NEW ADVENTURES ARE HERE!

                        SEQUOIA NATURE & HISTORICAL ADVENTURES

Contact information – 916-725-3630 or sparky3777@gmail.com
Bruce carries a green clipboard so you can identify him
Classes are for all ages – Parents are free!
Bruce can bring these classes to you. Just put a group together.
To sign up, contact your ES 

                      SEQUOIA NATURE & HISTORICAL ADVENTURES

New – For the first time Ranger Bruce will offer double-dip Fridays. This might be something you families who travel a long distance might take advantage of. Here is what it is. Two adventures will be offered on double-dip Fridays, and you can save some school money also. On these special Fridays, you will get two adventures for a lot less. Adventures are usually $35.00 per student/per class, on these Fridays you get two adventures for just $50.00 per student. (A savings of $20.00 per student. That’s over 25%) So take a look and see what is going on and double-dip for much less.

                                        February – March - April

                                          February Adventures

                                       To sign up, contact your ES

Feb 2^nd - - State Capital Tour Sacramento - Bruce will take you on a special deluxe tour of the capital. We will walk around all 3 levels and see the House and Senate chambers. I will teach you about our government and how it works. Time – 10:00 – 12:00 (No building fees – Parking meters or garage available) Costs - $35.00 per student - meet on the EAST steps of the capital. That’s the steps with the sun shining on them. Bruce will have a green clipboard so you can identify him. He will also show you the tree that went to the moon.

- From a homeschool Mom......."Wow, are you in for a treat if you haven't been through this tour with Bruce. He can take you into many areas that the public never sees. The capital is huge and beautiful on the inside. The tour includes both House and Senate chambers, as well as all historical areas. Bruce took us to our senator's office and we met with her for an hour. She opened the door to the floor of the senate and we sat at her desk and took pictures. Soooooooooo cool. He even got us into the governor's office and we all got his personal business card. He was not in town but it was GREAT!" THANKS, BRUCE! YOUR THE BEST…………..Brenda

Feb 3^nd - California History - 1840 – 1845 – California Indians – (double dip Friday) Join Trapper Bruce in his 1840's costume, as he teaches about you about the early California Indians. Dressed as a trapper, he will explain about the costume, knives, flintlock and more. We will learn what they ate, how they dressed, and the life style of the tribe. As we walk through the park, we will see the plants they ate, and we will even try some. The Native American people knew the plants and the land they lived in. Now you can learn from Trapper Bruce, all about the early people of California.  Time – 10:00 – 11:30   Place – Bannister  Park – Cost - $35.00 per student – meet in the parking lot. Trapper Bruce will be the funny looking guy!

Second adventure -  If you didn't know, the Pony Express ran from St. Joseph Mo. to Sacramento. You can be a part of the adventure as Bruce (in costume) tells the history of the Pony Express. He will be right on the very streets where if happened, 151 years ago. Plan to learn much about the Pony Express and about the little 11 year old boy, who became a Pony Express rider. He lived right here in Sacramento, and in 1860 became the youngest rider of the company. He lived to be the oldest surviving member of the Pony Express. So don't miss this chance to learn about these legendary riders. Check in your guns at the Marshall’s office. Time – 1:00 – 2:30.(On this Friday you get two adventures for a discount price of only 50.00 per student and not $70.00. You save over 25%.)

Feb 9th - Tour Coloma (the gold discovery site)  walking tour - 2 hour adventure back in time to 1849. It all started here, back in 1848, when James Marshall found the first gold nuggets and the gold rush was on. Coloma wasn't even on a map, but now it is. Thousands of men from around the world began to arrive in this quiet little town. Come join Bruce, and see what happened here and how life was for the people of Coloma. Bruce will take you on a tour of the complete town and explain what happened. Also do you know where all the gold went? I'll bet you will be surprised to know. Gold was being found at 5-6 million dollars a month, and it went some very special place. Time 10:00 -12:00 - Place – Coloma, California – Cost – 45.00 per student (includes panning for gold in the river) Bruce will show you how. Meet in the parking lot next to the sawmill.

