I’m happy to report that my plan to visit Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park is proceeding apace. I have assembled an elite, highly trained and motivated commando team comprising six people besides myself, my wife Karen, Val, Penny, Barbara, Dinah and Nancy.
L-R Val, Penny, Barbara
Dinah
Nancy
All of these lovely ladies above are long time friends of ours from Conejo Valley Village, https://conejovalleyvillage.org/ a non profit senior self help organization operating out of Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village and Oak Park.
And lastly, my wife Karen
The first problem I encountered was scheduling. Besides being my ‘commandos,’ all of these ladies are fully involved, very energetic active members of our senior community in Thousand Oaks, serving on various boards and commissions and doing a ton of other volunteer work besides just CVV. So getting a day for everyone to meet at Magic Mountain proved to be a challenge. I knew we would have to limit it to non holiday weekdays during the month of September as several of my team plan to travel to Africa in October. So today I had finally settled on Sept 9, Friday after next, the only feasible date that no one had excluded. But then I noticed that the long term weather forecast indicated that the temperature on that day is expected to be about 95 degrees F here in the Conejo, which means the temp in Valencia where the park is located is probably going to be about 105 degrees F, plus ten degrees from where we live nearer the coast.
Several of the ladies mentioned that their makeup and lipstick would melt and that this might be too uncomfortable for them to attend on such a hot day. I pointed out that all of them are very beautiful with or without makeup or lipstick and that the only people who look bad with melted makeup are people who are ugly to begin with, like Rudy Giuliani. But you can’t tell them that. I know how women are sensitive about their appearance and that to be truly happy and comfortable they must not only feel their best but look their best. So we postponed the visit until late October or early November. By then the weather should be cooler and more comfortable for everyone.
And this, I thought would also give me more time to learn how to use the motorized scooter that Val’s son owns and that Val had insisted I borrow and ride during my visit to the park. Besides being the CEO of CVV, Val is an RN who directed a hospital emergency room nursing staff prior to her retirement. Val is a super smart lady and I respect her judgment immensely.
About the scooter – Val’s son had already installed new batteries for the scooter which I was supposed to go over to Val’s and get this coming Thursday, but Karen received a call this evening from Val to the effect that said scooter is now ‘missing in action.’ I overheard Karen’s end of the convo this evening with a lot of laughter. Lots and lots. Turns out Val had taken the scooter out for a test drive at a local park, Conejo Creek North in Thousand Oaks. After the test drive Val was set to do some kind of Zoom call and so she placed the scooter in what she thought was her car, a large Yukon SUV. Only it wasn’t her Yukon. It was somebody else’s Yukon the same color as hers that had been left open and unlocked. Meanwhile, and after completing her Zoom call, Val drove all the way home in her Yukon finally discovering that the scooter was ‘MIA.’ Now mind you, and even though I’ve never seen it, this is a scooter that probably weighs 60 or 70 pounds. Not a small or lightweight creature by any stretch.
So this is where things stand currently. The park visit is definitely happening. Just a few details yet to work out. And if anyone happens to see a bright red Go-Go scooter

driving around Thousand Oaks that looks like it might be lost or missing its owner, you are urged to call either Val or myself through the CVV phone number (805) 372 1826. Or you can call the Goebel Center in Thousand Oaks at (805) 811-2744. Basically, the whole town is looking for this scooter as we speak. Meanwhile I’m on Amazon searching for mobility scooters and finding some really, really cool stuff.
Sounds like a great plan that will come together nicely, Steve! Very exciting!
Oh my goodness about the scooter! I hope it makes its way home soon. And I think it may be as good thing for you to perhaps have your very own Commando-mobile!
Yah, how many times have we shopped at the mall, come back out to our car several hours later only to find that our key doesn’t fit the lock? Then we see an infant car seat in there and it finally dawns on us, this ain’t our car! DUUH.. But a scooter? That’s definitely headline material for a blog!