Muir Woods is beautiful, but quite a distance from the event - it's in west Marin County. Helen Putnam Regional Park is probably your best bet for something close by - it's only a few miles away and has some elevation changes and beautiful views of oak savannah, grasslands (grazing mostly), and some beautiful vistas.
Wife and I lived in Petaluma for years and have been to these places and more.
For those who want to explore in and around town, a quick jump west across Hwy. 101 from the Community Center takes you to the old town area, with tons of shops and restaurants, the Petaluma River and Turning Basin, a feed store (used to be bigger before it burned 20 years ago), huge scuptural art, and beautiful Victorian homes. There is a very nice walkway along the Petaluma River behind the shops and restaurants.
Another nearby walk with a great view of the River is Schollenberger Park - also very close to the venue.
Here's a Google overview of the area:
For those who want to explore in and around town, a quick jump west across Hwy. 101 from the Community Center takes you to the old town area, with tons of shops and restaurants, the Petaluma River and Turning Basin, a feed store (used to be bigger before it burned 20 years ago), huge scuptural art, and beautiful Victorian homes. There is a very nice walkway along the Petaluma River behind the shops and restaurants.
Another nearby walk with a great view of the River is Schollenberger Park - also very close to the venue.
Here's a Google overview of the area:
This might also be useful: https://www.planetware.com/california/top-rated-things-to-do-in-petaluma-us-ca-580.htm
"Maybe Skywalker Sound could be convinced to give you guys a tour. It is a legendary recording venue, so there’s some synergy."
Don't forget the Record Plant, now the Record Factory in Sausalito, which is sitting by the dock of the Bay!
A partial list:
Don't forget the Record Plant, now the Record Factory in Sausalito, which is sitting by the dock of the Bay!
A partial list:
- New Riders of the Purple Sage: The Adventures of Panama Red – 1972
- Sly and the Family Stone: Fresh – 1972–73
- The Wailers: Talkin' Blues – 1973
- Fleetwood Mac: Rumours – 1976
- Huey Lewis and the News: Sports – 1983
- John Fogerty: Centerfield – 1985
- Mariah Carey: Emotions – 1991
- Mariah Carey: Music Box – 1993
- Metallica: Load – 1996
- Metallica: ReLoad – 1997
- Carlos Santana: Supernatural – 1999
Tickets will be on sale real soon now.
For Build Camp I am waiting on Mike and Nelson to finish their design. Mike says, "We're aiming for <$100 per channel, likely monoblocks, something unusual, and not too difficult to build." Nelson says, "Fear not Tom, at this point we are just making adjustments to the cost/wildness factors...."
-Tom-
For Build Camp I am waiting on Mike and Nelson to finish their design. Mike says, "We're aiming for <$100 per channel, likely monoblocks, something unusual, and not too difficult to build." Nelson says, "Fear not Tom, at this point we are just making adjustments to the cost/wildness factors...."
-Tom-
Ok... so I need to finalize my plans. Wife doesn't want to go.... she can't take a week off because that will shut down the logistics of her large global corporation ( so she 'feels' ), so it's just me.
Plan will be for me to drive up on Friday and drive back on Monday, so I guess Rutherford is out... and I might as well stay near by.
Tickets?
Dates?
Hotel?
Plan will be for me to drive up on Friday and drive back on Monday, so I guess Rutherford is out... and I might as well stay near by.
Tickets?
Dates?
Hotel?
After much consideration I have come to the conclusion that getting my plasma tweeter gear across the country to BAF will be too difficult. My two best options are driving from Wisconsin (three days and nights) or taking the AMTRAK from Chicago (two days and nights). I don't trust separately shipping the tweeters and my custom electronics so flying is not a good option. I will try again next year (after my retirement). I will cancel my room at the Best Western in Petaluma in a day or two. Should I make a new post just before I do?
Tickets will be published this week. There will be a Build Camp on Saturday in addition to seminars, however I am awaiting details on the project and cost from Mike and Nelson.
Dates are Saturday September 30 and Sunday October 1st.
Closest motel is Best Western Petaluma Inn 2 long blocks down McDowell.
-Tom-
Hmm... you know... YOU are the goods. 
Oh well, maybe next year we'll hear how Loggins and Messina, On Stage, sounded on the tweeters. That picture of Nelson by his tweeters, has a bunch of LPs to the side... At the very front, it has that LP.... by pure coincidence, the day I saw that picture, I had .. that same LP... playing on the turntable. I've had it since the 70s.
Oh well, I'll miss you. I was hoping you'd bring some NO2 tanks and we could have... well... a giggle or two.
Vahevala, homeless sailor
Vahevala, homeward sail away
Vahevala, homeless sailor
Vahevala, homeward sail away
Every evening I'd be gone
Back on board by break of dawn
Oh well, maybe next year we'll hear how Loggins and Messina, On Stage, sounded on the tweeters. That picture of Nelson by his tweeters, has a bunch of LPs to the side... At the very front, it has that LP.... by pure coincidence, the day I saw that picture, I had .. that same LP... playing on the turntable. I've had it since the 70s.
Oh well, I'll miss you. I was hoping you'd bring some NO2 tanks and we could have... well... a giggle or two.
Vahevala, homeless sailor
Vahevala, homeward sail away
Vahevala, homeless sailor
Vahevala, homeward sail away
Every evening I'd be gone
Back on board by break of dawn
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Tickets will be on sale shortly (tomorrow?).
In the meantime Tom Acquistapace wants me to add some sights to see near Petaluma:
Petaluma is less than [xx] minutes drive from;
1) Sonoma Wine country [25]
2) Point Reyes National Seashore [30]
3) Napa Wine country [40]
4) Charles Schulz Museum [20]
5) Dillon Beach [30] and Limontour Beach [45] and their scenic drives
6) Bodega Bay [35] and its scenic drive
To which I would add:
7) Golden Gate Bridge [40]
8) Marin Headlands [40] Great view of the GG Bridge and SF!
-Tom-
In the meantime Tom Acquistapace wants me to add some sights to see near Petaluma:
Petaluma is less than [xx] minutes drive from;
1) Sonoma Wine country [25]
2) Point Reyes National Seashore [30]
3) Napa Wine country [40]
4) Charles Schulz Museum [20]
5) Dillon Beach [30] and Limontour Beach [45] and their scenic drives
6) Bodega Bay [35] and its scenic drive
To which I would add:
7) Golden Gate Bridge [40]
8) Marin Headlands [40] Great view of the GG Bridge and SF!
-Tom-
The Marin Headlands are awesome, btw. Keep driving West towards the very top where the WWII pill boxes are at, that's the best view of the Bay.
More info for the more adventurous. South. Central California. Avoid Monterey.... way tooo much traffic getting in there from the North.
About three hours, Mision San Antonio de Padua ( most awesome wine cellar in any mission I've seen ).
About four hours, on the 101, from the Central California Wine Country.
About four hours from Big Bubbah's Bad To The Bone BBQ in Paso Robles.
About five hours from Pismo Beach ( remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon ).
About five and a half hours from the Santa Ynez Valley ( more wine...)
And if you got Sacramento you get the Most Awesome Train Museum In The World.
It's a nice State, really.
Oh... so we're from SoCal. Once upon a time, during our California History Synopsys Tour we went to the San Rafael mission.
We were lost so we asked some one...
"Hi, where is the San Rafael mission?" - pronounced SAHN RAH FAHEL in proper spanish -in SoCal we use proper Spanish for proper nouns.
"Oh, over there... you must be from Southern California?"
"Yes, why?"
"We call it Saint Rayfayel" People in Northern California are weird alright.
Oh, speaking of San Rafael... USED RECORDS... awesome place.
https://www.reddevilrecords.net/
More info for the more adventurous. South. Central California. Avoid Monterey.... way tooo much traffic getting in there from the North.
About three hours, Mision San Antonio de Padua ( most awesome wine cellar in any mission I've seen ).
About four hours, on the 101, from the Central California Wine Country.
About four hours from Big Bubbah's Bad To The Bone BBQ in Paso Robles.
About five hours from Pismo Beach ( remember the Bugs Bunny cartoon ).
About five and a half hours from the Santa Ynez Valley ( more wine...)
And if you got Sacramento you get the Most Awesome Train Museum In The World.
It's a nice State, really.
Oh... so we're from SoCal. Once upon a time, during our California History Synopsys Tour we went to the San Rafael mission.
We were lost so we asked some one...
"Hi, where is the San Rafael mission?" - pronounced SAHN RAH FAHEL in proper spanish -in SoCal we use proper Spanish for proper nouns.
"Oh, over there... you must be from Southern California?"
"Yes, why?"
"We call it Saint Rayfayel" People in Northern California are weird alright.
Oh, speaking of San Rafael... USED RECORDS... awesome place.
https://www.reddevilrecords.net/
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If you don't get vertigo you can actually walk the Golden Gate Bridge. I mention vertigo because on foot you definitely feel the bridge move and roll as you walk. It can be a little disorienting. On foot you get to experience more of the bridge and construction itself.
