Conejo Valley Guide Social Media Followers Highlight Something Fun They Did Over the Weekend

What did I do this weekend? Spent some time the Channel Islands Harbor, enjoyed Silverstrand Beach and the CI Harbor Farmers’ Market, spent some time in Downtown Ventura, Shopped at The Oaks and the Camarillo Premium Outlets, spent some time on local trails, had a boba, ate some sushi, did errands around the house, replaced the battery in my watch….the list goes on!

We asked Conejo Valley Guide social media followers in Facebook and Instagram to tell us something they did that was fun this past warm June weekend, as part of a drawing for tickets to the 66th Annual Conejo Valley Days coming up June 16 to 26. The response was great and we thought it would be fun to share some of the responses here.

• Attended “Summer is Here” parties

• Baby shower

• Baseball team party

• Birthday parties

• Went to a free concert in the park

• Baby’s first trip to the beach

• Baseball tournament

• Beach walk and lunch at the Ventura Harbor

• Universal Studios

• Estate sale shopping

• Graduation parties

• Pool parties

• Watched a movie (Jurassic World, Top Gun: Maverick)

• Went on a hike

• Dodger game

• Got a kitten, got a puppy

• Indulged in ice cream

• Romantic dinner

• Went to the park

• Went to a splash pad

• Day in Santa Barbara

• Swimming and pool time (probably the most mentioned activity)

• Family time

• Went camping

• Underwood Family Farms

• Hung out with friends at a local taproom

• America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College

• Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm

• Stagecoach Inn in Newbury Park

• Mountain biking

• Relaxed at home

• Went to a farmers’ market

• Lots of graduation parties

• Annual kids and adults kickball game

• Trip to San Diego

• Cornell Winery

• Went on a run in a local park or trail

• Did some gardening

• Bike ride with the kids

• Water gun fun with the kids

• Backyard movie night

• Reagan Presidential Library

• Went to a local beach

Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark

The Roadrunners R/C Club Brings R/C Racing to Freedom Park in Camarillo

The Roadrunners R/C Club manages a facility at Freedom Park near the Camarillo Airport that has several tracks sanctioned for national R/C events. There are off-road and paved tracks that are fun for R/C enthusiasts of all ages, as well as onlookers. The facility is open to the public during the week.

Freedom Park is located at 528 Freedom Park Drive, Camarillo, on 30 acres featuring soccer and softball fields, BMX track and inline-hockey rink. Learn more about the Roadrunners R/C Club at www.roadrunnersrc.com.

Stop by and check it out! It's a lot of fun to watch!

Sweeten Your Day with a Visit to Bennett's Honey Tasting Room in Fillmore

We were in the Santa Clarita area ready to head back home to the Conejo Valley, when I decided, how about if we take Highway 126 for once. So we did.

It was a leisurely drive on a late Sunday morning, when we came across a sign that caught my interest.

After passing the sign, I asked my son if he would like to do some honey tasting, to which he replied, "SURE!" So we turned back!

Bennett's Honey Tasting Room is located just north of Highway 126 at 3176 Honey Lane in Fillmore. It feels really off the beaten path, but is just 5 miles east of central Fillmore.

There's a small parking lot in front of the retail store. We walked up the steps, opened the door, and found ourselves in a small, one room shop, where we were greeted by smiling staff and stacks of honey jars and products.

But what really caught our eye, the reason for our stopping by on this mild, Sunday morning, was the honey tasting kiosk in the middle of the room. We treated ourselves to samples of honey derived from orange blossoms, sage, wildflowers, buckwheat, avocado, clover, eucalyptus and cactus. Honey heaven!

How is honey made? Worker bees suck nectar from a blossom and carry it back to the hive in their honey sacs (i.e. stomachs). On its way home, acid secretions in the sacs start changing the nectar to honey. In the hive, the honey is passed to a receiving bee where it is processed and concentrated for storage in empty honeycomb cells. 70,000 nectar "loads" become one pound of honey. Housekeeping bees "dry" the honey by fanning their wings in unison, then the cells are sealed for beeswax. Honey will keep for years.

My top choice was the cactus flavored honey as well as the "creamed" honey. We inquired about a honey that would be best for combating pollen allergies, and were told the wildflower honey was the best bet. And then we asked about the raw honeycomb shown above.

We were immediately offered a sample of the honeycomb. Heck, why not! Are we supposed to eat the wax comb? Some people do, but most swallow the tasty honey and spit out the wax.  The honeycomb was a delicious treat and we bought one of those too!

Bennett's Honey Farm was founded by Red and Ann Bennett and is currently owned by Chip and Taydee Vannoy. They produce their own honey right here in Ventura County under brands "Topanga Quality Honey" (found at Whole Foods and other specialty markets) and "Piru Canyon Honey" found at farmers' market and fruit stands in local counties.

To learn more, visit www.bennetthoney.com or call 805.521.1375.

The Ventura County Classical Guitar Society Meets Monthly and is Open to the Public

What a small world it is. A Ventura County resident named Peter contacted us regarding making some additions to the local Live Music and Other Nightlife Options compilation.