Feb 10^th - The Pony Express & State Railroad Museum (double-dip Friday)
The mail was delivered to Sacramento from St. Joseph, Mo. In 10 days. Men and boys risked their lives to get the mail past the Indians, buffalo stampedes, and prairie fires. Learn about one very famous 11 year old boy from right here in Sacramento who rode for the Pony Express. You will want to learn all about him. Meet in Old Town Sacramento – in front of the Railroad Museum. 10:00 – 11:00 This tour will also include a visit to the Railroad Museum. We will enter the museum after we finish the Pony Express class. No cost to school families. You can stay as long as you like. Cost – $35.00 per student – (This fee will include admission to the RR Museum for your entire family. This will save you lots of money). Currently on display is the golden spike. Tie up your horse on the street (meters) or livery stable (garage). Horses get plenty of oats.In the railroad museum, you will get to see the BEAST, a train engine so big, it pulled out other trains that got stuck in the snow.(On this Friday you get two adventures for a discount price of only 50.00 per student and not $70.00. You save over 25%.)

To sign up, contact your ES

Feb 15^th – Giants of the Forest – Tree Study - Many amazing trees exist in and around Sacramento and points north. Some of the oldest trees are in downtown Sacramento. We will tour the park area outside the State Capital, and see the many giants that are over 100 years old. Ranger Bruce even knows where the very secret (moon tree) is. Yes, this tree went to the moon on Apollo 14. From there our tour takes us 20 blocks to our east to visit the beautiful old trees of the area of town we call the fabulous 40’s. You will learn many new things you didn’t know about the biggest plants on Earth.

Place –State Capital Grounds 15^th& L & 45^th Street   Cost – 35.00 per student

Feb 16^th–A Study Of Charles Darwin – Come learn about this man and his life. You will learn about Charles and learn about his life. We will begin learning about his school years, his college years, and his time aboard the HMS Beagle. He visited many parts of the world and learned much about finches. His life now takes a big turn and he will live inside his home most of the rest of his life. He and Emma have 10 children and begin to raise this large family. Now he is set to write his first book that sweeps the world. Charles dies (at home) and is buried at Westminster Abby next to what very famous man? You will learn much about Charles Darwin from Ranger Bruce who wrote a book on him that was published. 

Time – 10:00 – 11:30 -  Place – Tempo Park Citrus Heights – Cost – 35.00 per student

Feb 17th - Pond LifeTo sign up, contact your ES

A close-up look at the natural world of a pond.

Come join Ranger Bruce and enjoy the still water of a pond and see the miniature world inside the water. Ponds are filled with many kinds for small bugs, fish, and frogs. Each student can see the three levels of a pond. On the top of the water lives many insects. In the middle zone of the water will live fish and tadpoles. Then on the bottom lives the Great Diving Beatle and hundreds more. We will catch what we can from the pond and look at what is in our nets. Also Ranger Bruce will identify many of the creatures for the students. To finish up, we will have a short class on water and why we need this stuff called water. Cost - $35.00 per student  - Place – End of Illinois Ave at the Sailor Bar Pond.

Feb 22^th - The Jedediah Smith Story &Wilderness Survival - Bruce will be teaching you how to survive in the wilderness. Dressed as Jed Smith, Bruce will teach you what to do if you meet up with a bear, a mountain lion, or a badger. These fellows could kill you. Families should know what to do if you ever meet one. Do you run? Do you throw rocks at them? Are you sure? If you do the wrong things, you could be dead! Jed Smith will teach you how he survived the cold Sierra's and blazing hot Mojave desert. How long can you live without food? How long without water? Jed will also show you how to keep warm when you body is yelling for heat. Come join Bruce (as Jed Smith) and learn things that may help you in a difficult situation. Where - Bannister Park/Fair Oaks (meet in the small parking lot)
Time - 1:00 to 2:30 - Cost $35.00 per student

Feb 23^th - State Capital Tour Sacramento& 1880’s one room school –(This is a double –dip Thursday). Bruce will take you on a special deluxe tour of the capital. We will walk around all 3 levels and see the House and Senate chambers. I will teach you about our government and how it works. Time – 10:00 – 12:00 (No building fees – Parking meters or garage available) Costs - $35.00 per student - meet on the EAST steps of the capital. That’s the steps with the sun shining on them. Bruce will have a green clipboard so you can identify him. Second adventure ………………….

