Jacque, george, and a railbike — Jacque, George, and a railbike headed for adventure . . .

The Skunk Train Railbikes

June 26, 2022

To call Fort Bragg a quaint coastal town would be an understatement. Tucked in the upper left hand of California, the onetime hub of the lumber industry sits at the edge of the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by redwoods. It’s also home to the Skunk Train, a heritage railway that up to a few years ago was able to take weekend visitors on a forty mile tour through the middle of an old growth forest. That is, until the spring of 2013 when a series of tunnel collapses along the route left the company with little more than three miles of track. According to SF Gate, when it was up and running its complete route, the railway was responsible for 50,000 visitors a year. Clearly, the local economy was depending on a draw now that the train was not able to deliver its normal run. The innovative solution to the problem was something called a railbike.

Gathered at the skunk train depot — Gathered at the depot and ready to go.

The kids loved that logo.

A railbike is a cleverly-engineered, human-powered affair to get out of town on a set of train tracks. The two seat bikes are built off of an aluminum frame making them light and easy to pedal. In case riders haven’t been putting in the miles on the road back at home, they are equipped with an electric assist motor that allows riders to take in the scenery without breaking a sweat . As light as they are, safety is at the heart of the design. All railbikes have disc brakes, seat belts, and riders are required to wear helmets. In addition, they ride on plastic wheels so they run in near silence as riders cut out and get away from it all. As an added bonus, since the bike rides on rails, there’s no need to steer. All riders have to do is pedal and take in the experience.

Oliver prat concept — Riding on plastic wheels

Railbike instructions — Patiently awaiting instructions.

2021 chic — Looking as about as 2021 as a photo gets.

We met up with our guides for an orientation before our departure from the Skunk Train depot. Doubling as a well appointed gift shop with old time charm, the depot sits next to the Pacific Ocean and is worth a stop even if a trip out on the rails isn’t in the cards. After crossing a city street and sailing past the town’s graveyard, the route we were on was swallowed up by an ancient forest. Aside from the tracks and several trestles, signs of civilization slipped away as we moved deeper into it. The air was cool and the light was filtered by the canopy. Even on the hottest days, I can’t imagine anyone getting overly blasted by the sun. Trees, ferns, and the meandering Puddle Creek served as just the thing we needed as our reintroduction to the world after a year and a bit in Covid isolation.

Jacque on railbike — Even the moss was overgrown.

Railbike in action — Trees, trestles, and fresh air.

After several miles of meditative bliss on the rails, it was time for a layover in Glen Blair Junction. While the guides set up the turntable and spun the bikes back around the direction from whence they came, we were left to their own devices. The options are pretty simple: sit at the picnic tables and listen to the birds tweet, or take in a mild hike.

Skunk train tunnel — That tunnel up ahead was the driving force of the Skunk Train Railbike adventure.

We opted for the hike. The trail is immaculately well taken care of. Aside from the trees, plan on seeing plenty of ferns and mushrooms in the understory. While the trail does have a climb, like all things on the railbikes trip, ease of use is at the heart of it. My five year old was able to make the trek with nary a peep. It loops and eventually ends with an overhead view of the Glen Blair Junction. By the time we made it back down the hill, it was time for us to depart and make our return to town.

Mai at the bridge — Great spot for a photo.

Matilda and raggedy in the woods — A year in the same zip code is a long time.

Blair junction overhead — The view of Glen Blair Juntion.

The whole trip was about three hours total. This gave us plenty of time to take in Glass Beach before we got back on the road and headed to parts northward. For anyone who may be interested in a trip that’s a bit more strenuous and more of a time commitment, there is a new adventure available since we took our outing. If the grove looks at all familiar that may be because woods like these just a few miles away doubled as the forest moon Endor in the filming of The Return of the Jedi.

Battle of endor damage — We were assured those weren’t blaster marks left from the production of The Return of the Jedi.

Skunk Train Railbikes

100 West Laurel Street

Fort Bragg, California 95437

707 964-6371

Looking for somewhere to eat? Make a trip to Princess Seafood. Interested in other unique rail experiences? In Los Angeles take a look at Angel’s Flight. In Sacramento, make a visit to the California State Railroad Museum.

This post is based on a visit made on June 12, 2021

Mai, Jacque, Matilda, and Raggedy Ann just outside the new entrance to the theater.

