• Large roofed pavilion with full kitchen for club activities; two smaller rooms are also available

• Hot showers and restrooms (however, much like the camping, the showers are also "open"...think high school locker room showers...without a roof!)

• Excellent bird watching...Western Bluebirds will clamor for a tour of your Lazy Daze!

• Fresh water and a large dump station (at no charge to Live Oak campers) are located at Cachuma Lake, 5.2 miles northwest of Live Oak

• Also at Cachuma Lake: a small general store, a gas station, a coin laundry and propane

PLEASE NOTE!

Please remember that in acccordance with Santa Barbara County regulations (Live Oak Camp is a Santa Barbara County park), there can be NO EARLY ARRIVALS at LIve Oak! The gate will open at 8:00 A.M. on Wednesday, May 5th.

Many thanks for your cooperation!

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Fire Extinguisher Recharge and Demonstration!

"Dan Doran, the Fire Extinguisher Man" will once again be recharging fire extinguishers at Live Oak (date, time and fee to be announced). Please remember to label your extinguishers with your name and rig number before dropping them off. Dan will also conduct a demonstration on the proper use of a fire extinguisher. The location will be given during Morning Announcements. This will be Dan's 17th year servicing this vital equipment for our Lazy Daze Caravan Club, so let's show our appreciation with a great turnout at this important program.

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If we're at Live Oak, then that means we're having a...
We will once again be having a Bucket Raffle, due to the popularity and success of our December 2009 Bucket Raffle. For those of you unfamiliar with bucket raffles, here's the scoop: there will be nine quality items (hereafter called gifts) on display in the Live Oak Pavilion, each one donated by one of our Caravan Club's nine groups (more information on that follows). Alongside each gift will be a bucket. Buyers of raffle tickets will then deposit said tickets in the bucket or buckets of their choosing. Here's the really fun part: if one of the gifts suits your fancy more than the others, you may buy as many raffle tickets as you wish and deposit them ALL in the bucket associated with the item of your fancy (known as "stuffing the bucket"). The drawing of the nine winning tickets (one per bucket) will be done during the General Meeting. Hopefully, you have received and read the specific guidelines regarding the "Quality Bucket Raffle." If not, here's a summary: • A member of each group will collect donations from his/her respective group. $5.00 per person is a suggested starting amount. • A designated member from each group will procure a gift with the donations. Possible ideas include a gift certificate to a nice restaurant, a gift card for Camping World, Wal-Mart, Target, or Macy’s; a gas card, a specialized theme gift basket, a unique art object...the ideas are only limited by your creativity. • The group's donated gift will then be placed with that group's designated bucket upon arrival at Live Oak. If it’s a gift card, we would suggest instead a sign or note to indicate the establishment and the dollar amount. The actual gift card will then be awarded when the winner is announced at the General Meeting. We humbly ask that you keep in mind the fact that our bi-annual raffle is the Caravan Club's ONLY fundraiser. If you choose to participate, good luck and we thank you for your support!

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And while we're on the subject of traditional Live Oak activities... ...if we're at Live Oak, then that means we're also having a...
Join us at the Live Oak Pavilion from 9:00 to 11:00 on Saturday morning to see (and buy!) all the wonderful and varied things our fellow Caravaners have created. Please Note: If you want a table at the Craft Sale, please contact Rosie Reeder #1397 to reserve table space (check the roster for her e-mail address and telephone number). And please remember: items MUST be MADE AND SOLD by a member of the Caravan Club.

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But we're not done yet! You are hereby invited by the Roadrunners (our hosting group for May) to a Cinco de Mayo celebration! Bring your favorite South of the Border dish to the Live Oak Pavilion (date and time to be announced) and join your fellow Caravaners for a wonderful potluck! The Roadruners will be providing a Taco Bar (chicken and beef), as well as some games and surprises.

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	For All You Weather Buffs...
Thanks to the wonderful world of technology - and our weatherman Steve Tivy - click here for the current conditions and forecast for Live Oak Camp. Yes, this forecast is for our campground. And actually, this one is specifically for the Host Tent! Ain't technology grand? Thank you, Steve! :-D

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Good Things To Do

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Where do we begin?

Here is a list of just some of the things you can do while staying at Live Oak.

Many thanks to Jane Farwell #2445 for her contributions to this list.

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Cachuma Lake



Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, a mere 5 miles down the road from Live Oak, is not only beautiful, but has lots and lots and lots of things to do: fishing, hiking, sailing (they have boat rentals), lake cruises with a naturalist, nature programs and a gem of a nature center.

Click here for their website that will give you more info about all the various activities.

Your webmasters would, however, like to give a special nod to the Cachuma Nature Center. It features an intriguing array of Native American artifacts, and plant, wildlife, historical and geological displays, and a gift shop. The Center is open year-round and admission is free.

In addition, the naturalist-guided lake cruises are worth a special mention. From March 1st through October, the 2-hour tour focuses on the area's wildlife, wildflowers and resident birds (from November through February, the focus is on Bald Eagles and other birds who make Cachuma Lake their winter home). Reservations can by made by calling 805-686-5050 ($15/adults; $7/children 12 and under). Click here for more information.

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Solvang! The Danish Capitol of America!



Bakeries, restaurants, bakeries, wineries, bakeries, gift shops...and did we mention bakeries?

If you're craving a kringle, a Seven Sisters butter ring, or a bit of kranskage (or if you don't know what any of these delectable pastries are), take a right on Highway 154, drive approximately 12 miles to the Highway 246 turn-off, turn left and follow the signs to Solvang.