Also we will visit a schoolhouse and Bruce will show you homeschool Moms, how they were run. The teachers gave swats for misbehaving. Can you guess which deed got you the most swats?
Time – State Capital – 10:00 to 12:00 – Schoolhouse - 1:15 –2:00
Meeting Place – Railroad Museum I Street – Sacramento
Cost – 35.00 per student(On double –dip Thursday you pay only $50.00 per student instead of $70.00. You save over 25%)

FEB 24^th 2012 – San Francisco Tour

This was the most asked for tour in 2011. Come join Ranger Bruce on an exciting tour of San Francisco,his hometown.San Francisco is a very exciting place. Commonly called “The City” it has many things to see and learn. We will be visiting Chinatown, ride an 1873 cable car system over the hills of the city, and learn about the earthquake of 1906.

Outside of Asia, San Francisco has the largest Asian population in the world! The result is an authentically Chinese experience when you visit Chinatown.

Experience the sights, sounds, and smells are an authentic glimpse into the "real" Chinatown. Have you ever gone into a store and found out you can’t read a thing? It’s a very strange feeling.

Riding a cable car is lots of fun and you get to see many things and places go by.  Lombard Street in San Francisco is one of America's crookedest streets. You will travel right by it. Then when we get to Market Street,we will have a short class on the 1906 earthquake.

    The day will be filled with lots to see and do.  Date – Feb 24, 2012

                   Cost – $50.00 per student for the entire day

 Minimum - 15 students

To sign up, contact your ES

Feb 28^th - The Amazing Little Bee – Join Ranger Bruce for a class on the amazing little Bee. Have you ever wanted to learn more about bees? They are incredible little insects. Bees live in colonies and there are three types of bees in each colony. There is the queen bee, the worker bee and the drone. The worker bee and the queen bee are both female, but only the queen bee can reproduce. All drones are male. Worker bees clean the hive, collecting pollen and nectar to feed the colony and they take care of the offspring. The drone's only job is to mate with the queen. The queen's only job is to lay eggs. Bees see all colors except the color red. That and their sense of smell help them find the flowers they need to collect pollen. Not only is pollen a food source for bees, but some of the pollen is dropped in flight, resulting in cross pollination. Bees are necessary in our world and you will understand more about them, after taking Ranger Bruce's class. Bees really keep our world going.

Time - 10:00 - 11:30

Place – Orangevale Park. Cost - $35.00 per student. 

Feb 29^th - Common Edible & Useful Plants of Sacramento – Come walk along with Park Ranger Naturalist Bruce Larson and learn about the edible plants in our area. Many are edible, and many can be used for medicine. Once you see these plants and understand them, you will be amazed. I will even show you the poison ones too! Many wild herbs grow in and around Bannister Park, and we will see them up close. We will even taste some. Yikes!  No, I know what I’m doing. After the walk we will gather some Horehound and make some throat lozenges. It has been used in very popular folk remedies for the treatment of sore throats, persistent coughs, and to aid expectoration in bronchitis and asthma. The more popular lozenges today use horehound. Making them for your home use is cheap and fun. You will have around 2 ½ pounds. They take away a sore throat and help cure a cold. Also learn about the Chia seeds that Dr. Oz has been talking about. Chia seeds are a SUPER food. Do you know what that is?

Time – 10:00 – 11:30 - walk and gather herbs (short lunch)12:30 – 2:00 - Make Horehound Candy

Place – Bannister Park/Fair Oaks & Ranger Bruce’s home (address to be given out at walk.) It is a short distance from Bannister Park.

Cost - $35.00 per student.

