The Conejo Valley Guide "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, highlights of local things to do, compilations and other items. Focus is on information relevant to Ventura County and surrounding areas, including Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Malibu, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Somis, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Barbara and Moorpark.
The Conejo Valley Guide® "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, local things to do, holiday event compilations, announcements and more.
Ventura County covers over 2,200 square miles, including 1,854 miles of land. Highways in Ventura include State Routes 1, 23, 33, 118, 126 and 125 and U.S. Highway 101. That's a lot of miles to cover and we love our cars...as evidenced by these local car and motorcycle clubs in and around Ventura County!
And local car fans must stop by Murphy Auto Museum in Oxnard and the Mullin Auto Museum for some outstanding vintage car specimens.
So called "Fireworks Hill" is located in the center of Thousand Oaks, enveloped by McCloud Avenue on the northwest, St. Charles Drive on the northeast, Wilbur Road on the east, Marin Street on the south and Hillcrest Drive on the southeast.
The hill is passed by tens of thousands of commuters each day as it can clearly be seen from the 101.
For decades, the annual City of Thousand Oaks 4th of July Fireworks have been launched from this hill, a 27 acre parcel that was acquired by the City of Thousand Oaks in 1994. According to an April 7, 1994 Los Angeles Times article, the top of the hill was graded three decades prior.
According to minutes from the April 5, 1994 City Council meeting, city council voted by a 3 to 2 vote to acquire the property from the Robert A. Franklyn Estate for $540,000, plus $5,000 in estimated escrow closing costs.
While the general public is not given access to Fireworks Hill on the 4th of July, the fireworks launched from this site can be seen from quite a large radius in the surrounding area. Here's to a great Independence Day!
Fireworks Hill shown here in early January 2016, when three were snow capped peaks in the background.
My kids had no idea what the film was about. I had heard good things about “The Biggest Little Farm,” and on a hot Sunday afternoon we headed over to the Regency Westlake Village to catch the 1 pm screening.
The Biggest Little Farm is a documentary that follows the dreams of John and Molly Chester and their dog, Todd., as they achieve their dream of creating a certified biodynamic farm. This farm happens to be Apricot Lane Farms, located right here in Moorpark (10700 Broadway Road).
Prior to pursuing the farm, Molly was a private chef and food blogger, while John was a career documentary filmmaker.
The film was truly an engaging tale of how these farmers found the inspiration to create their dream, enlist the help of many others - investors and support team - build the farm and sustain it, encounter numerous obstacles and challenges, and find creative solutions to these challenges.
It was a wonderful film to bring the kids to see. The film brought a lump to my throat many a time. The farm animals played a large part in the film and led us through emotions of joy to sadness, cheerfulness and grief. The story flowed nicely and the hour and a half brought not a dull moment.
While most of us would never entertain the thought of opening a farm, the lessons of perseverance and finding clever solutions in the film is of value to all. I’m glad I brought my teenage sons to the film.
Visit www.thebiggestlittlefarmmovie.com for showtimes at local theaters. Highly recommended!
Learn more about Apricot Lane Farms at www.apricotlanefarms.com. Their produce, meat, eggs and products are available at the Thousand Oaks Farmers’ Market and Calabasas Farmers’ Market, as well as at the Erewhon store in Calabasas.
Every year in the May/June time frame we are greeted by this display of hay bales on the farms lining Potrero Road in Hidden Valley. This annual sight reminds us that we are about to enter the summer months.
SWIMMING AND WATER PLAY IN VENTURA COUNTY
The Conejo Valley Botanic Garden in Thousand Oaks is home to thousands of Matilija Poppies and they are blooming like crazy right now!
The Matilija Poppy bears the largest flowers of any California Native plant, up to 9" in diameter. They bloom in late spring to early summer.
The Chumash enjoyed this plant that was named after Chief Matilija and his tribe in the early 1800s. Matilija is pronounced ma-til-a-hah (not jah).
The genus of this plant is "Romneya," named after Irish astronomer John Thomas Romney Robinson. Romneya produce the largest flowers of any members of the poppy family.
Go check em out!
Oakbrook Regional Park sustained quite a bit of burn damage from the Woolsey Fire of November 2018 and was closed to the public for a number of months. The popular replica Chumash village was destroyed by the fire.
The good news is that the park is now back open and most of the trees, many with visible blackened trunks, are recovering and showing distinct signs of regrowth.
Docents from the Chumash Indian Museum are organizing an effort to rebuild the popular replica village and are raising funds on a GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/chumash-indian-museum-wildfire-fund to support this effort. They are also seeking volunteers to help place the tule (plant used for Chumash house structures) on the aps (traditional Chumash houses).
New Chumash houses (or “aps”) in process of being built.
The marathon has an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards). Most of us marathoners refer to it as a 26.2 mile race. Let's put some perspective on that. We're talking roughly the distance from the Muvico Theater in Thousand Oaks to Downtown Ventura (Main St at California St).
FindMyMarathon.com shows that there have been over 500,000 marathon finishers annually in the United States in recent years. That’s a lot of mileage!
Until fairly recently, there were no marathons run on Ventura County soil. When I began running in the mid 1990s, the closest marathons to us were in Los Angeles, Santa Clarita and Culver City. Now there are marathons in Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo.
While it's fun to travel to faraway lands to run a marathon, there's something to be said for sleeping in your own bed, waking up early, and driving out to run a local marathon. So how about a rundown of local marathons within a one hour range of Ventura County!
