10 People Who Made Their California Dreams Come True

California is filled with people who dream big. Brave, creative, and hard-working people create amazing things in the Golden State all the time. Watch more California Dreamers making history at Dream365TV.

1. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Their Big Top

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have played from town to town before without spending much time in any particular place. When Alex Ebert, the band's frontman, wanted something different, he created the Big Top, a festival that celebrates "the ancient art of troubadour," where performers would live and spend time with the people they performed for. The Big Top rolled into the Los Angeles State Historic Park and played a captivating show.

2. Bob Burnquist and Lake Tahoe's Floating Skate Ramp

Skateboarder Bob Burnquist has skated over almost every surface imaginable. When he wanted a new challenge, he and his design team created a floating skate ramp, allowing Bob to catch huge air over the blue waters of Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe.

3. Pappy and Harriet's, and the Pioneertown Spirit

Out in the middle of the Mojave Desert, you'll find Pioneertown. It was built by Gene Autry and Roy Rogers to film Western movies. Once the Westerns stopped filming, the town was overtaken by independent spirits including bikers and entrepreneurs like Harriet Aleba and Claude "Pappy" Allen. In 1982, Pappy and Harriet started a bar for live music in the tiny town. The new owners of Pappy and Harriet's, Robyn Celia and Linda Krantz, have transformed the venue into a mecca for independent music deep in the California desert.

4. Dario Sattui, the Mad King of Napa Valley

When you meet Dario Sattui at the impressive Castello di Amorosa, he'll introduce himself as "the crazy son of a bitch who did this." Fueled purely by a love of Medieval architecture and a desire to bring a piece of Italy to the Napa Valley, Dario spent 15 years creating a castle where no two rooms are alike.

5. Sarah Gerhardt, the Woman Who Rides Mountains

Mavericks is a legendary surf spot near Santa Cruz with huge, sharp rocks and giant waves that roar as they crash on shore. When Sarah Gerhardt became the first woman to surf Mavericks, she earned herself a nickname: "the woman who rides mountains."

6. Ricardo Breceda and the Metal Giants of Borrego Springs

Ricardo Breceda spends his days building massive metal sculptures in Borrego Springs. Using only his hands and a welder, Breceda makes giant birds, horses, and sea monsters that dot the roads of this California desert town.

7. Richie Trimble and His Stoopid Tall Bicycle

Richie Trimble wants to hold the world record for riding the world's tallest bike. His last bike was 10 feet tall. This new one he's built is 15 feet tall. He affectionately calls it "the stoopid tall," because it is literally stupid to ride it. The stoopid tall allows Richie to explore San Francisco from a new perspective.

8. Ludo Lefebvre and His Passion for Pop-up Dining

From its dingy strip-mall exterior, Ludo Lefebvre's restaurant, Trois Mec, may not look like much at all. But the restaurant, which only has 24 seats, has become a local favorite in Los Angeles. His last restaurant, LudoBites, would change locations every three months, making each meal a unique experience.

9. David Garibaldi's Very Active Art

David Garibaldi compares his process to that of a musician with a set list before the show: He may have an idea of what he wants to paint, but it's all about what happens in the moment. For David, "the most important thing about creating is a great place to do it," which may explain why working in San Francisco inspired Garibaldi's painting of notable SF resident Jerry Garcia.

10. Kevin Rafferty, Disney Imagineer

All images courtesy of Visit California

As an Imagineer at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, making dreams come true is straight up Kevin Rafferty's job. He looks back fondly at the moment where he helped create enough magic to make one park guest say "this was the best day of my life."

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