The Ryman Auditorium - Nashville

May 21, 2020

Dear reader, I must make a confession to you before we proceed any further. When I arrived at the Ryman Auditorium with my family in tow, my intent was not to spend huge swaths of my afternoon considering ways I can help my kids actualize their dreams. Nor was my plan to reflect on the horror a middle aged person must feel upon realizing he never took the first steps needed to bring a dream into existence. While I am pouring out my confessions to you, it was never my ambition to feel sadness for those who chose safe paths and quit on dreams too soon. However, inside that stately brick building on a chilly December morning, that is exactly what happened.

Matilda knows how to say “howdy” properly after her visit.

There’s something very democratic about the Ryman. No skyboxes or VIP section. Everyone sits shoulder to shoulder with their neighbors.

The woodwork reflects over a hundred years of audiences passing through.

In all honesty, my motivations for visiting the Ryman were probably the same as many other life long music fans. Seeing cases full of memorabilia from the theater’s past would have been fine for me. I was hoping to lay eyes on Hank William’s handwritten lyrics to “Your Cheatin' Heart” and to point out Dolly Parton’s shiny dress to my daughter. Maybe, I would be able to take a look at Johnny Cash’s ostrich skin boots. For those with similar goals, I am happy to report the good people in charge of the Ryman were able to deliver on all counts.

It hasn’t just been the home of Country music.

Hank Williams’ hand written lyrics to Your Cheatin’ Heart.

However, within that old church, I encountered an experience that was not in any of the guidebooks. After a multimedia presentation that established the Ryman’s importance in making Nashville the music city, we were free to wander through the theater on a self-guided, self-paced tour. While sitting on one of those well-worn wooden pews, a thought occurred to me. If a person ever needed evidence that dreams can come true, the Ryman is it. To walk through its doors is to realize all that is possible if a person does the work to see one through.

The Ryman as it was originally envisioned.

The theater itself was nothing more than a dream in the late 1890’s when Captain Tom Ryman had a spiritual conversion at a tent revival. His ambition was to build it so that others hear the words of Reverend Sam Jones. A hundred years later, its preservation was nothing more than a dream after it was left standing empty and dilapidated. Yet, Emmylou Harris had the vision and the drive to rally the community to renovate and reopen the Mother Church of Country Music. Not to mention that this was the home of the Grand Ole Opry for thirty years. It was here that on a Saturday night, aspiring singers were able to step out onto stage and have America hear their voices for the first time. To sit in that old church is to feel the potency of a person with a dream and is willing to put the work in to make it an actuality.

Jacque being nonchalant in the presence of Louis Armstrong’s trumpet and Johnny Cash’s boots.

As someone who arrived at parenting somewhere near the end of the second act, I have witnessed the dead eyes of those who quit on a dream too soon. There is a danger in arriving at middle age with a “what if” in your heart. That is something I would never want my own kids to feel. As soon as my daughter could articulate a thought, she made it very clear that her ambition is to be a singer when she grows up. While it’s a fairly common career aspiration for a seven year old girl to have, she has been so persistent about her vision of the future that as a parent, I feel it is my responsibility to feed the fire inside of her. What was affirmed to me in the Ryman auditorium is that if she believes in the beauty of her dream, and if she puts in the work to achieve it, she can turn a possibility into an actuality. She has the potential to fulfill a dream, just like all those who stepped out onto this stage before her.

The Mother Church of Country Music stands just a few blocks off of Broadway in downtown Nashville. With an Old Town Trolley Tour stop right out front, the good people of Nashville could not have made it more accessible to tourists like yours truly.

This post was based on a visit to the Ryman Auditorium on December 27, 2019

Ryman Auditorium

116 5th Ave N.

Nashville, TN 37219

615 889-3060

Interested in taking a trip to Tennessee? Don’t miss out on the Adventure Science Center or Rock City. Interested in finding out more about the Ryman’s history? Make sure to watch Ken Burns Country Music and look at the timeline in the Ryman’s website.

Rock City - Chattanooga

March 7, 2020

If there was ever a moment in the last hundred years to advise someone not to open a business, it would have to have been 1932. The Great Depression was only just beginning to grind. Bank runs and double digit unemployment were the norm. The Dust Bowl wiped out family farms and displaced people throughout the country. However, right in the thick of the chaos, Garnet and Frieda Carter decided to open Rock City in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With little more than optimism and a vision for what could be, the Carters figured that they had the next great roadside attraction on their hands and it was as good a time as any to share it with the world. Their courage to chase a dream despite the oppressive uncertainty of their times speaks to the very soul of what it means to be an American. A visit should serve as an inspiration to all of us laboring under the weight of the twenty-first century.

