donation (they ask you what you want to pay): $3 per person.

Jut when you thought you’d been to all the parks in the area, another one appears, tucked in the hills just off the highway, behind the craftsman houses and soccer fields. And this isn’t a grassy play area with a jungle gym and some trash cans. No, this is a real Audubon Society hiking area which contains within it steep trails climbing up to walnut tress, willows, really forest-y pine trees and one of the most spectacular views of the city and tiny houses below.

Now that the weather is cooler, it is absolutely wonderful making the hike up the hill with its switchback curves and mysterious offshoot trails. And the payoff, after a long hike to the top, just past the picnic gazebo and the bristly branches of a lone fir tree, is a little pond complete with turtles and an unbelievable view. Truly an oasis, it was chilly at this pond on top of the hill the day we hiked there, with a biting wind blowing as if we had reached the pinnacle of a mountain miles up.

On the way back down the trail, we took a trail that branched off to the left, suspecting it was a short cut. It was. This small side trail was the shoot to the many ladders we took to get up the hill. It cut right over the top of the hill and what took us about one hour to climb up, this trail covered within five minutes.

So if you do not want to take a long hike, but would like to get to the pond, start at the base of the main trail and keep going upward until you reach a point where you can see the city skyscrapers of downtown to the south, little houses of Highland Park and Pasadena and its hills to the north. There, to the east on the trail, is a narrow, steep path that will take you right up and over to the pond.

Debs Park has an Audubon Nature Center on the grounds, and I am a big fan of nature centers, but this one happens to be closed on Sundays, as is the main gate to enter the park. The walking path is open and so it is okay to park on Griffin Avenue, across from the soccer field, and enter through the walking gate. The current director of the nature center says it is their goal to be open on Sundays, so keep your eye out.

If, after the hike, you might enjoy something cool to drink, there is another gem hidden in the Highland Park area called Galco’s Soda Pop Stop. Just go north a bit on the 110 and then west on York Avenue. The Soda Pop Stop has old fashioned and hard to find sodas from around the country, plus some old time candies. Make sure to bring Rabbi Eidlitz’s hechsher list with you so you’ll know what’s what.

Notes:

Please note that Debs Park is near Heritage Square, Southwest Museum, and the Lummis House, all interesting historic sites and museums.

Debs Park: 4700 N. Griffin Ave., LA, 90031, tel: 323-221-2255. Hours: Tues. – Fri. 9am – 5pm. http://www.audubon-ca.org/debs_park.php

Galco’s Soda Pop Stop: 5702 York Blvd, LA 90042, tel: (323) 255-7115. Store hours: weekday: 9am-6:30pm, Sunday: 9am – 4pm. http://www.sodapopstop.com/

Descanso Gardens has become one of a handful of places we keep in our back pocket and pull out when we want to take a walk outside, but don’t want to turn it into a day long production. And as long as you don’t go during a rush hour, it should take about 25 minutes to get there.

The folks at the garden have wisely laid down tiny train tracks and for $3 you can purchase a ticket at the little depot for a fun ride amongst the flowers and trees. After eating lunch at the shaded tables near the entrance, we hopped a ride on the train and took a whirl past the rose garden and fish pond and even over a small creek.

Then we walked between the roses, past the willow trees, and under the grape arbor to the Children’s Maze. Hedge mazes, like this one, date back to the mediaeval period in Europe, and the Ramchal, who lived in Italy around the turn of the 18th century, describes the hedge maze in chapter 3 of “Mesilas Yesharim:” “In this kind of garden the hedges are arranged like walls, and among them are numerous paths, confusing and interconnected, one the same as the next. The goal is to reach a gazebo in the center of the garden.” This little maze has a sweet set of child sized chairs at the center for smaller maze-goers to relax in. The Ramchal brings the hedge maze as a mashul for life, a small demonstration of how seeking advice from those who have already mastered the maze will help one avoid entanglements and confusion. We love it when our family field trips can include real life examples of things we’ve learned about.

Continuing on, there’s a pleasant surprise just past the tropical waterfall: the Audubon Society Bird Observation station. Sounds imposing, but it’s actually kind of campy and reminded me of a summer cabin one might find in the woods of New Hampshire or even upstate New York. (When you see it yourself you will probably wonder what I was talking about, but I chalk it up to my perennial search for places that look like Massachusetts in California.) Anyway, the station overlooks a small pond where exotic birds are supposed to gather, but ducks and turtles are aplenty.