                                          March Adventures

March 2nd - State Capital Tour Sacramento& 1880’s one room school –(This is a double –dip Friday). Bruce will take you on a special deluxe tour of the capital. We will walk around all 3 levels and see the House and Senate chambers. I will teach you about our government and how it works. Time – 10:00 – 12:00 (No building fees – Parking meters or garage available) Costs - $35.00 per student - meet on the EAST steps of the capital. That’s the steps with the sun shining on them. Bruce will have a green clipboard so you can identify him.- From a homeschool Mom......."Wow, are you in for a treat if you haven't been through this tour with Bruce. He can take you into many areas that the public never sees. The capital is huge and beautiful on the inside. The tour includes both House and Senate chambers, as well as all historical areas. Bruce took us to our senator's office and we met with her for an hour. She opened the door to the floor of the senate and we sat at her desk and took pictures. Soooooooooo cool. He even got us into the governor's office and we all got his personal business card. He was not in town but it was GREAT!" THANKS, BRUCE! YOUR THE BEST…………..Brenda

Second adventure ………………….

Also we will visit a schoolhouse and Bruce will show you homeschool Moms, how they were run. The teachers gave swats for misbehaving. Can you guess which deed got you the most swats?
Time – State Capital – 10:00 to 12:00 – Schoolhouse - 1:15 –2:00
Meeting Place – in front of  the Railroad Museum I Street – Sacramento
Cost – 35.00 per student(On double –dip Friday you pay only $50.00 per student instead of $70.00. You save over 25%)

March 8th - Tour Coloma (the gold discovery site)  walking tour - 2 hour adventure back in time to 1849. It all started here, back in 1848, when James Marshall found the first gold nuggets and the gold rush was on. Coloma wasn't even on a map, but now it is. Thousands of men from around the world began to arrive in this quiet little town. Come join Bruce, and see what happened here and how life was for the people of Coloma. Bruce will take you on a tour of the complete town and explain what happened. Also do you know where all the gold went? I'll bet you will be surprised to know. Gold was being found at 5-6 million dollars a month, and it went some very special place. Time 10:00 -12:00 - Place – Coloma, California – Cost – 45.00 per student (includes panning for gold in the river) Bruce will show you how. Meet in the parking lot next to the sawmill.

March 9^th - The Pony Express & State Railroad Museum (double-dip Friday)
The mail was delivered to Sacramento from St. Joseph, Mo. In 10 days. Men and boys risked their lives to get the mail past the Indians, buffalo stampedes, and prairie fires. Learn about one very famous 11 year old boy from right here in Sacramento who rode for the Pony Express. You will want to learn all about him. Meet in Old Town Sacramento – in front of the Railroad Museum. 10:00 – 11:00

This tour will also include a visit to the Railroad Museum. We will enter the museum after we finish the Pony Express class. No cost to school families. You can stay as long as you like. Cost – $35.00 per student – (This fee will include admission to the RR Museum for your entire family. This will save you lots of money). Currently on display is the golden spike. Tie up your horse on the street (meters) or livery stable (garage). Horses get plenty of oats.In the railroad museum, you will get to see the BEAST, a train engine so big, it pulled out other trains that got stuck in the snow.(On this Friday you get two adventures for a discount price of only 50.00 per student and not $70.00. You save over 25%.)

March 15^th - State Capital Tour Sacramento – Bruce will take you on a special deluxe tour of the capital. We will walk around all 3 levels and see the House and Senate chambers. I will teach you about our government and how it works. Time – 10:00 – 12:00 (No building fees – Parking meters or garage available) Costs - $35.00 per student - meet on the EAST steps of the capital. That’s the steps with the sun shining on them. Bruce will have a green clipboard so you can identify him.   - From a homeschool Mom......."Wow, are you in for a treat if you haven't been through this tour with Bruce. He can take you into many areas that the public never sees. The capital is huge and beautiful on the inside. The tour includes both House and Senate chambers, as well as all historical areas. Bruce took us to our senator's office and we met with her for an hour. She opened the door to the floor of the senate and we sat at her desk and took pictures. Soooooooooo cool. He even got us into the governor's office and we all got his personal business card. He was not in town but it was GREAT!" THANKS, BRUCE! YOUR THE BEST…………..Brenda

