Sunday I took my wish list and visited Santa in Oxnard. Isn't August the perfect time to deliver your list? Gives him lots of time to build and deliver.

Of course this Santa and I have some history — some 40 years. He's the twenty foot tall Santa that once rested building at Carpinteria's Santa Clause Lane. I drove by him for the first time in 1970. So when Santa Clause Lane was closed and bulldozed - Santa managed to survive. He now is the cornerstone of a small park overlooking the Ventura Freeway in Oxnard.

So I visited, took my images, gave him a diet coke salute and headed up the road.

Flickr images

Roadside America.com history on Santa

From my Lightroom files - 1984 sunset with fishermen and seagull at the harbor in Oxnard.

1982 photo from front seat in open cockpit aircraft over Santa Paula.

Two weeks ago I took a Sunday afternoon ride on the Fillmore & Western Railroad. Very relaxing. The train left Fillmore at noon and took about 45 minutes to reach Santa Paula, traveling at a slow clip of about 15 miles per hour. The train stays in downtown Santa Paula, then returns with one stop for shoppers at the Loose Caboose Garden and Gift Emporium on the east side of Santa Paula. Arrival back in Fillmore is about 3;30 p.m..

I had over an hour to walk around downtown Santa Paula getting some lunch and plenty of photos.

The train runs most Saturdays and Sundays from downtown Fillmore. You must check the schedule on their web site to confirm they are running on the day you want to go. This Weekend Scenic Excursion trip that I took is just one of many trips Fillmore & Western run. The company also is involved in movie, TV and video production, so some rail equipment may not be available.

Cost is $24 for adults with discounts for seniors and children. Fillmore & Western Railroad web site www.fwry.com.

Check out the 35 images posted in my flash photo gallery.



Fillmore & Western Railroad engine given antique look. I shot the engine with my Oktomat camera, took one of the eight frames and converted to a grainy toned image.