Like most botanical gardens, Descanso is divided into theme sub-gardens, which are showcased at different seasons. The Lilac garden, for example, is in bloom during the months of March and April, and the Camillia Forest is at its best in the winter. I think what’s special about Descanso is that it really can be enjoyed any time of year, with something special to offer each season.

There are so many sections to Descanso and it is so big that you may not see all of it in one visit unless you’re trying to get in a walk for exercise. There is even a tour of the Boddy mansion and an art gallery if you need a break from all the beautiful flowers and trees. Certain members of our family found the colorful koi in the Japanese garden of particular interest. This is important to remember lest going to theme parks or shopping in a mall were to become the Sunday default activity. And did I mention the brown rabbit we saw in the rose garden?

Notes:

There are paved pathways through much of the gardens so strollers and wheelchairs are welcome. A 50 minute tram ride is available for visitors who would like a riding tour of the gardens.

Address: Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
www.descansogardens.org
818.949.4200
Admission: General $8. Senior/Students $6. Children (5 to 12 years) $3.
Guild members and Children under 5 free.
Tram $4. Enchanted Railroad $3
Open 9am – 5pm

While I recognize that a stop at John Adam’s house in Massachusetts isn’t a Sunday road trip from Los Angeles, to paraphrase a Boston comedian, any place is within driving distance if you have the time. No, I’m not really suggesting that this is likely to be on your road trip agenda, but rather, I think our experience at John Adam’s house was a parable for how to manage such an excursion. Also, I thought you might like to hear about where John and Abigail Adams lived.

When taking a family vacation, the interest level young children will have for particular activity often dictates the agenda. Two things can help inspire children to share your interest: starting them young at whatever it is, and not overtaxing them. In the case of road trips, we have started our children off as babies driving for long periods of time to get places. We have told them we are a road trip family and that we love road trips. Once we have gotten to where we set out for, we try not to demand their attention for more time than is deemed reasonable. In the case of hikes, we have learned through trial and error how many miles can be hiked pleasantly. In the case of visiting historic sites or museums, finding things of special interest and not staying too long help make it manageable if not all together enjoyable.

We started the John Adams tour at the National Park Service headquarters/gift shop in historic downtown Quincy. This allowed for the opportunity to get acquainted with who John Adams was and what life was like in Colonial America with books and objects geered toward children as well as adults. Plus we were able to negotiate how to do only part of the official tour, as visiting all the houses on the itinerary was an unrealistic expectation, especially on this hot summer day. Once we bought tickets we parked in front of John and Abigail’s home in their later years, Peacefield, and ate the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches I made in the car. (Yes, I made them in the car, and we ate them in the car.) We joined up with a group outside the front door of Peacefield and listened as the tour guide warned us to be very careful because all the contents of the house were authentic possessions of the Adams family and that a lady in another group had knocked over a priceless lamp with her pocketbook. As we weren’t allowing anyone who couldn’t control themselves to run free, we decided to venture forth into a house, and wow, were we in for a treat.

Peacefield was absolutely packed with amazing antiques of historical value. In the kitchen stood a 380 year old grandfather clock given as a wedding present to John and Abigail. It was already 100 years old when they received it and a later generation Adams had nearly thrown it away, not realizing its value. The tour guides wind the clock every week and it still keeps perfect time. The china cabinet was filled with dishes from their travels abroad and throughout the house were portraits of Adams, friends, and relatives. Somewhere in the house one can find images of Washington, Jefferson, and even Teddy Roosevelt (a friend of a later Adams), and in the study, John Adams’ famous wingback chair.

Much is known about John Adams’ life and times because of the correspondence he kept with his wife, with his friend Thomas Jefferson, his own memoirs, and the marginalia found in his extensive library. The Adams family had a huge collection of books and it wasn’t just for show; some books have more words written in the margins by John Adams than words printed on the page. Adams was very opinionated, and expressed his opinions even to himself. On the page of one book, curators found the word “Fool” written, with three exclamation points. I imagine it was something political. In another book, a piece of paper had been discovered, tucked away by John Adams at some point. On it was a list he had made of reasons why people liked George Washington better than they liked him. He mentioned that he was too opinionated.

Also in the library was John Adams’ traveling desk, on which many famous documents and letters were written, and another famous desk; that of his son John Quincy Adams, who had used his desk for many years while in Congress, a position he held after serving as President.