A visit to Rock City illustrates the kind of American optimism that worked for Garnet and Frieda Carter and that we need to find within ourselves. It is like a patchwork quilt of fantastic reasons to stop the car and take a look. According to their website, Mrs. Carter planted over 400 plants, shrubs, and trees throughout. However, calling it an arboretum would not be accurate. Seated high atop Lookout Mountain, Rock City features a looping trail that winds past some amazing natural terrain as well as the Carter’s own whimsical touches. The trail offers visitors an opportunity to walk across a rope bridge and to see a waterfall on the edge of the cliff. If there is any part of Rock City that could be considered a centerpiece, it would be Lover’s Leap. Poised at the edge of a 1700 foot cliff, visitors are offered a stunning view of the land below. It’s supposed to look into seven different states, although rock city acknowledges there is no science behind the claim. While Lover’s Leap is magnificent, there is much more to see.

The trail back from Lover’s Leap twists through a series of granite outcroppings with names like Fat Man’s Squeeze and Goblin Underpass. At times, visitors may find themselves squeezing between two ancient rocks separated by inches, and at other points, ducking as they creep through tunnels along the way.

I lost count of which number gnome this was.

Despite the natural beauty of the place, the Carters added their own touches to the land and in the process, enhancing an already incredible experience. An enthusiast of European folklore, Frieda also integrated her collection of gnomes throughout, transforming it from a nice place to take a walk in the afternoon to something much more fanciful. The final portion of the trail leads to Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village. In both areas of the caverns, kids are treated to scenes of classic storybook tales and nursery rhymes brought to life through dioramas. While not high tech, they will hold a kid’s attention and engage their imaginations.

It was cold and rainy when we arrived at Fairyland Caverns.

Way inside because it was cold and rainy

Regardless of the odds, their variety of ragtag entrepreneurship created a family business that has drawn a steady stream of curious people for almost ninety years. Based on the number of people willing to pay the admission the day we visited, it looks like they will be around for 90 more. Rock City is a location that could easily be visited during all four seasons.

There are several food locations within Rock City although we didn’t try any. However, we can vouch for the Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe at the bottom of Lookout Mountain. Their barbecue was so good, after we ate, we took an order to go for the drive up to Gatlinburg.

This entry was based on a visit to Rock City on December 28, 2019.

Interested in seeing some other one of a kind family businesses? If you’re in California, take a look at Tio’s Tacos or M and M Nursery. If you need a great place to take kids in Nashville, take a look at the Adventure Science Center.

Rock City

1400 Patten Road

Lookout Mountain, GA 30750

706.820.2531

800.854.0675

Adventure Science Center - Nashville

January 30, 2020

While I do not have the resources required to back a major longitudinal study into children’s entertainment, I am equipped with a pretty good imagination. In my imagination, I would commit a significant amount of money as well as the energy of the world’d finest finest scientists and statisticians. In a carefully crafted study, I would have them look into entertainment aimed at kids. Surfacing after years in a lab, my dream team of people in white lab coats would stand front and center in an auditorium, eager to present their findings to the world. Supported by volumes of research and a nice looking pie chart, they would share the following.

Matilda ready to take a look at something that wasn’t created by marketers.

After careful analysis, there appears to be three distinct types of kids’ entertainment. The first type can best be described as god awful and doesn’t really need to be mentioned. As a parent, you know it when you see it. Thankfully, this subsection accounts for a very small sliver of the pie chart. The second type begins somewhere around Ryan’s World unboxing videos and ends at anything the Disney Corporation has produced in the last twenty years. While it’s not total garbage, it’s the spiritual equivalent of sugar. Completely devoid of imagination and creativity, all the offerings in this category amount to little more than extended commercials for some crummy product. The sole purpose of this material is to turn our dear ones into little consumers. Unfortunately, it also occupies the lion’s share of the pie chart and commands a lot of attention.

Disney Plus has nothing as good as this.

