The Fresnan – Page 2 – A Fresno Culture and Travel Blog

Popolo’s Pizza in Madera Ranchos

December 1, 2025December 2, 2025 The Fresnan

A quick review of the new Popolo’s Pizza in the Madera Ranchos.

In case you missed it. Popolo’s had to move from Herndon & Blackstone long ago (not to mention the Shaw & Marks location) to Palm & Nees. They recently closed that location. But they have reopened in the Madera Ranchos.

Tucked way back in a kind of strip mall you would only find in the Ranchos. It’s at 37272 Avenue 12, in the heart of the Rancho business strip, behind the Sinclair gas station.

RUNDOWN OF MADERA RANCHOS POPOLO’S

The space is much smaller than any of their previous spots. And it’s a quick-serve, order-at-the-counter style, now, which isn’t terrible, really.

The food tastes the same. Signature dough and dishes mostly remain. Pizza is still great.

popopos-pepperoni-pizza-806x1024 Popolo's Pizza in Madera Ranchos

One glaring food difference is… no salad bar. Sadness. The Herndon & Blackstone salad bar was legend. Palm & Nees was ok. No salad bar in the Ranchos.

I get it, though, if they put in a salad bar, they would have to take out two tables. And they need all the tables they can get there. They still have salads and will make one how you want it, and that’s cool. But it’s a bummer the salad bar is gone.

There is also no video game room like previous iterations. There is one standup, though, with multiple games, so there is at least something. It might be nice to find a space for one skill/prize game, as a better nod to the old games.

Also, something I feel they could do is find at least ONE booth (if not more) that is like one of the booths back at the Blackstone location. You could fit a few smaller ones in that space, and it would be rad. I hope that is something they figured out in the future.

WHAT ABOUT THE BEER!?

They still have it! The old Popolo’s was one of Fresno’s leaders in getting Craft Beer on draught, an early adopter. They still have some of it, nothing major, but enough basics for you if you want a decent beer with your pizza.

So, if you are missing Popolo’s food, the drive out to the Ranchos is worth it – even without a booth or salad bar.

Hike Local: Kings Canyon – Zumwalt Meadow Trail

November 6, 2025November 8, 2025 The Fresnan

I drove to the end of Highway 180 and found the perfect mix of river, rock, trees, and crunchy trails.

Kings Canyon National Park has a beautiful meadow that meets granite walls, trail: Zumwalt Meadow.

Tucked back in the corner of the Park. It’s a bit of a trek to get to it, but you are rewarded. You could say it is a more compact version of Yosemite Valley. You could. But it has a charm of its own with fewer people.

This video I got of the Zumwalt Meadow Trail, how it looks in early Fall:

It’s a beginner-friendly trail, but it’s enough of a challenge that you feel like you did a hike. Just go for the enjoyment of the Kings River at its best, and the granite wall, and the trees, and all the things.

And if you’re reading this during the Government Shutdown, here is what the Kings Canyon NP entrance gate looks like:

kings-canyon-entrance-gate-1024x768 Hike Local: Kings Canyon - Zumwalt Meadow Trail

While Zumwalt Meadow is a bit of a drive from Fresno, it’s worth it. And you can stop at General Grant Grove and Boyden Cavern on the way to break up the drive.

-Mikey

Do You Remeber Your Favorite Video Rental Store in Fresno?

October 19, 2025October 19, 2025 The Fresnan 1 Comment

Because of a Substack Notes thread (and I tend to get nostalgic about old Fresno), I was thinking about video rental and remembering Friday nights at a Blockbuster. I happen to be living in Los Angeles during the Golden Era of video renting, so my memory of Fresno’s video rental stores isn’t complete as it could be. But I remember some. Before Netflix. Before the fall.

Blockbuster at West & Dakota. This was my neighborhood from, like, 94 to 2010 ish. So the mid-nineties, I was there most weekends. Now it’s a laundromat.
Hollywood Video on West Shaw in the Winepress Center. They used to have good discounted DVDs and VHS to buy.
Blockbuster at First & Nees. I think it was a Blockbuster (Southeast corner shopping center). This was my early 20s when I actually had disposable income, and I bought way too many overpriced DVDs.
Blockbuster – West Shaw & Feland. There was a girl who worked there I was too intimidated to ask out – this is the thing I remember the most 🤣.
The Warehouse at Barstow & Blackstone. They had the movies in the back where the Chuck E Cheese animatronics were. I can’t remember renting from there, but I remember buying. Really, I would go back there to try and picture the old Chuck E Cheese shows.
Blockbuster on Olive in the Tower. When you didn’t score at any of the bars, you at least had a video to take home and watch.

