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.
L. David Irete submitted this shot of the "supermoon" staring down the western Conejo Valley open space and Edison power lines in Newbury Park this morning. Last night's (and this morning's) supermoon was the closest full moon to the Earth since January 26, 1948.
Mark your calendars for November 25, 2034. That's when astronomers indicate the next time we will have a supermoon this close to earth.
The four mile stretch of Highway 101 that connects the Conejo Valley with Pleasant Valley is the Conejo Grade. Originally constructed in 1915 with no less than 49 twists and turns, the Conejo Grade has been straightened and widened over the years to accommodate growing population needs.
The shot above was taken in 1957 by aerial photographer Walt Dibblee. You can clearly see remnants of prior iterations of the Conejo Grade from above. You also may notice the lack of, well, much of anything, at the top of the grade in Newbury Park.
Below is another shot, a bit closer up. As you can see, the Grade was not quite as wide in those days.
Thanks to Walt's son Steve Dibblee of VenturaViews.com.
The Roots of our Lives "Living Time Capsule" located at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
The City of Thousand Oaks was incorporated in 1964 after a majority vote on September 29, 1964. Thirty years later, City leaders decided to do something very special by creating a "Living Time Capsule" designed to grow over the years.
In the front of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, on the east side behind the large Mary and Richard Carpenter Plaza Park sign, is "The Roots of our Lives," an area that contains the living time capsule. A geocache led us here. Learn more about geocaching at this link.
Here is the inscription on a sign next to the "Living Time Capsule" bench:
"A time capsule is encased within the bench below the specially designed oak tree and mountainscape relief with the time capsule theme, "The Roots of our Lives." It is filled with documents and artifacts reflective of the City of Thousand Oaks' rich historical heritage, and current public and private activities.
It is called "A Living Time Capsule" for it was designed to grow as our City grows, with each succeeding generation contributing to the contents of four time capsule containers. This is accomplished through a unique program, whereby:
A group of fifty ten year-old children were designated "Guardians of the Time Capsule" at the dedication on October 9, 1994. They will be back for the next opening of the time capsule when a new generation of "Guardians" will be chosen. This process will continue for the next three openings of the time capsule.
At its dedication on October 9, 1994, two of the four time capsule containers were filled and sealed.
The third container will be filled and sealed at the time capsule's opening on the City's 50th Anniversary, in the year 2014. This process will be repeated with the fourth container, on the City's 75th Anniversary, in the year 2039.
A final opening of all four containers will take place on the City's 100th Anniversary, in the year 2064."
Time Capsule created by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce was buried on November 20, 1989 and will be opened on November 20, 2039. Makes one ponder....will I be around to witness this?
There's a prominent hill north of the 101 in Newbury Park as you make your way towards the top of the Conejo Grade. Grande Vista Drive parallels the 101 and the hill is directly behind it.
What is the name of this hill that we see every day here in the Conejo Valley? It is referred to as "Adventist Hill" as it is on property owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Newbury Park.
Adventist Hill is located in the Conejo Canyons Open Space a 1,628 acre open space area of the Conejo Valley. The Conejo Canyons Open Space also includes the Western Plateau, northern Arroyo Conejo, Western Canyon and Calleguas Ridgeline. Most of this area is owned by the City of Thousand Oaks and Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA)., although 380 privately owned acres are subject to a Specific Plan condition requiring an offer of dedication to the City.
Seen in the Fall of 2014
The Petersen Automotive Museum originally opened in June 1994 in a former Ohrbach's department store building at Fairfax and Wilshire in Los Angeles.
The museum underwent extensive renovations in 2015 and was re-opened in December 2015 with a uniquely new facade and interior spaces were configured to accommodate 25 changing exhibits in the four floor, 300,000 square foot masterpiece, with over 150 vehicles on view.
We stopped by in June 2016 and enjoyed the greatly varied exhibits, including the stunning Mullin "Rolling Sculpture" exhibit, the "Precious Metal" exhibit of silver cars presented by Rolex, Automobiles in the Movies, Hot Rods and Customs, the interactive Disney/Pixar Cars Mechanical Institute, "Howlin': Select Vehicles from the Nearburg Collection," vintage motorcycles, Forza Motorsport Racing Experience (race car simulator) and much more.
The Cars Mechanical Institute is sure to please the younger crowd.
The Petersen Automotive Museum is open seven days a week, 10AM to 6PM. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students with ID and $7 for children (free 2 and under). Parking is available for $12 (free for the first 30 minutes). Visit petersen.org to learn more.
1959 Corvette XP-87 Stingray Racer in Precious Metal exhibit by Rolex
My boys most enjoyed the "Automobiles in the Movies" exhibit and of course the interactive Forza Motorsports Racing Experience, which was a videogame like experience. Younger kids I suspect will enjoy the Discovery Center. I was personally wowed the most by the Precious Metal collection, as well as the Mullin collection (most of which I had previously seen and enjoyed at our local Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard). Something we did not take the time to do, that I would recommend you consider, is the "Vault Tour." For an additional $20 take an hour long tour of the unique vehicles currently stored in "the vault" rather than on general display. petersen.org/portfolio-item/the-vault.
The Mullin Collection on display includes the $30-40 million 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic.
The kids were excited to see this Back to the Future car at the Petersen,
This Rolls Royce hood ornament caught my attention.
A 1903 Thor Camelback motorcycle that is so pristine it looks nothing like 100+ years old!
The 60th Annual Conejo Valley Days continues through tomorrow, Sunday, May 15th. Today's entertainment lineup included, among other great bands, 70s rock cover band, Chevy Metal, featuring Foo Fighters drummer, Taylor Hawkins.
For the 2nd year in a row, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl made an unadvertised guest appearance with Chevy Metal. Fun times! Another photo of Grohl on the CVG Instagram feed.
A happy, low key crowd on hand for Chevy Metal
These folks perhaps caught fleeting glimpses of the band from this vantage point at the 2016 Conejo Valley Days
The 1,530 foot Angel Vista in Newbury Park may well have the most spectacular views of the Conejo Valley. Angel Vista can be accessed via the Rosewood Trail off of Lynn Road (just west of Regal Oak Ct) or the Los Robles Trail (either the Thousand Oaks side accessible at South Moorpark Road and Greenmeadow Ave or Newbury Park side off of Potrero Road).
The unforgetable view from the Angel Vista Peak bench, facing towards the Conejo Grade
There is a slightly higher peak steps away from Angel Vista Peak that with a bench that has panoramic views that stretch from Hidden Valley to Boney Mountain to the Conejo Valley.
Facing southeast from Angel Peak, head up this short, moderately steep trail.
And soon you will see this secluded, old looking bench at the top of the hill.
A sturdy bench it is, that has withstood the test of time...and the unfortunate etchings of vandals.
The view looking straight ahead into the Conejo Valley
The view towards Hidden Valley
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
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