March 16^th– SUTTER’S FORT - (double-dip Friday) Tour Sutter’s Fort and learn what life was like in 1840. This is a 2 hour trip back in time as you learn about Sutter’s empire. His fort was doing quite well until something happened in California that changed things. He controlled more land than any other person during the 1840’s. Trapper Bruce (dressed in costume) will show you how to trap beaver, build a fire with flint & steel and  load and fire a flintlock. He will have traps, furs, knives and guns. So come join Trapper Bruce and see what life was like in early California.

Second adventure – The True Story of The Pony Express - The mail was delivered to Sacramento from St. Joseph, Mo. In 10 days. Men and boys risked their lives to get the mail past the Indians, buffalo stampedes, and prairie fires. Learn about one very famous 11 year old boy from right here in Sacramento who rode for the Pony Express. You will want to learn all about him(On this Friday you get two adventures for a discount price of only 50.00 per student and not $70.00. You save over 25%.)

Time – 9:30 – 11:30   Place – Sutter’s Fort   Cost – $50.00 for both adventures/per student

March 21st - The Jedediah Smith Story &Wilderness Survival - Bruce will be teaching you how to survive in the wilderness. Dressed as Jed Smith, Bruce will teach you what to do if you meet up with a bear, a mountain lion, or a badger. These fellows could kill you. Families should know what to do if you ever meet one. Do you run? Do you throw rocks at them? Are you sure? If you do the wrong things, you could be dead! Jed Smith will teach you how he survived the cold Sierra's and blazing hot Mojave desert. How long can you live without food? How long without water? Jed will also show you how to keep warm when you body is yelling for heat. Come join Bruce (as Jed Smith) and learn things that may help you in a difficult situation. Where - Bannister Park/Sacramento (meet in the small parking lot)
Time - 1:00 to 2:30 - Cost $35.00 per student

March 22nd - Pond LifeTo sign up, contact your ES

A close-up look at the natural world of a pond.

Come join Ranger Bruce and enjoy the still water of a pond and see the miniature world inside the water. Ponds are filled with many kinds for small bugs, fish, and frogs. Each student can see the three levels of a pond. On the top of the water lives many insects. In the middle zone of the water will live fish and tadpoles. Then on the bottom lives the Great Diving Beatle and hundreds more. We will catch what we can from the pond and look at what is in our nets. Also Ranger Bruce will identify many of the creatures for the students. To finish up, we will have a short class on water and why we need this stuff called water. Cost - $35.00 per student  - Place – End of Illinois Ave at the Sailor Bar Pond.

March 23^rd – Railroad Museum Tour and 1880 Schoolhouse(double-dip Friday)

The day will start by seeing a real one room school in old Sacramento. You can sit in a desk from the 1800s and have a lesson with your reader and slate. You will get to say the very first pledge of allegiance. It was different from what we say today. Also you will see what the boys did to help the teacher in the morning, and what the girls did. There was a list of swats that a student would get for misbehaving. Come join teacher Bruce and experience what is was like in school in the 1880’s.

The railroad museum is our next stop on this adventure, where we will see probably the best train museum in the nation. Everything is done first class, from the locomotive restoration to the great scenes inside. This is the home of the BEAST, a locomotive so big, it could pull smaller engines out of the snow when they got stuck. It is the last surviving one because all the others were scrapped. And you won’t want to miss the golden spike. Yes, it’s here at the museum. You know, the last spike driven at Promontory, Utah when the two locomotives met to join the country. Well, it’shere for you to see. It’s in a guarded case with alarms and high-tec sensors. Oh, you might be surprised to read what is engraved on the sides of this beautiful spike. Come join the tour folks. The museums admission costs are high but on my tour, all get in free. Meet in front of the RR Museum.

