August - 2003

Reporter - Carolyn Hoppes

As one of the original residents in the Tropics Mobile Home Park, Bill Pickens has seen a lot of changes over the years. When he first came to investigate the Tropics Mobile Home Park, all he found was some vacant land and a sales trailer. He saw a man out digging a ditch for pipelines and asked him if he knew anything about the park. The ditch digger turned out to be Paul Sade the original owner of the Tropics. After talking with Mr. Sade Bill staked his claim at 10 Palm drive along the creek.

Bill has two brothers and one sister. His younger brother Ed lives in Elk Grove and his older brother Dick lives in Sacramento. Bill's sister, Dorothy Hoppes moved into the park a couple of years ago and resides at 482 Hoya Way.

Bill's early years were spent growing up in San Leandro. He remembers the days when you didn't have to go to the store to find cherries. Cherry orchards were growing everywhere in San Leandro. He attended McKinley Grammar school with his siblings. He still blames his older brother Dick for always getting him in trouble. As kids, they loved to play baseball. They couldn't play far enough away from the house to keep from sending baseballs crashing through the window.

In high school. Bill dressed up as a pirate and played the French horn in the band. He spent summers working at the old Hunt's cannery unloading bags of sugar from the boxcars on the train. Then when World War 2 came along, Bill enlisted with his high school buddies. He trained as a bombardier in the Air Corps, flying in B-24's.

His family owned and operated several motels in the area: the Bay View and the Motel Charlo. Bill helped with the construction of the Charlo Motel on Foothill Blvd. The name of the motel was a combination of his parent's names: Charles and Lois. It was one of the first motels to have a TV in each room. Bill owned and managed apartments in Santa Cruz for a few years, but now considers himself retired.

Bill enjoyed many fishing trips with the guys for salmon and steelhead on the Klamath River and Eagle Lake Trout at Eagle Lake. His prize catch was a 5-1/2 pound trout that he has mounted on his wall. Summers would often find Bill driving up the Oregon Coast in his RV. He often traveled with the Good Sam Club and enjoyed their trips to Canada and the Calgary Stampede. At one time he was an active member of ARRP and went on many trips with them. He had a great time when they toured Europe for 30 days. He enjoys bus trips from the park and just returned from a 15-day Panama Canal cruise.

Besides loving to travel. Bill also enjoys sports and tries to make it to an A's game when he can. He loves to watch the sports channel too. He used to have fun when the park had cribbage, pool and horseshoe tournaments. He can still swing a pretty mean golf club, but he says it gets a little harder each year. He is more familiar with sand traps and water hazards than the middle of the fairway, but he still has fun and shows few signs of slowing down.

On special occasions at the park, you will usually find Bill in the kitchen mixing up scrambled eggs or pancake batter or making orange juice. He admits he hates washing pots and pans, but he always shows up to help set up or clean up afterward.

Though he hasn't been convinced he really needs a computer, he still attends the Bug Club meetings. Some day he plans to get one. After a triple by-pass interrupted his planned cruise to Alaska, he has made a great recovery. Walking is now part of his daily regime. Most afternoons you'll see him strolling around the park with his baseball cap and headphones on. He uses this as an opportunity to visit with friends and neighbors along the way.

Bill enjoys his garden and has blackberry and raspberry vines that are good producers. He generously shares them with his neighbors. When the weather cooperates he has great tomatoes. His apple tree produces crisp tart apples in the fall. He likes the scarlet runner beans that shade his patio and keep the humming birds happy with bright red flowers on the vines.

Bill is always willing to lend a hand and looks out for his neighbors. They all sing his praises. I agree. But then I'm a bit prejudice because I've known what a great guy he is all my life. I am lucky to have him as my uncle.- Carolyn Hoppes