Bayley Hotel

Bayley Hotel
also known as the Bayley House
National Register of Historic Places #1978000660
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This historic place is located north of Pilot Hill on CA 49 in the county of El Dorado, California. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 50.635 W 121° 00.891.

You can log your vist to this site at waymarking.com.

Construction on the Bayley House began in 1861, after A.J. Bayley's first hotel in Pilot Hill, the Oak Valley House, burned to the ground earlier that year. Prompted by this loss and rumors that the Central Pacific Railroad would soon be built through Pilot Hill, Bayley started construction on his biggest project.

Bayley had every reason to believe that the railroad would be routed through the trail that John C. Fremont surveyed, which ran past his property, because it had already been established as a freight haulers route. He knew that the "Big Four" railroad barons were seriously considering this Fremont Trail as the route for the railroad to take on its journey over the Sierras to become part of the first trans-continental railroad.

Enter Theodore Judah, a brilliant engineer who found that routing the railroad through Auburn and Dutch Flat would be easier and less expensive. His idea was eventually accepted, leaving Bayley with a massive Southern style estate in the middle of the rolling foothills of El Dorado County, one that would not realize its potential as an important and busy oasis for rail passengers.

Nevertheless, the fact remained that A.J. Bayley had designed and built one of the finest homes in the West.

The 10,000 square foot Bayley House was built with 22 rooms, including two ladies' parlors, a bar room to the left of the entrance, and a grand ballroom on the third floor that doubled as an observatory. The 300,000 bricks that faced the exterior were manufactured on location, as was all the fine wood used in the house milled on the property. Rosewood and mahogany were imported from England. A double piazza supported by eight huge hardwood columns provided a shady retreat off the second floor where guests could relax and enjoy the view. A spectacular circular staircase wound sharply from the double-door foyer to the second and third floors, with a highly polished mahogany railing. To help keep the house warm and inviting, it was outfitted with six fireplaces, two with marble insets, and underneath it all was a huge wine cellar, where one of California's first winemakers stored the product of his vineyards.

El Dorado County California Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places
El Dorado County, California
{GPS Coordinates of Site Location}
1978002778 Bayley Hotel - [map] - {38.84392,-121.01485}

2009 PAL JV Rec Basketball

I went to a parents only meeting for JV Rec Basketball. After playing four years of Little Dribblers basketball, the kids are now moving up to something that resembles real basketball. The games will have four 6 minute stop clock quarters, rather than the 5 minute running clock that they used in little dribblers. Regulation high school basketball rules are in effect. There is no minimum play time, but all players must play in the game. The team plays in the Parochial Athletic League (PAL). The first practice is tomorrow night!

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Ray LaMontagne - You Are The Best Thing

The list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!

After the semi-final game on Sunday

 

Gunners 10U Travel Baseball Team

The traveling baseball team that Jack played on this fall is looking for a some additional players.

Gunners 10U Travel Baseball Team
The Elk Grove Gunners 10U tournament team is looking for a few qualified players to join our team. Players cannot be older that 10 on April 30, 2009. Currently the team is ranked 3rd in Northern California under USSSA events. The team has played 7 tournaments this fall with the following results:

3 Championships

1 Runner-up

Made the semifinals in 6 of 7 events

This team has secured a spot at the Cooperstown Dream Park Tournament in June of 2009. If you have not heard of this event check out the website at www.cooperstowndreampark.com

If you would like your son to experience the next level of baseball and receive excellent coaching and development opportunities - you may be who we are looking for. We are looking for pitchers (who wouldn't be?) and/or strong outfield skills. Prior All Stars or Tournament experience is a plus, however not necessary. If you are interested in additional details, please send a note to 10utravelball@comcast.net.

NBA Power Rankings 2008-2009 Week 3

Marc Stein has dropped the Kings to 26th in his weekly power rankings; this is down from 20th last week. Only the Wizards, Clippers, Thunder and Timberwolves are ranked lower than the Kings.

ESPN - NBA Basketball Power Rankings - National Basketball Association

There's no time to dissect home losses to Detroit, Phoenix and San Antonio by a mere 12 points combined, all without Kevin Martin, when co-owner Joe Maloof is so publicly (and loudly) putting heat on his coach.

After watching the Kings over the last three weeks, I am actually fairly optimistic about this team. If Martin can stay healthly and on the floor and you give Hawes and Thompson another year or two of experience, I think that this could be a very competitive team. Hawes is only 20 years old, Thompson is 22 and Martin is 25.