Time – 10:00 – 11:00 – Schoolhouse   11:15 – 1:00 – Railroad Museum – Cost - (On this Friday you get two adventures for a discount price of only 50.00 per student and not $70.00. You save over 25%.)

March 28th - Common Edible & Useful Plants of Sacramento – Come walk along with Park Ranger Naturalist Bruce Larson and learn about the edible plants in our area. Many are edible, and many can be used for medicine. Once you see these plants and understand them, you will be amazed. I will even show you the poison ones too! Many wild herbs grow in and around Bannister Park, and we will see them up close. We will even taste some. Yikes!  No, I know what I’m doing. After the walk we will gather some Horehound and make some throat lozenges. It has been used in very popular folk remedies for the treatment of sore throats, persistent coughs, and to aid expectoration in bronchitis and asthma. The more popular lozenges today use horehound. Making them for your home use is cheap and fun. You will have around 2 ½ pounds. They take away a sore throat and help cure a cold. Also learn about the Chia seeds that Dr. Oz has been talking about. Chia seeds are a SUPER food. Do you know what that is?

Time – 10:00 – 11:30 - walk and gather herbs (short lunch) 12:30 – 2:00 - Make Horehound Candy

Place – Bannister Park/Fair Oaks & Ranger Bruce’s home (address to be given out at walk.) It is a short distance from Bannister Park.

Cost - $35.00 per student.

March 29th – The Venus Flytrap - Join Ranger Bruce and learn about carnivorous plants. A Venus flytrap is a great plant for kids. Boys seem to love having a plants that moves and catches insects. It is an awesome plant. And they are one of the most interesting plants to learn about. The venus flytrap will eat spiders, flies and crickets.  They can’t eat caterpillars, grubs or beatles.  They can’t eat caterpillars because they will chew their way out of the trap.  Each student will have a Venus Flytrap to take home. Students will learn about several kinds of carnivorous plants. They will learn how to take care of a flytrap properly. Class – 10:00 – 11:30   -   Place - Tempo Park  -   Cost – 45.00 per student

March 30^th – Vegetable Gardening – Come learn about growing your own food. It’s fun and easy to do. And boy do they taste so much better than what you buy in the stores. If you’re like me, you can’t wait to have fresh tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers. Gardener Bruce has been growing fruits and vegetables for over 40 years and can show your gardners many secrets on how to grow good healthy, nutritious food.  With times like we have now, a little extra food is always welcome. The food you grow is filled with more vitamins & minerals because they are not picked green and shipped to the stores. If you want the best for your body, learn how to grow your own delicious vegetables & fruit. This is a hands on experience in Bruce’s own back yard.

Time – 10:00 – 11:30  Place – 8588 Oak Ave Orangevale  Cost – 35.00 per student

                                      APRIL ADVENTURES

April 5^th - - State Capital Tour Sacramento - Bruce will take you on a special deluxe tour of the capital. We will walk around all 3 levels and see the House and Senate chambers. I will teach you about our government and how it works. Time – 10:00 – 12:00 (No building fees – Parking meters or garage available) Costs - $35.00 per student - meet on the EAST steps of the capital. That’s the steps with the sun shining on them. Bruce will have a green clipboard so you can identify him. He will also show you the tree that went to the moon.

- From a homeschool Mom......."Wow, are you in for a treat if you haven't been through this tour with Bruce. He can take you into many areas that the public never sees. The capital is huge and beautiful on the inside. The tour includes both House and Senate chambers, as well as all historical areas. Bruce took us to our senator's office and we met with her for an hour. She opened the door to the floor of the senate and we sat at her desk and took pictures. Soooooooooo cool. He even got us into the governor's office and we all got his personal business card. He was not in town but it was GREAT!" THANKS, BRUCE! YOUR THE BEST…………..Brenda

April 6^th – The Great Butterfly Hunt – On this outdoor adventure, we will search out the beautiful Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly. They live on and eat the leaves of the Pipevine plant. We will be able to learn about the life cycle of a butterfly and see it happening right up close and personal.  The little caterpillars are furious eaters. But when they change into a butterfly, they only drink nectar from the flowers. Wow, they really become a new creation. Join naturalist Bruce at Bannister Park, for a fun time watching the little guys.

