My 1979 Toyota Land Cruiser

My 1979 Toyota Land Cruiser, of all the vehicles I have owned in my life this is the one that meant the most to me. It was an extension of me. I had a lot of fun with it. I owned it at the right time in my life to make good use of it. I wish I still had it. This photo was taken at Kern River in 1979.

Contemplating....

I almost made it!

tt might not look it but that hill was steep. I took three tries at getting to the top. My brother Dennis was with me. After the second try, after nearly flipping over, he said “I'm getting out, you're going to get us killed”. I never did make it but I gave it one hell of a try. I think if the top was off I would have had a better shot.

The guy that followed me made it on his second try. He was in a Jeep CJ-5 He did not have the top on so I think that helped him.. I think I softened it up for him too. Anyways, that's my excuse, ….I mean, that's my story and I'm sticking too it!

This was in Azusa Canyon ,in the San Gabriel Mountains off Highway 39, when it was still uncivilized and wild, circa 1979 - 1980. It's changed. It's been about 15 years or so since I was last there. It was not the same.

Those were good days. Good friends, plenty of food and beer and lots of time to enjoy it.

All photos were taken by my wife Jeri De La O..

The Last Buffalo......

Now, I don't really know if this is the last buffalo in the greater Los Angeles area or not but it's the last buffalo I ever saw in the area.  There were actually two buffalo, along with some cattle on Highway 39, just as you left the city of Azusa and entered Azusa Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains.

I would see these buffalo every time I went fishing in the canyon. The buffalo were there for as long as I can remember and then one day they weren't. As I recall, one went first and the other was alone for several years. Then one day the second one was gone and that was the end of that.

Not too long after that the entire area was sold to a development company and condominiums filled the area. That was the beginning of the change in the Azusa Canyon area.

I don't remember exactly when I took this photograph but It was probably some time around 1979 or 1980. I'm glad I did.

Fishing the East Fork of the San Gabriel River - 1983

The three photos below are from the summer of 1983, exactly thirty years ago. It's hard to believe that time has  passed so fast. We were trout fishing on the east fork of the San Gabriel River in Azusa Canyon, in the San Gabriel Mountain Range. We all caught our limit that day. Later that night, if I remember correctly, we drank our limit too! The guys in the photos are my old friends; Ken Robledo, Sergio Billings and Mario Chagolla.  I haven't been up there in a while but back in the day this was our old stomping grounds (one of them) before it became too "civilized". 

Mario Chagolla, me (Randy) and Ken Robledo

Me, Sergio Billings and Ken Robledo

Me and Sergio Billings