What do you get when you combine these boys …..
with this beach ……………..?
Why, it’s our “California Airsoft Adventure” trip in the Lucky Charm!
————————————–
If you’ve seen our 14-year-old son Max lately, you were possibly wondering if you had somehow teleported to Afghanistan. That is because for many years now, Max has been into all things military, “airsofting” (a fantastically violent team sport similar to paintball but using small plastic pellets), and the historical recreation of military uniforms. Let’s just say his bedroom looks like a army storage bunker in a war zone! Therefore, it came as no surprise that Max and his friend Joey wanted to take a military-related vacation in the Lucky Charm. January 1-5, 2014, we did just that, with “SC Village” being our primary destination.
Our first overnight was at the Glen Ivy RV Park in Corona, California. This stop was picked specifically for its proximity to SC Village, but “proximity” was about all the Glen Ivy had going for it! Even though it looks nice in this photo, it was not exactly as advertised on their website ….. witness the marijuana smoke smell drifting out of many of the units, barefoot children running rampant throughout the park, and the “Poison Ivy Bar” which was like every 1970’s dive bar cliche you could possibly envision!
But the really interesting part of Glen Ivy was the, um, ah, well, “clientele.” I was really wishing I had brought along one of my more creative Christmas gifts from daughter Sarah …. “REAL LIFE BINGO CARDS” which she handmade and which could have gotten a lot of use in Glen Ivy! We saw all of these, multiple times!!!
After a good night’s sleep, however, we headed off to “SC Village Airsoft Park,” which is 100+ acres of 25 different fields where players participate in professionally-run airsoft and paintball games. The boys were there from start to finish and had the best time!
Here is a picture of their team for the day!
Next, it was off to greater Los Angeles and Dockweiler Beach RV Park, L.A. County’s only R.V. campground right on the beach! You literally step over a short wall and you are on the sand!
We biked, walked, skateboarded, and Joey even went swimming in the freezing-cold ocean! What???!
That sidewalk right there in front of us is the 22-mile Marvin Braude Bike Trail, which takes you right to Redondo Beach Pier, Venice Beach, Santa Monica beaches and Marina del Rey! It was fantastic!
See those red recliner chairs? Picture me there, sipping my margarita, reading my novel, and engaging in world-class people-watching! There may have also been a catnap or two!
We were amazed and delighted when we heard a commotion from outside the RV and a bulldog was skateboarding through the parking lot, back and forth and back and forth, barking excitedly the whole time. He knew how to turn the board, accelerate, stop, get on, get off, and literally required zero human interaction to skateboard all by himself for more than half an hour! It was hysterical!
Daughter Kelsey was in L.A. visiting her friend Tyler, and our friend Ken Ross was in L.A. apartment-hunting for an upcoming move, so they joined us for dinner, hanging out around the firepit, and a harmonica concert by the world-famous Philip Miller!
Our last stop before heading home was the Evike Airsoft Superstore in Alhambra, California, where they have the world’s largest inventory of airsoft-related equipment. It was basically a huge showroom and the boys disappeared into “airsoft heaven” for many hours, trying to figure out how to spend their saved-up allowances and Christmas money!
The drive home was uneventful and this is what the cockpit looked like:
(1) Philip watching football playoffs via Dish Network on his Ipad wedged against the windshield.
(2) Tessa driving the RV — encouraged by Philip simply because he wanted to watch football playoffs.
(3) Bella standing between us for the entire 6 hours, no matter how much we encouraged her to lie down.
(5) RV-specific GPS unit guiding us safely home in a sexy voice the boys named “Roberta.”
(Not shown …) Sprinkles and the boys sleeping and snacking their way home in the back of the RV.
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and our California Airsoft Adventure was no exception.
Back to home, back to school, back to work, back to reality. We loved this trip and would do it again in a heartbeat! And ……… another addition to our “States Visited” map!
See you again soon, California!
Leave a reply