Time – 10:00 – 11:30     Place - Bannister Park – Fair Oaks     Cost – 35.00 per student

April 11th - Common Edible & Useful Plants of Sacramento – Come walk along with Park Ranger Naturalist Bruce Larson and learn about the edible plants in our area. Many are edible, and many can be used for medicine. Once you see these plants and understand them, you will be amazed. I will even show you the poison ones too! Many wild herbs grow in and around Bannister Park, and we will see them up close. We will even taste some. Yikes!  No, I know what I’m doing. After the walk we will gather some Horehound and make some throat lozenges. It has been used in very popular folk remedies for the treatment of sore throats, persistent coughs, and to aid expectoration in bronchitis and asthma. The more popular lozenges today use horehound. Making them for your home use is cheap and fun. You will have around 2 ½ pounds. They take away a sore throat and help cure a cold. Also learn about the Chia seeds that Dr. Oz has been talking about. Chia seeds are a SUPER food. Do you know what that is?

Time – 10:00 – 11:30 - walk and gather herbs (short lunch) 12:30 – 2:00 - Make Horehound Candy

Place – Bannister Park/Fair Oaks & Ranger Bruce’s home (address to be given out at walk.) It is a short distance from Bannister Park.

Cost - $35.00 per student.

April 12^th– SUTTER’S FORT -  Tour Sutter’s Fort and learn what life was like in 1840. This is a 2 hour trip back in time as you learn about Sutter’s empire. His fort was doing quite well until something happened in California that changed things. He controlled more land than any other person during the 1840’s. Trapper Bruce (dressed in costume) will show you how to trap beaver, build a fire with flint & steel and  load and fire a flintlock. He will have traps, furs, knives and guns. So come join Trapper Bruce and see what life was like in early California.

Time – 9:30 – 11:30   Place – Sutter’s Fort   Cost – 35.00 per student

April 13^th - Tour Coloma (the gold discovery site)  walking tour - 2 hour adventure back in time to 1849. It all started here, back in 1848, when James Marshall found the first gold nuggets and the gold rush was on. Coloma wasn't even on a map, but now it is. Thousands of men from around the world began to arrive in this quiet little town. Come join Bruce, and see what happened here and how life was for the people of Coloma. Bruce will take you on a tour of the complete town and explain what happened. Also do you know where all the gold went? I'll bet you will be surprised to know. Gold was being found at 5-6 million dollars a month, and it went some very special place. Time 10:00 -12:00 - Place – Coloma, California – Cost – 45.00 per student (includes panning for gold in the river) Bruce will show you how. Meet in the parking lot next to the sawmill.

April 18th - Pond LifeTo sign up, contact your ES

A close-up look at the natural world of a pond.

Come join Ranger Bruce and enjoy the still water of a pond and see the miniature world inside the water. Ponds are filled with many kinds for small bugs, fish, and frogs. Each student can see the three levels of a pond. On the top of the water lives many insects. In the middle zone of the water will live fish and tadpoles. Then on the bottom lives the Great Diving Beatle and hundreds more. We will catch what we can from the pond and look at what is in our nets. Also Ranger Bruce will identify many of the creatures for the students. To finish up, we will have a short class on water and why we need this stuff called water. Cost - $35.00 per student  - Place – End of Illinois Ave at the Sailor Bar Pond.

April 19th - - State Capital Tour Sacramento - Bruce will take you on a special deluxe tour of the capital. We will walk around all 3 levels and see the House and Senate chambers. I will teach you about our government and how it works. Time – 10:00 – 12:00 (No building fees – Parking meters or garage available) Costs - $35.00 per student - meet on the EAST steps of the capital. That’s the steps with the sun shining on them. Bruce will have a green clipboard so you can identify him. He will also show you the tree that went to the moon.