Thankfully, there is a third type of offerings. Far superior to the competition, this style of entertainment requires a little more effort to find. Far from commercial, this group accomplishes what the rest of the field isn’t even courageous enough to attempt. The good people responsible for the creations in this category treat children intelligently and feed their natural curiosity about the world. After a recent visit, I am glad to report that The Adventure Science Center falls solidly in this third group. It’s an interactive museum just outside downtown Nashville that stands in stark contrast to the majority of offerings engineered to capture kids’ attention. As I saw firsthand, It’s a place fills kids with wonder instead of treating them like empty headed rag dolls.

It was either a milk snake or a corn snake. Matilda would remember.

The Adventure Science Center accomplishes their noble mission by allowing kids to explore scientific phenomenon through play. The museum is divided into several major exhibit areas that each break into dozens of smaller activities. From the Body Quest area where kids can explore human anatomy, to the Sound Box where kids get to make music, there is going to be something fun and engaging for even the most app enabled soul. Make sure that your youngsters are dressed to play because in the Wonders of the Universe area there is an opportunity to strap in and experience the challenge of movement in a near weightlessness environment. In addition to that, there will be plenty of climbing thanks to a seventy-five foot structure known as the Adventure Tower. Full of ladders, slides, ramps, and spiral staircases, it was precisely the kinds of energy burner we were looking for.

Matilda cutting a track in the Sound Box.

The Adventure Science Center has been teaching kids about the natural world for close to seventy-five years and they do it right. Clearly, donors, sponsors, and employees care deeply about the place and its potential impact on kids. The 44,000 square foot facility resides in Negley Park and is a must do for any family passing through town. If you plan on visiting, leave plenty of time in the schedule to explore. While I estimated we would only be an hour, we ended up being there more than three. That was without visiting the gardens or the planetarium. While they do have a Subway, patrons are free to pack their own lunches and enjoy the view of the Nashville skyline from the lunchroom.

A rare photo from the trip where Jacque is actually looking at the camera.

This entry was based on a visit to Adventure Science Center on December 26, 2019.

Interested in other experiences that will keep kids away from their phones for the day? When in Utah, check out Dreamland Safari’s Ultimate Kanab Tour. If you happen to find yourself in Las Vegas, take a ride out to The Valley of Fire State Park. In Los Angeles, take a look at The Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

Adventure Science Center

800 Fort Negley Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37203

615 862-5160

Tio's Tacos

November 28, 2019

I’m not entirely certain which of the nine muses is in charge of travel writing, but in my time on the gig, I have become painfully aware of her demands. For the most part, she is benevolent and offers up tiny specks of inspiration that require hours and hours of work to flesh out into something worth distributing for free on the internet. While she is generous, she is also jealous when a creator puts his attention elsewhere. Specifically, she gets particularly demanding when a day job gets in the way of creative pursuits. Burning for attention, she poisons the mind with a special kind of resentment that makes one feel trapped by the commitments that require leaving the house and working for someone else. If a correction isn’t made, it becomes an ugly, downward spiral where a writer will end up blaming everyone and everything around him for his inability to set aside time to do the work that he loves. Sometimes, seeing how someone else balances creative pursuits and a job is just the kind of inspiration an artist needs in order to course correct. If a day job is getting in the way of you and your muse’s partnership, I would suggest taking a drive out to Tio’s Tacos in Riverside, California.

It is entirely possible that Tio’s exists because of the banality of a day job. Despite what the Food Network has led us to believe, working in a professional kitchen is a rote and repetition occupation. The lunchtime crowd isn’t looking for surprises. They want the same taco, made the same way as the one they had last time. Shoving a creative type like owner Martin Sanchez behind the counter had to have given flight to this place. He opened a business in order to provide for his family. However, he also has a spirit of an artist that clearly could not be contained as evidenced by his creations that eclipse his restaurant.

Instead of decorating a landfill with the cast-offs from his kitchen, he chose to turn his taco stand into his canvas. Everything left over from the kitchen is put to good use in his art. From oyster shells and flattened out tin cans, to beer bottles and caps, he finds a way to repurpose things that most of us would throw away. He even goes as far as using empty propane bottles and flat top grills to fill out the body of one of his creatures. A walk through the courtyard is a departure the mundane world and an entrance into the mind of an artist. From the peak of the roof, down to the cement underfoot, each and every corner of Tio’s bears his mark. Tio’s Tacos is a monument to all of us create, but also have to grind it out on the clock for someone else. Sanchez provides the evidence you can take care of your commitments and still give life to a vision, as long as you’re willing to set aside the time.