Not more than a week or two later, while harvesting produce for local charity Food Forward, I struck up a conversation with another volunteer. His name was Peter. After a bit of bantering for over an hour, I mentioned Conejo Valley Guide® to him, to which he replied, "Oh, I know that website!" After a few more back and forths, I discovered that this was the same Peter that had recently emailed the site. Small world!

Peter told me that the Ventura County Classical Guitar Society is a hidden gem. The group of classical guitar enthusiasts meets generally the last Wednesday of the month at the Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District Senior Center (1605 Burnley Street, Camarillo).

He said that it is a fun session to attend is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6PM. Members of the group as well as guests perform for the group starting at 7PM (guest performers start at 8PM). Donations are accepted for guest performers.

So if you're up for an enjoyable evening of live classical guitar performances, visit www.vccgs.com and check out upcoming performances.

Upcoming planned performances:

• 2/22/23: Rodrigo & Niccole

• 3/29/23: Hugo Nogueira

Books, eBooks, Activities and Fun at Libraries Throughout Ventura County

There are nearly 20 libraries in Ventura County and surrounding areas, offering hundreds of thousands of books and downloadable eBooks readable on a range of devices. And most of these local libraries host free and/or inexpensive events and activities like storytimes, classes, concerts more for kids, teens and adults of all ages!

The Ventura County Library System currently includes 12 libraries around the county.

The Camarillo Public Library is the newest library in the county.

There are 2 libraries in Thousand Oaks: The Grant R. Brimhall Library and the Newbury Park Branch Library.

The Agoura Hills Library, part of the Los Angeles County Public Library System, opened in 2001.

The City of Moorpark manages its own library.

The Simi Valley Library was the most recent library to become municipally operated on July 1, 2013.

Last but not least is the Westlake Village Library, also part of the Los Angeles County Public Library System.

Ray Miller Trail at Pt. Mugu State Park in Malibu

Views from the Ray Miller Trail at Pt. Mugu State Park.

The Ray Miller Trail is located in the La Jolla Canyon section of Pt. Mugu State Park in Malibu. The trail is named after Ray Miller, "Guardian of the Canyon," who was the first official California State Park Camp Host, having volunteered from March 1, 1979 until his death on April 28, 1989.

Monument to Ray Miller on boulder in the La Jolla Canyon Day Use parking lot.

On its own, the trail is 2.7 miles each direction, taking you from the base of La Jolla Canyon to an overlook of the Pacific Ocean that provides sweeping views towards Mugu Rock on the west and Sycamore Cove on the east.

La Jolla Canyon sign in need of repair in September 2015.

The trail looks harder than what it really is in my opinion. The elevation gain is close to 1,000 feet over the 2.7 miles, but none of the climbs are particularly steep.  The trail zigs and zags its way up as you take in views below. You will love this trail. Many people I know say this is their favorite trail!

Single track trail all the way up, but the surface is pretty good overall. Can get slippery when wet, however.

After you reach the overlook, you continue on until you reach the Overlook Fire Road at the end of the trail (there's a sign). At that point, you can turn back or you can continue on the fire road going either north towards the La Jolla Valley Fire Road, or south towards Sycamore Campground.

Views are in abundance most of the way up this trail. This photo was taken in September 2015, in the midst of a four-year drought. It will green up in the winter.

This is the sign indicating you're reached the endpoint of the Ray Miller Trail, where it intersects with the Overlook Fire Road. Explore the road going both directions if you have time (and are carrying water), as there's plenty of views in all directions.

At the bottom of La Jolla Canyon is a group campground.  

La Jolla Canyon is located at 9000 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Take PCH south/southeast from Los Posas Road in Camarillo. Takes about 30 minutes to get there from the center of Thousand Oaks via either the 101 or via Potrero Road in Newbury Park. It is located just east of Mugu Rock and near Thornhill Broome Beach.

You can park in the La Jolla Day Use Parking Lot (as of September 2015, $8 for day use; $7 for seniors), or you can park on PCH and walk in. Dogs and bikes are not allowed on this trail, though horses are. It can get pretty hot up here in the summer, so be careful and bring plenty of water and wear sunscreen. 

The La Jolla Canyon Trail, accessed adjacent to the Ray Miller Trail, has been closed since January 2015 due to mudslides and rain damage. However, you can access the beautiful La Jolla Valley from the the La Jolla Valley Fire Road.

More information about Pt. Mugu State Park

Other local hikes and trails

Restoration Work at Potrero Creek at Rancho Sierra Vista in Newbury Park

For months, the National Park Service has coordinated, with the help of dozens of community volunteers and other organizations, native plant restoration at Potrero Creek at Rancho Sierra Vista in Newbury Park.

The creek is home to a young native oak woodland, along with milkweed visited by monarch butterflies and various other native plants used by dozens of local birds, insects and other wildlife. Volunteers have planted hundreds of plants grown from locally collected seed and watered hundreds of oak trees along the creek. You can see their work in this video. It will be interesting to see how the landscape changes over the coming decades as a result of this work.

To participate in other restoration events, including current work being done at Paramount Ranch, visit the Santa Monica Mountains Fund event signup page at www.eventbrite.com/o/santa-monica-mountains-fund-15433390756.

OVER 60 LOCAL AREA HIKES AND TRAILS IN VENTURA COUNTY AND ADJACENT AREAS