- From a homeschool Mom......."Wow, are you in for a treat if you haven't been through this tour with Bruce. He can take you into many areas that the public never sees. The capital is huge and beautiful on the inside. The tour includes both House and Senate chambers, as well as all historical areas. Bruce took us to our senator's office and we met with her for an hour. She opened the door to the floor of the senate and we sat at her desk and took pictures. Soooooooooo cool. He even got us into the governor's office and we all got his personal business card. He was not in town but it was GREAT!" THANKS, BRUCE! YOUR THE BEST…………..Brenda

April 20th - The Pony Express & State Railroad Museum (double-dip Friday)
The mail was delivered to Sacramento from St. Joseph, Mo. In 10 days. Men and boys risked their lives to get the mail past the Indians, buffalo stampedes, and prairie fires. Learn about one very famous 11 year old boy from right here in Sacramento who rode for the Pony Express. You will want to learn all about him. Meet in Old Town Sacramento – in front of the Railroad Museum. 10:00 – 11:00

The railroad museum is our next stop on this adventure, where we will see probably the best train museum in the nation. Everything is done first class, from the locomotive restoration to the great scenes inside. This is the home of the BEAST, a locomotive so big, it could pull smaller engines out of the snow when they got stuck. It is the last surviving one because all the others were scrapped. And you won’t want to miss the golden spike. Yes, it’s here at the museum. You know, the last spike driven at Promontory, Utah when the two locomotives met to join the country. Well, it here for you to see. It’s in a  guarded case with alarms and high-tec sensors. Oh, you might be surprised to read what is engraved on the sides of this beautiful spike. Come join the tour folks. The museums admission costs are high but on my tour, all get in free. We will enter the RR Museum at 11:15 and you can stay as long as you want.

(On this Friday you get two adventures for a discount price of only 50.00 per student and not $70.00. You save over 25%.)

April 26^th - The Jedediah Smith Story &Wilderness Survival - Bruce will be teaching you how to survive in the wilderness. Dressed as Jed Smith, Bruce will teach you what to do if you meet up with a bear, a mountain lion, or a badger. These fellows could kill you. Families should know what to do if you ever meet one. Do you run? Do you throw rocks at them? Are you sure? If you do the wrong things, you could be dead! Jed Smith will teach you how he survived the cold Sierra's and blazing hot Mojave desert. How long can you live without food? How long without water? Jed will also show you how to keep warm when you body is yelling for heat. Come join Bruce (as Jed Smith) and learn things that may help you in a difficult situation. Where - Bannister Park/Sacramento (meet in the small parking lot)
Time - 1:00 to 2:30 - Cost $35.00 per student

April 27^th – Railroad Museum Tour and 1880 Schoolhouse  (double-dip Friday)

The day will start by seeing a real one room school in old Sacramento. You can sit in a desk from the 1800s and have a lesson with your reader and slate. You will get to say the very first pledge of allegiance. It was different from what we say today. Also you will see what the boys did to help the teacher in the morning, and what the girls did. There was a list of swats that a student would get for misbehaving. Come join teacher Bruce and experience what is was like in school in the 1880’s.

The railroad museum is our next stop on this adventure, where we will see probably the best train museum in the nation. Everything is done first class, from the locomotive restoration to the great scenes inside. This is the home of the BEAST, a locomotive so big, it could pull smaller engines out of the snow when they got stuck. It is the last surviving one because all the others were scrapped. And you won’t want to miss the golden spike. Yes, it’s here at the museum. You know, the last spike driven at Promontory, Utah when the two locomotives met to join the country. Well, it here for you to see. It’s in a  guarded case with alarms and high-tec sensors. Oh, you might be surprised to read what is engraved on the sides of this beautiful spike. Come join the tour folks. The museums admission costs are high but on my tour, all get in free.

Time – 10:00 – 11:00 – Schoolhouse   11:15 – 1:00 – Railroad Museum – Cost - (On this Friday you get two adventures for a discount price of only 50.00 per student and not $70.00. You save over 25%.)