The tour of the one house was more than enough for the kids and we were ready to head to Brookline to round up some food for dinner. I know that “visiting a historic site” is not usually number one on a child’s list of things to do on vacation, but it is possible to find something that will interest them, especially if it something they can connect to or relate to. This may take some creativity, planning, a little research, but it is well worth it.

We headed out to the Adventure Plex on a Sunday afternoon and ending up staying for three hours. The focus of the complex is a giant indoor play structure which is colorful and full of different things to explore. Much like the one in the now closed Bright Child in Santa Monica, this play structure is an elaborate web of shutes and ladders, plus a zip line, a ball pit, and some obstacle course-type tunnels. Looking at it, I didn’t think it would be interesting for more than an hour, but once I got inside to experience it for myself (which many other parents did as well) I could see there was a lot more to it than appeared from the outside. The other reason we stayed so long is because my daughter made friends with another girl who was inside the play structure maze and they were making up adventures together. She said she would have gotten bored sooner if she hadn’t met this girl, so bring friends with your children if you want to make the most of the outing (or make new friends there!)

For the toddlers, there is a separate section with their own ball pit (the colorful plastic balls they can throw themselves in), slide, and a variety of squishy items to climb on. If your toddler is an ambitious climber and you are willing to do some climbing then the bigger structure can also be fun. Some days it may be too busy with big kids, but the day we went it was not crowded at all, so we had room to explore at our own pace.

There are tables and chairs set up in front of the play structures for parents to watch and for everyone to eat. Adventure Plex has a small snack bar and does not allow outside food in their facilities, but I asked Paul, the Outdoor Adventure Manager (I think that was his title) and he said it was okay for folks like us who keep kosher to bring our food. In fact, Paul said a Jewish organization rented out the whole place one Chanukah and brought in kosher food for their big party. Which brings me to another aspect of the Adventure Plex: they offer party rooms for rental. Like the Santa Monica Pier, the Adventure Plex can provide a room to make a birthday party and serve your own food. Then your party guests are welcome to use the play structure and basketball court along with the general public.

The basketball court is part of regular admission and can be used for basketball or volleyball. The only thing is, sometimes this room is rented out to a private group (as it was the day we were there) and then it is closed to the public. So, if you would like to use the basketball court, call ahead to make sure it isn’t reserved.
Upstairs in the complex is a small gym with workout equipment and a room for classes like aerobics with your baby, yoga, and dance classes.

Outside is a “rockwall:” a faux rock surface to practice rockclimbing with a harness. Apparently this particular rock wall is the latest in technology with an automatically retracting rope and two tall rockwalls with a variety of climbing paths. There are women instructors if your daughter wants to give it a try (best to wear shorts under the skirt.) Adults can also try the rockwall. It is $5 for unlimited use of the rockwall.

And finally, there is something I haven’t seen anywhere else and that’s the “Ropes Course Adventure.” Traversing a series of tall wooden towers, teams negotiate various rope obstacles, focusing on working together to solve problems. This is touted as a unique team building experience for companies, but my first thought was that it would be a neat outing for the Jewish Boy Scouts.

At 6pm, closing time on Sunday, we drove over to Manhattan Beach Blvd., just down the road, and played in the sand by the Roundhouse Aquarium (see Kosher Road Trip, Nov. 2007) for a little while before supper time.

Notes:

Wear socks! Bring lunch

Adventure Plex at Marine, 1701 Marine Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, (310) 546-7708, www.adventureplex.org

Hours: Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sat., 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sun., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission: under age 3: $5, 3 and up: $10, no charge for accompanying adults,
rockwall: $5

But summer is summer. The days are hot and the nights are cool and homemade orange juice popsicles hit the spot. Also, lots of hiking spots around LA are free. Then again, it can be mighty hot to be outside. So here’s a look at some places to consider buying membership to, particularly for the summer.

Kidspace in Pasadena is a combination children’s science museum and indoor activity center. It is small and expensive. Membership is $160/ year for a family of four, $250 for a family of six. That means that four members of a family would need to go five times in the year to cover the membership cost. Are you likely to drive up to Pasadena, near the Rose Bowl to visit Kidspace, and is it worth it?

While there are activities for children ages 1 to 10, I think the most appealing features of Kidspace are the ones for toddlers. The Early Childhood Learning Center is a dream for little sweeties. A certain 19 month old was able to climb a rope ladder and slide down a decent sized slide all by himself over and over, and he was quite overjoyed about it.