Los Angeles Marathon (www.lamarathon.com)
Time of Year: A Sunday usually in March
Course Description: The course route has changed a number of times over the years, but most recently the point to point "Stadium to the Sea" route from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier has proved extraordinarily popular. The course takes you through sections of Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, West Los Angeles and Santa Monica. There are race day shuttles that take runners from Santa Monica to the start.
Other Events: 5K
Pricing: Registration starts at $175 for the 2020 event on March 7, 2020.
Other: On a personal note, I set my personal best time on this course back in 1997. This is THE race to do if you enjoy lots of crowd support along the course.
Mountains to Beach Marathon (www.mountains2beachmarathon.com)
Time of Year: Late May; generally last Sunday of May.
Course Description: Point to point course that starts with a 10K loop in Ojai, then 10 miles of bike path to the Ventura oceanfront, down the Ventura Keys to Marina Park and back to the Ventura Pier. Net downhill of 700 feet makes this a fast course.
Other Events: Half Marathon, 5K
Pricing: 2019 event pricing ranged from $99 (early bird) to $134.
Camarillo Marathon (www.camarillomarathon.com)
Time of Year: The Camarillo Marathon is now in the mid-August time frame.
Course: Starts at Pleasant Valley Fields, goes along the Camarillo Bike Path and nearby roads. New course.
Other Events: Half Marathon, 5K, 10K
Pricing: $130 for the August 11, 2019 event.
Lexus Ventura Marathon (www.venturamarathon.com)
Time of Year: The inaugural event was Sunday, September 8, 2013. The event now takes place in mid to late October on a Sunday.
Course Description: The course starts in Ojai down the bike path to finish at the Ventura Pier. There were 687 finishers in the 2018 event
Other Events: Half marathon, 5K, kids fun run, bike rides.
Pricing: Pricing for 2019 event currently $120 to $130.
Finish line of the Inaugural Ventura Marathon on September 8, 2013.
Santa Clarita Marathon (www.scmarathon.org)
Time of Year: Generally runs on the 1st Sunday in November
Course Description: The course starts and finishes at the Valencia Town Center and has a number of out and back turns, mostly along bike paths. One of the more low key marathons in the area, with around 350 to 400 finishers.
Other Events: Half marathon, 5K, Kid K
Pricing: Usually in the $80 to $100 range. Registration opens July 1st for 2019 event on Nov 3rd
Seaside Marathon (www.seasidemarathon.com )
Time of Year: Mid-February
Course Description: Two out and back runs along the boardwalk and bike path and shoulder of Highway 1 in Ventura. (Same course as Surfer's Point Marathon.)
Other Events: Half marathon, 5K
Pricing: Pricing for the 2020 event ranges up to $130 depending on timing.
Surfer's Point Marathon (www.surferspointmarathon.com)
Time of Year: Sunday in mid-November
Course Description: Course is along the ocean/Highway 101, starting at Emma Wood State Beach Group Campground in Ventura.
Other Events: Half marathon, 5K, 10K
Pricing: Ranges from $95 to $130 for the 2019 event on November 10th
Just a little farther but still possible to commute to if you are an early riser:
jetBlue Long Beach Marathon (www.motivrunning.com/run-longbeach)
Time of Year: Early to mid-October range on a Sunday
Course Description: I've run the Long Beach Marathon several times and it is probably the most twisty, turny course I've ever run, yet it is still a reasonably flat and fast course. It starts and finishers in the heart of downtown Long Beach near Shoreline Village. There are sections along the beach, then it turns inland, up and around Cal State Long Beach, and back to the finish. Generally over 2,000 finishers.
Other Events: Half marathon is hugely popular
Pricing: $129 for the 2019 race
Surf City Marathon (formerly Pacific Shoreline Marathon) (www.runsurfcity.com)
Time of Year: Generally run on the 1st Sunday of February
Course Description: Much of course runs on PCH, streets and bike paths in and around the Huntington Beach Pier with views of the Pacific Ocean. This race generally sells out each year with between 2,000 and 2,500 participants.
Other Events: Half marathon
Pricing: $100 for 2019 race
OC Marathon (www.ocmarathon.com)
Time of Year: Generally takes place the first Sunday of May
Course Description: The marathon starts in Newport Beach, runs past Balboa Island in kind of a figure eight-ish pattern in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and adjacent cities. The race generally has around 2,000 participants. The race finishes at the OC Fair and Event Center.
Other Events: Half marathon and 5K
Pricing: 2019 event starts at just $80!
There was a Pasadena Marathon in recent years but organizers announced it has been cancelled.
Malibu Marathon was cancelled in 2014, though the half marathon and 5K continue on (www.malibuintmarathon.com).
The Santa Barbara International Marathon also ran its final event in 2014, though a Veterans Day Half Marathon continues. www.sbmarathon.com
Looking for marathons around the world? My favorite place to find them is www.MarathonGuide.com. They do a great job of compiling a massive amount of information strictly about marathons.
CLICK HERE for other local races...5K, 10K, half marathon, etc.
I've run over 30 marathons or so through the years and periodically babble on about my training, experiences and other random running and training related items THIS LINK.
And last but not least, here are 26.2 training tips for running your first marathon.
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
Conejo Valley Guide® covers thousands of events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County, California and surrounding areas.
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