2008 Gunners Baseball Tournament #6 Day 2

The good news was that the Gunners did not have to play in Manteca until 9:45 a.m. on Sunday morning. The bad news was that they had to play Hard 90 Pastime. They lost to Hard 90 by the score of 11 to 2 on October 4 and by the score of 8 to 2 on November 2.

In the top of the first, the Gunners scored a run on two hits. In their half of the first inning, Hard 90 scored two runs on an error, a walk and a hit.

In the top of the second, the first two batters reached base on a hit and an error. Jack came to the plate with no outs and runners at first and second. The third base coach gave him the sign for a bunt and Jack laid the first pitch perfectly down the first base line advancing the runners to second and third. The pitcher fielded the ball and made a great throw to get Jack by a step at first base. The next batter hit one into center field where the fielder misplayed it and both runners scored. At this point, the Gunners lead by a score of 3 to 2.

The bottom fell out in the bottom of the third. The Gunners had two plays at home plate on infield grounders; one was a tag, while the other was a force. Both throws were slightly offline and the runners were safe at home. By the time the Gunners got out of the inning, Hard 90 was ahead by a score of 8 to 3.

Jack got up in the top of the fourth. He lined the first pitch back to the pitcher and was thrown out at first. In the top of the sixth, Jack lined one hard up the middle off the pitcher's glove. By the time the shortstop tracked the ball down, Jack beat the throw to first. Unfortunately, he was called out trying to steal second when it looked like he was easily safe.

The Gunners lost the game by a score of 9 to 4.

For the weekend, Jack was 3 for 6 with one strikeout, one sacrifice bunt, three RBIs and three stolen bases. He played 18 of 22 innings over four games in right field and at third base.

2008 Gunners Baseball Tournament #6 Day 1

After a late night last night at the Kings game, this was a long day for both Jack and I. The Gunners drew the first two games of the day at Big League Dreams Sport Park in Manteca: an 8:00 a.m. game and a 10:10 a.m. game. I got Jack up about 5:45 a.m. and we left the house about 6:15 a.m. This team has never played very well first thing in the morning.

They played the first game against Cen Cal, a team that they have beat twice in the last couple of months. They got off to a bad start. Their pitcher walked five batters in the top of the first inning and gave up 4 runs. The boys started to hang their heads and things spiraled downward from there.

Cen Cal had picked up a new pitcher who struck out 6 of the 10 batters first time through the order. Jack got up in the bottom of the third. He fell behind 0 balls and 2 strikes and then worked the count to 3 balls and 2 strikes, including fouling off a pitch. Jack ended up striking out swinging on a low pitch that might have been called a ball.

The Gunners managed only three hits in the game and ended up losing the game by a score 8 to 0 in five innings. Jack played four uneventful innings in right field.

The second game was against TABU, a team the Gunners barely beat a couple of weeks ago. Like the first game, the Gunners gave up four runs in the top of the first inning on two walks and a couple of singles.

In their half of the first, the Gunners manufactured 3 runs on 2 walks, a hit by pitch and a single. These were the only runs the Gunners could manage, while TABU scored in four of the five innings.

In Jack's first plate appearance in the second inning, he hit a 2 balls and 1 strike pitch to the third baseman and was thrown out at first. Jack's second at-bat was an eight pitch affair. He ended up driving one hard down the third base line for a single. With one out, he stole second and third, but the Gunners left him at third.

Jack played five innings at third base. He handled a routine grounder in the first inning and threw the runner out at first. In the fifth inning, Jack tagged out the runner trying to go from second to third on a nice throw from the pitcher.

The Gunners managed only four hits in the game and ended up losing the game by a score of 10 to 3.

With two losses, the Gunners were seeded fourth out of five teams for the elimination round of the tournament. Unfortunately, the first game of elimination round was at 6:50 p.m. on Saturday night. We ended up going home and coming back.

The Gunners played the Bay Bombers in the third game of the day.

Leading 1 to 0 in the bottom of the second, Jack came up with the bases loaded and one out. He drove a 1 ball and 0 strike pitch up the middle for a double and two RBIs. He stole third, but the Gunners left him at third.

The Gunners ended up winning the game by a score of 6 to 2 in 6 innings. Jack played three uneventful innings in right field. Continuing the trend of the day, the Gunners managed only four hits in the game. Two of the hits were by Pat who showed up only for the last game. Over the course of the three games, the Gunners managed only 10 hits and Jack had 2 of them.

With the win, the Gunners get to come back on Sunday to play the #1 seed.

After the third game

geotagged

After the third game, originally uploaded by heringermr.