There is also squirting water in the courtyard that little kids enjoy standing over until they are soaked (so bring flip-flops and a change of clothes.) For older children there are small educational exhibits like a water table to experiment with erosion, displays of live bugs, and some fun climbing opportunities. Outside is a small race track for tricycle riding, as well as a garden to explore. Just keep in mind that it’s blazes hot in the summer. They do offer special workshops and programs throughout the year so please call or check their online calendar for more information. By the way, I timed it, and it took me 15 minutes to get from Kidspace to downtown LA.

The thing I tend to look for with a summer outing is air conditioning. Huntington Library, also up the 110 in the Pasadena area (San Marino), has lots of air conditioning for the buildings that house their amazing art collections, but then there is a little known outdoor attraction that’s nice for the summer as well. Behind a really neat conservatory and teaching greenhouse is the Children’s Garden, especially designed with kids in mind. That means water squirts and shpritzes and fills areas with thick fog—-all for children to play in. But Huntington Library is quite expensive (two adults and two children over age 5 on a Sunday = $52.) So membership ($100.), again, may be something to consider if this is a place you are likely to visit more than a few times a year. There is a lot to explore between the gardens and the art. On the other hand, The Huntington is free the first Thursday of every month with advanced reservations, so it doesn’t have to cost anything to check it out.

Of course, we have our free museums around LA—the LACMA (after 5pm or through their NextGen program), the Science Center, the Getty– but I do maintain a membership to the Natural History museum, which continues to be a great bargain at $70 a year for the family. Just to be able to pop into the butterfly pavilion on any summer day and sit amongst the butterflies is worth it.

Plus there’s the Los Angeles Zoo ($75), and while I do like to visit the zoo during the cooler months, I find it too hot most summer days. However, membership includes a 50% discount on tickets to many zoos around California and the country. Of particular interest is the very cute Santa Barbara Zoo which is situated near the ocean and would be lovely during the summer. So please get out there and embrace the summer and enjoy the long days and the soft evening breeze and remember that orange juice popsicles hit the spot—and maybe a few hotdogs on the grill, too.

Notes:

Kidspace Children’s Museum, 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91103, www.kidspacemuseum.org, Open daily, 9:30am - 5pm, admission: $8/person over age 1.

The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108, (626) 405-2100, www.huntington.org, open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily (excluding Tuesdays), admission: Adults $15 - $20 (weekends) $20, (age 12-18, or with full-time student I.D.) $10, (age 5-11) $6 Children (under 5) free Free first Thursday of every month.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007 (213) 763-DINO open 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday and Holidays, admission: $9 adults, age 13 - 17 - $6.50 age 5 - 12 - $2 Children under 5 – FREE (recommend membership $70), Free first Tuesday of every month.

Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027, www.lazoo.org, 323/644-4200, open 10 –5 every day, admission: age 13 and up $12, age 2 – 12 $7. (recommend membership: ($75)

There are a few ways to find the trail—I strongly recommend coming at it from the top, on Lilac Road. This way is simple and straightforward and is located in a very rural neighborhood. The official park sign was burnt black in the Chatsworth fire a few years back, but if you walk up to it you’ll see some postings inside a glass case to let you know you’re in the right place. Plus, there’s a chain link fence cutting across what looks like an old dirt road. The road runs past an old house, well kept and clearly occupied, but from the windows of that old house the residents once saw stagecoaches roll by.

When first we ventured forth on what we thought was the stagecoach road, we climbed up and down small hills, appreciating the breathtaking view of the valley below (and when I say breathtaking, I mean breathtaking.) I’m curious to know what it looks like at different times of the year, but in the spring, it is exquisite. It was so beautiful, in fact, that it was a wonder we had never been here before. The sky, the breeze, the wildflowers—and did I mention the view? The thing is, after a little while on this beautiful trail, it became more and more implausible that it could be a stagecoach road– with all it’s ups and downs and twists and turns, not to mention the fact that there were no signs of wheel ruts. So we greets some fellow hikers and asked them if this was the Old Stagecoach road, and, sure enough, it wasn’t. They told us to go back to the beginning of the trail and take the path that branched off to the right when we first entered. In retrospect, it seemed the more obvious choice, but that’s retrospect for you.