If you want to do some research on Solvang first, click here for the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau website.

On a personal note, your webmasters were married in Solvang, one of them grew up in Solvang and we now call Solvang home. So it will come as no surprise that we have a favorite bakery: Olsen's Danish Village Bakery at 1529 Mission Drive (aka Highway 246). One of your webmasters heartily recommends the Swedish Delight...we have no idea why it is not called Danish Delight, but made of whipped cream, meringue and chocolate...well, they can call it anything they want as long as they keep making it!

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Wine Tasting and Winery Tours



The Santa Ynez Valley produces some of the finest premium wines in the world...this may be the biased opinion of your webmasters (since we live in the Santa Ynez Valley), but it is also the unbiased opinion of many wine enthusiasts. From modest beginnings less than three decades ago, the Santa Barbara County wine industry is now comprised of over 21,000 acres of vineyards and 105 wineries, and the Santa Ynez Valley is home to the majority of these wineries. The region is known especially for its outstanding Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but also produces fine Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and many other varietals.

Click here for a list of Santa Ynez Valley wineries...addresses, phone numbers and tasting hours are included. Please note that the majority of wineries now charge for tastings.

Jane Farwell recommends the Firestone Vineyard, their lovely picnic area and especially their Merlot Chocolate Sauce! Your admittedly biased webmasters recommend the Koehler Winery...their syrah is wonderful and the grounds are lovely. We are biased because we were lucky enough to live at the Koehler Winery for five months. The photo above is of their vineyards.

And so, dear Caravaners, Cheers!  And Salute!  And Sante!  And Opa!  And Skål...that's Danish!

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You're In Horse Country!



If you are a horse lover, you won't want to miss a visit at the Flag Is Up Farms, home of Monty Roberts, the "Horse Whisperer." Jane tells us that the public is welcome to visit and watch Monty (if he is in town) and his staff work with horses. There is also a breeding farm, and if the season is right (usually spring and summer), you can wander about the pens with the mares and their new offspring.

Click here if you'd like to learn more about Monty Roberts and the Flag Is Up Farms. To get there (the address is 901 East Highway 246), take a right on Highway 154, drive approximately 12 miles to the Highway 246 turn-off, turn left and continue on Highway 246 through Solvang.

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Do you like waterfalls?



How about walks alongside a stream bordered by sycamores, oaks, bay laurels and even a few redwoods?

Then you might enjoy taking a drive over to Nojoqui Falls County Park (pronounced NAH-ho-wee...it's a Chumash Indian word, but no one is sure of its meaning). The drive to the park is itself very scenic, but the park, and especially the short walk along the creek up to the unique waterfall, is a special treat. The falls (pictured above) are seasonal, and given a sufficiently rainy season, the falls cascade over a 164-foot mossy cliff and into a pool bordered by ferns.

To get there, turn right on Highway 154 and drive approximately 12 miles to the Highway 246 turn-off. Turn left and drive about 5 miles to Alisal Road in Solvang. Turn left and drive approximately 7 very scenic miles on Alisal Road to the park.

(Rumor has it that one of your webmasters, when he was a mere 16 years old, dammed up Nojoqui Creek, which feeds the falls. He and a co-conspirator then waited until the falls were reduced to just a trickle and the folks down below were looking up and wondering what had happened to the waterfall. Then...well, I'll let you guess what happened next! ;-D )

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Cold Spring Tavern



Over one hundred years ago, dusty stagecoaches would stop at what was then known as "Cold Spring Relay Station" to change teams of horses and allow travelers to rest and enjoy a delicious meal (click here for a photo of the historical stagecoach marker, courtesy of Wells Fargo).

The stagecoaches may be gone and the name is now Cold Spring Tavern, but it is still a very popular place, especially on weekends. On Sundays, the place "belongs" to motorcyclists and it may be hard to find a parking place. Your webmasters recommend lunch or dinner on a weekday...the setting is beautiful, with the tavern nestled among trees near a pretty creek. The interior of the tavern is cozy and rustic, with lots of history displayed on the walls. And the food...whether you want a great steak or an ostrich burger or venison sausage, this wonderful little tavern is a winner.

Cold Spring Tavern is located on Stagecoach Road, which was part of the original stagecoach route from 1861 to 1901. Even after the stagecoach era ended, Stagecoach Road remained the only means of traversing the Cold Spring portion of San Marcos Pass (aka Highway 154) until 1963, when construction of the Cold Spring Arch Bridge was completed.

To get to Cold Spring Tavern, turn left at the campground entrance at Highway 154. Drive approximately 5 miles and then turn right on Stagecoach Road. Just keep driving...you can't miss it, and you may feel as if you've stepped back in time.

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Figueroa Mountain



If you have a tow car and you're willing to pack a lunch and take some time (give yourself a half a day), your webmasters most heartily recommend a drive to Figueroa Mountain. Live Oak is in the Santa Ynez Mountains, and Figueroa is in the San Rafael Mountains, on the other side of the Santa Ynez Valley.

The majority of the drive is on paved roads, through rolling oak-studded hills and then up into pines and firs, with only a very short portion on dirt...but good dirt. Click here for a page of photos showing Figueroa Mountain Road. Most of the wildflowers will probably be past their peak, but you might still see some bush poppy and bush lupine. And if views of rolling hills dotted with majestic oaks pleases you, then so will this drive.

Click here for printable detailed directions.
And if you do go, please be sure to let someone in the caravan know where you're going.