2008 Kings versus Suns

Jack and I went to the Sacramento Kings versus Phoenix Suns basketball game. I picked this game during our season ticket draw because Jack is a huge Steve Nash fan. Unfortunately, Nash was suspended this morning for one game for this role in a fight during the Suns and Rockets game. I did not tell Jack this until we were halfway to the game.

Trailing by 10 points for most of the second half, the Kings turned it into a very entertaining game losing in overtime by a score of 97 to 95. Highlights from the game include:

• Grant Hill played 45 minutes and scored 22 points on 9 for 19 from the field. When the Gunners baseball team was choosing numbers in August, Jack took 33. When I asked him why, he said because that was Grant Hill's number.
  


• Brad Miller is listed as 7 feet tall and 261 pounds. Standing next to Shaq, Miller looks like a boy standing next to a man.


• During the first half, Jack and I sent this picture to the Kings. They showed it on the big screen at the end of halftime!


• Standing at a concession stand before the game, I saw someone who looked familiar. It turned out to be Paul Cutter whom I played Rugby with at UC Davis and Davis City. I am not sure when the last time I saw him, but it must be at least 15 years ago. Paul always had a beard; he said he shaved it off for the first time in 30 years last week.


• The Kings offense looked horrible. Everyone was standing around watching the player with the ball.

Rooting for the Phoenix Suns

Rooting for the Suns, originally uploaded by heringermr.

November 2008 Cub Scout Pack Meeting

Jack and I went to the November 2007 meeting of his cub scout pack. The program included a tossing game, a presentation on water conservation, an awards ceremony and a Christmas card workshop for their upcoming trip to the retirement home.

Jack's den did the opening and closing flag ceremony and the opening prayer. There was a pretty good turn-out from their den, including Jack, Brandon, Johnny, Chad, Tim and David.

At the cub scout pack meeting

geotagged

At the cub scout pack meeting, originally uploaded by heringermr.

Pony Express Bridge

I stumbled across this waymark when I was looking for California Historical Landmark #1040.

Pony Express
Bridge
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This landmark is located Located in the riverfront park at the foot of G Street in West Sacramento, California. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 35.000 W 121° 30.530.

A list of Pony Express Waymarks that I have visited can be found here. You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

 

 

 

The first bridge to span the Sacramento River was built by the Sacramento and Yolo Bridge Company. It was a wooden span bridge, completed on June 27, 1858 at a cost of $60,000. The toll was $0.05 per pedertrian.
The bridge was 70 and 174 feet north of the west and east ends of today's "I" Street bridge. This bridge was used by the 1860-1861 Pony Express 20 times from Sacramento to San Francisco. All other Pony Express mail between these two cities both westbound and eastbound was carried by the river streamers. They docked at the foot of "K" street in Old Sacramento.

Sam Hamilton was the first Pony Express rider over this bridge. He left Sacramento at 1:15 a.m. on April 23, 1860 crossing here a few minutes later.

Visit to Troop 59

One of the Cub Scout Arrow of Light requirements is to visit at least one Boy Scout troop meeting with your Webelos den. Jack, Timmy and Cody went to visit Boy Scout Troop 59 tonight.

After attending the beginning of the pack meeting, we spent about 40 minutes with the troop's program chair. He walked through the troop's philosophy and their plans for the next year. This is a very active troop with a large number of outings. The troop includes about 90 boys and has been in existence for more than 80 years.

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Bajofondo - Pa Bailar

The list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!

2008 Kings versus Pistons

Sharon and Tim to the Sacramento Kings versus Detroit Piston basketball game. Playing without leader scorer Kevin Martin, the Kings let the game slip away in the fourth quarter and lost by a score of 100 to 92. Brad Miller was 2 for 16 from the field. In contrast, Hawes was 9 for 15 for 19 points and Thompson was 7 for 10 for 15 points.

Sherry's Birthday

I have worked with Sherry and Larkin off and on since 1987. The Larkins, Bells and Heringers have gotten together on a regular basis since 1995. Oddly, Matt and Sherry have completely fallen off the map in last year. In spite of some attempts to get together with them, we have not seen them since sometime in 2007.

Happy Birthday! Sherry

NBA Power Ranking 2008-2009 Week 2

The Kings jumped from 28th last week to 20th in Marc Stein's weekly power rankings. They are ranked ahead of the Mavericks and the Spurs!

ESPN - NBA Basketball Power Rankings - National Basketball Association

Even if the three teams it just swept at home are a combined 6-14, Sacramento's response to that disastrous road trip does pass the 'scrappy' test, since wins at Arco Arena ain't automatic like they used to be.

I have changed my mind. After watching big pieces of the last two games, I do not think that we should trade Brad Miller.