In retrospect I’m glad we took the wrong trail at first because it was far more colorful than the Old Stagecoach trail. But this adventure was about the real stagecoach route, preserved in the hills of Chatsworth and if we hadn’t bothered to find it, I surely would have left Chatsworth wondering about the road not taken.

And what a road it is. Probably heavily eroded by years of rain and flooding, it is an incredibly rough and tumble route. It is a bit of a challenge to walk down, let alone ride on the brittle wheels of a stagecoach. This trail is straight and cuts into the side of a hill, but were it not for the tile sign set into the stone along the trail declaring “Old Santa Susana Stage Road 1859-90, Marked March 17, 1939, Native Daughters of the Golden West” one might still wonder aloud, repeatedly, ‘how could stagecoaches ride this road?’

I cannot say for sure that I saw wheel ruts, but there were some strong possibilities along the way. And there definitely was a snake that went from one side of the stage road to the other, but it looked like a baby snake, and there did not appear to be a rattle on its tail (but please note that most hiking areas around us have warnings for rattlesnakes.) To top off this whole hike into the past, there is even a railroad track near the bottom of the trail with a tunnel though one of the hills for the trains to come through.

Going back up the stage road, there is a small divergence to the left where a pond is tucked away, out of sight, but pretty. I could imagine horses being led away from the main road for a drink of water, but that may just be my imagination.

On the way back to our car, a resident of one of the homes on Lilac Road waved us over to take a look at a nest tucked deep inside a thorny cactus next to his mailbox. Crowded into the nest were a handful of very new baby birds waiting for their dinner.

Notes:

If there’s an “old” stagecoach road, there must be a “new” stagecoach road, because at some point folks had to have said enough is enough with regard to that rocky ride. By going left from the offramp onto Santa Susana Pass Road there is access to the new stagecoach road. It is most definitely a smoother ride, however, I do not recommend it for a hike. This road is also cut into the side of a hill, but is has a sharp drop off into a deep revine where several abandoned cars can be spotted, not to mention lots of litter.

The best way to reach this hike is by taking the 405 North to 118 West. Exit at Rocky Peak, take a right on Suzanna pass, then a left onto Lilac Road. Drive up this road until you see a dirt turn-out on the left with some burnt posts. Park off the road and walk into the opening of the old metal fence.

This time, however, things were different. It was a cool, windy day, lunch was eaten in the car before we started out, and the goal was set: the far end of the main trail, to a place known as the “MASH site.” This seemed to be a goal for a lot of people hiking that day, although for different motivations than us. We had heard that it was a good hike. And indeed it was.

Starting out, the terrain looks pretty typical for the area—rolly hills, willowy trees here and there—that’s about the way it is up until the lake. After the steep, dusty climb to the top of the hill, the backup plan to turn around and go home kicks in. But keep going; it’s worth it. The path slopes downward into a small valley, sheltered on one side by a wall of stratified rock. Being that it’s springtime, the earth is green and buzzing. Orange poppies and other wildflowers dot the meadow grass like confetti.

After crossing a bridge over the creek, the path changes flavor dramatically. It becomes rocky and rough as it follows alongside the water. Interesting stones are strewn about, waiting to be studied. I happened upon a small rock with a clearly discernable clam shell fossil on its surface. This was especially exciting to me as I used to collect rocks and fossils when I was a kid and had always wanted to find a fossil myself. I took a picture of it, but then put it back on the path (for you to find.) There was also rose quartz, volcanic rock, and composite rock. As my daughter declared: “this place is full of wonders.”

The focal point of the trail, where everyone pauses a moment to admire the landscape before heading back, opens out into another valley, this time surrounded by imposing ridges reaching into the sky. Two rusted vehicles, a jeep and an old army ambulance sit along the path, remnants of the t.v. show that was once filmed here. We sat down at the picnic table by the jeep and watched a group of mountain bikers challenge each other to bike up a very steep dirt mound. Another group of hikers settled inside the jeep like little birds and ate their sandwiches. The wind started kicking up sand, so we decided to head back, finding the return hike much faster.

The full hike does require a few hours to do at a comfortable pace. It’s about 4 ½ miles of walking. Driving time really depends on traffic, but should take about 35 minutes from West LA when taking the 10 to the PCH to Malibu Canyon Road (it’s a right turn at Pepperdine.) Folks from the Valley come from the Calabasas side on Las Virgenes Road.