When I chose to feature this hour-long episode of Visiting (original air date April 1998) I had no idea that, in addition to the two segments described below, it actually contained a surprise at the end — a couple of extra hidden gems from Huell’s 1998 Videolog series. I especially enjoyed seeing the hike into the San Gabriel Mountains near […]
This week Huell presents a somewhat bittersweet tale of two fireboats — old Fireboat #2, also known as the Ralph J. Scott, serving with pride for 78 years; and her replacement, the shiny new Warner Lawrence, which took over the job in 2003. The episode combines two half-hour segments of Visiting; the first aired in June 1996, and the update […]
Back in the 1990s the Big Guy and I briefly considered relocating from the Sacramento Valley to the area around Clear Lake, and the city of Ukiah (on U.S. 101, about a 30-minute drive from the lake’s north shore) looked to me like an attractive option. We never actually moved, and I never even managed to visit Ukiah — until […]
Last Monday, March 20, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere celebrated the first day of spring, also known as the vernal equinox — even though it may not feel a whole lot like spring, depending on where you are! The vernal equinox also marks the start of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The first event of this annual celebration […]
Do you know the difference between a Victory ship and a Liberty ship? I didn’t, even though I’ve actually visited a Liberty ship — the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, currently docked at Pier 35 in San Francisco. Victory ships were larger than their Liberty ship predecessors and were powered by steam turbines for faster speed, as opposed to the earlier steam […]
I was having a tough time choosing which of Huell Howser’s many episodes to feature today when I suddenly realized that March 8 is International Women’s Day. So I decided to observe the occasion by doing something a bit different for my post today: instead of just one, I’m highlighting a handful of episodes of Visiting which all celebrate some […]
Wasco is one of those tiny towns that sit just far enough off the main highway you may never even notice it as you speed past. But like many small towns, it’s home to a vital community of people who are proud of their town’s history and are always looking forward to its future. This hour-long episode of California’s Gold […]
The area around Santa Cruz has seen plenty of changes over the decades, and the latest bit of change means saying goodbye to the beloved pier at Seacliff State Beach (seen in the photo above). It’s due to be demolished any day now because of heavy storm damage that occurred earlier this year. Although it appears only briefly in this […]
This is another one of those episodes of California’s Gold that I could have sworn I’ve already featured. Mono Lake is certainly a fascinating, beautiful, and unique feature, one that I can’t say I’ve ever visited, but it’s definitely been in the news at various points throughout my lifetime, given the delicate nature of its ecosystem and the importance of […]