There are more, but those are the Fresno video stores that came to mind first. If you want to be overwhelmed by VHS/DVDs/Blu-rays today, check out Mad Monk on Blackstone.

If you feel like deep diving into some Blockbuster content:

-Mikey

What is up with that taco truck line at Shaw & Maroa!?

September 30, 2025October 3, 2025 The Fresnan

UPDATE: My friend Joshua Tehee did a write-up in the Bee about this place, and it softens my stance on it some. Apparently, this truck relocated here, like, moved up here and hired locals. Instead of what I believed was that they just had an extra truck up to Fresno from L.A. to make it off us. Still interesting how we are getting so fired up about a truck not from here.

The corner of Maroa & Shaw has been the hot topic around the Fig area of town.

The truck pictured above is often brought up at Out Of The Barrel and around Fig Garden. Everyone is amazed at the lines and wondering what the hell?!

It’s called Tacos El Cabezon.

The word is they came up from Los Angeles (Bell Gardens) because the market was too saturated down there, and they tried their luck here. Turns out it was a good decision.

Yeah, I want to try this truck out, it sounds really good.

But, sorry, it pisses me off that an L.A. Mexican food truck can come up to the taco capital (Fresno, yo!) and be so popular. What the hell, Fresnans?

I wonder how they would do at the Taco Truck Throwdown?!

A great comment came in on Fresno!Fresno! by Mark & Patti:

IMG_9410-1024x523 What is up with that taco truck line at Shaw & Maroa!?

I love this idea. Sadly, though, for it to work, the L.A. people can never find out the truck is from Fresno.

Walking Journal: I may have seen a 50s Ghost

September 23, 2025September 24, 2025 The Fresnan

I am starting a series where I journal my nightly (mostly) walks, ventures out, or urban hikes. I am alone and walk alone, so I have time to make observations and stuff. I might as well share them on my website.

A loop walk down Van Ness between Shields & McKinley. 8 PM. Tuesday 9/23:

An apron-wearing lady in her 50s, maybe a little drunk, suddenly appears in my path and slows my pace – I didn’t want to pass her up. She turned off down the street to her (I presume) house. She never acknowledged my presence, and I wanted her to. From behind she looked like a 50s TV mom. She could have been a ghost.
A couple lightly scold daughter on her delivery while ordering ice cream in Ampersand.
A father telling his young daughter he is proud of her for ordering a new flavor.
I run through the crosswalk in front of Fresno High to avoid being hit by a lowered & loud red Chevy pickup.
Moto Deli bar patron count: Two ladies. One single guy.
No line at Ampersand (a rare thing).
Dude blocks my path on the sidewalk with a giant suitcase as he unloads his car and coughs all over the freaking place.
Only one random cat wants to be pet on the way home.

I plan on more of these, so check back at thefresnan.com for more.

17195-1955618 Walking Journal: I may have seen a 50s Ghost

Hike Fresno: Mount Stevenson

September 20, 2025September 20, 2025 The Fresnan

IMG_8503-1024x768 Hike Fresno: Mount Stevenson — The beginning of the Mount Stevenson trail

This is a series I am doing here on The Fresnan; I hike somewhere around Fresno, and then I post about it. Is that cool? Yeah? Good good. I am trying to do more personal posts here, but still have a tie to life in Fresno. This is that kind of content.

I went up to Mount Stevenson above Shaver Lake. Wanted to have a quick drive up four-lane and do a quick morning hike. This fit. I have lived in Fresno a lot of my life, and I have never heard of this mountain or who the crap is Stevenson. I am sure he was a cool dude.

Really, I just wanted to hike somewhere and then go get lunch at the Hungry Hut.

Review of the Mount Stevenson Trail

I enjoyed it. It bums you out, though, you see what the fire has done to it and know how much nicer it used to be. There are still trees left, but you can tell there were way more so it bums you out.

The trail is also a service road for Cal Edison and the radio towers up there. That I didn’t like either as I prefer a traditional hiking only dirt trail, but it was okay otherwise.

If you go in the Summer, go early as it gets hot. There is little shade.

The top of the ridge is the best part as to the East you can look out at Shaver Lake and the Eastern Sierra. On the West side of the ridge, you look out over the San Joaquin Valley all the way to the Coastal Range (if the air is clear enough).

A nice hike for a morning run up the hill. I may do it again in the Spring when there are more flowers; I probably won’t bother with it otherwise.

Before you go, bring plenty of water, some sunscreen, and maybe bug spray (but I didn’t encounter many).

Video of my hike: