Traveling with Mr Johnson  Our first adventure Pisgah Crater California

Well for those of you who were not aware of my first post I wrote about how I regretted not taking advantage of the opportunities throughout the year to travel with Mr Johnson with my oldest daughter.   I won't bore you with all the gory details, but  if you want to know what it's like to be a parent and not go on these adventures read the following Traveling with Mr Johnson

For those of you who plan to travel with Mr Johnson take a lesson from me.

One of my personal goals this year was to spend more time with my family.  Now I talk a good talk about what I should be doing , but am I walking the walk?.  I knew exactly what I needed to do this year and that was to make better choices with how I spend my time, especially when it comes to my daughters. 

Well that opportunity came up this year as my middle daughter came up to me and mentioned she had Mr Johnson as her history teacher! And that he was planning a trip to the local lava tubes.  Lava Tubes?  Thank God for second chances there is no way I am missing out on this trip.  What day is it?  Let me check my calendar,   That date falls on the third day of a three day How to achieve rock star status in your business seminar I am attending

I had a decision to make do I attend the last day of the seminar or spend the day with my daughter and Mr Johnson.  Well as you will soon learn I made the right decision this time around.  I understand from those I later spoke with in attendance at the seminar that the last day was great but not as great as spending time with my daughter!

Our first adventure this year took us to Pisgah Crater just past Barstow off of Interstate 40.  I often thought that this stretch was always going through some sort of burned brush clearing but a closer look exposes that this area is covered with black lava.  Unfortunately the original crater is being mined and is losing it's original form for various related products such as the lava rocks  you use in your barbeques, and other similar uses.

Just a rock throw below from the crater lies the lava tubes, these are crawl spaces and underground caves created from the lava that once poured from this crater some estimated 2000  years ago a milisecond in this arena.  It's pretty cool to be crawling through these tunnels and rock formations created out of lava thousands of years ago.  If you haven't been to this location I recommend it.  Just make sure you wear a miners type headpiece or bikers light some old clothes gloves and a bikers helmet and your good to go. I was amazed at the number of participants that joined us on this trip literally a hundred or more parents and there kids combined. 

I have to admit I was not dissapointed this being my maiden trip and a great start for the year!.  Looking forward to the next adventure with my daughter, her classmates, and of course Mr Johnston

Excerpts from "When I look back at my child's first year at Rancho Pico Jr High, My biggest regret was not traveling w/ mr Johnson.

"Sure I attended all of the open houses and other similar activities, but I missed out on all of those after school adventures "traveling with Mr Johnson" which I could have attended had I planned things better.  These are missed opportunities to spend "Quality" time with my child doing something I absolutely love.  That is exploring, and in addition to that, exploring with a teacher who shares the love of the outdoors and it's history.  Something I have all but abandoned in my  "Pursuit of happiness"  

We live in a valley full of it's own rich history (Santa Clarita Historical Society), we need to dig deeper to appreciate what is right here in our own backyard here in Santa Clarita, California.  Make it a point to visit Mr Johnson's personal website http://www.mrjohnson.org/ whether you have a student or not.  It is a wealth of local historical information and activities.  If you do have a student that is enrolling in 7^th grade this coming year be sure to get involved and take advantage of "traveling with Mr Johnson".  Plan and make the time to share these learning experiences with your child and learn more about the person who is helping shape your children's views of history.  Don't make the same mistake I did.

Note to Mr Johnson, You have rekindle the adventurer I once was as a child and young adult, and I hope to pass this on to my children.  Thank you, for reminding me of this, may you continue to be an adventurer and never lose sight of that voyage....

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