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March Field Air Museum, Riverside
and the Orange Empire Railroad Museum

A Day Get-A-Way From L.A.
(also visit the Boeing Space Shuttle here)


THE BLACKBIRD, FRONT AND BACK

Seen everything in L.A.? Want a new daylong tour? Here's something. Try Riverside. It's only an hour east of L.A. and has two really cool outdoor museums, the March Field Air Musuem and the Orange Empire Railroad Museum. Since both were withing half an hour of each other, we decided to kill two birds with one stone and check them both out in one day. If you know exactly how to get there you can skip the next paragraph.


Nancy joins the Air Force, learns on a bi-plane, and then flys her new jet!

We intended to get out of the house by 10 am and to the airfield before noon, it being a little over an hour drive, but due to getting a late start (this always seems to happen) and a little detour exchanging a camera, and then we got stuck in traffic, (it was Friday) we didn't get to the airfield till 1 PM. It was a stressfull ride due to bumper to bumper traffic and the fact that the maps both said to take the 10 or 60 east to the 215, we thought it would be easy. However, after passing a dozen major freeways and an hour later on the 10, we were sure we'd missed the freeway and stop to check the directions. turns out it was another 10 miles further to the 15 which would cut us over to the 60, so we got back on the freeway and after finally getting on the 60 east, we passed the 215 north and went for miles without a seeing a sign for 215 south, so we were sure we'd missed our freeway again. (our L.A. map didn't cover Riverside, so we had to stop and check again) It turns out the 215 south is about 10 miles past the 215 north. (NIce of the sign people to let us know that) Who makes these freeway signs anyway? After finally getting on the 215 south we finally saw the signs that said March Airforce Base or MarchRB, so we exited and finally saw a sign and entered a military guarded road, where an officer told us that this was the actual Air Force Base, and the public museum was up the freeway another exit. Great. Nice of the sign people to tell us. We finally got to the airfield museum.


THE MUSEUM HANGER AND A COOL FIGHTER JET

We saw a lot of cool Air Force Jets and entered the Museum, where they had even more in a hanger, and a lot of jet engines, photos, plaques, trophies, Air Force medels and flags, as well a gift shop where the souveniers were reasonable and plentiful. Heading outdoors into the bright desert winter air, we were treated to a barrage of the greatest jet fighters of the past century. Also included were bombers, refuelers, cargo planes and other military aircraft. there were also some trucks in a convoy, and some helicopters, all displayed on an open field where you could walk right up and touch them.


Ruben with the Blackbird, a fighter jet, and riding a jet engine!

The coolest jet was the Blackbird, which was all black and amazingly futureistic, even though it was built in the 60's. Idon't remmember seeing it till the 70's or 80's. It still looks futuristic, even though most are retired, and according to my friend at Boeing they still have a few operational but don't have government approved money needed to fly them. There were some great classic jets and bombers, including one like the one that bombed Japan in WWII. It has windows like a fortified disco ball.



NANCY'S ANTIQUE TROLLEY AND TRUCK

After a couple hours, we realized we needed to get to the Railroad place cause they closed at 5, so we jumped back on the freeway and got to Perris in about 15 minutes, where we got some Popeye's chicken strips to go and continued. 10 more minutes on funky back roads found us there, and we entered the Orange Empire Railroad Museum. , where a lot of old railroad engines and cars are kept, and especially cool, some old L.A. streetcars are stored, and even run around a big loop.

A COUPLE OF COOL OLD TRUCK FRONTS

We took the ride and passed fields full of old railroad cars and junk, even some old trucks that were way cool. Their look was very cartoonish compared to today's style. Walt Disney must have designed them.

A RAILROAD CONTRAPTION AND A HOTROD CONTRAPTION

We missed the next ride on the real railroad, but I took it last time and it was jpretty boring. jUst goes back and forth a couple miles. The place was not as exciting as the airshow, for my wife, but cooler for me cause I love those old antique trains. See the pics.


ANTIQUE TRUCK AND RAILROAD MAN GOING HOME


The ride home was much easier and relaxing even though it was rush hour, cause we were way out in nowhere and headed the opposite was of outgoing traffic. We stopped in at our relatives on the way home for a drink, and got home in half the time it took to get there.


ANTIQUE TRUCK AND RAILROAD MAN GOING HOME


Also check out new pictures of Laguna Beach, with their art festival, also Pismo Beach,with a Volley Ball Championship, Oceano Beach, Santa Barbara w/ art fair and park festival, and nearby Piadaro Beach, with cool rock formations.
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