Mar 2008

Before we left the RV Campground at Nevada County Fairgrounds (in Grass Valley, CA - the name does confuse folks sometimes), Mom spotted a small Western Bluebird while I was getting the Propane filled. Since her camera is still MIA, she borrowed mine and got a pretty good shot of the little fellow.

My plan for today was to drive up Hwy 174 from Grass Valley to Colfax. Colfax is a very small town in eastern California right off of I-80. Grass Valley and Nevada City are two small towns about 25 miles north of I-80 along Hwy 49 - in the heart of CA's gold country. Hwy 174 makes a small triangle between GV and Colfax, about 14 miles long?

My parents lived in this area twice, the first time from 1955 to 1959 on Hwy 174, aka the Colfax Highway. Mom seemed to have a lot of memories of this area and I thought she might enjoy seeing some of her old haunts again. Sure enough, she was able to locate the house they'd lived in 50 years ago and it was still standing. They paid $9,000 for this in 1955, Mom say's this didn't have as many tree's around it then.

Mom also seemed to enjoy remembering various other sights along the drive, places they'd shopped or where friends had lived. A little farther up the road we crossed a bridge over the Bear River. Just before the bridge was a sign indicating there was a historic marker. We turned off to find that when they built the new bridge in the 1980's, they'd saved the old bridge also (citizen's initiative I think). Maybe the bridge had some sort of historic significance for others, but for Mom - it was something she remembered driving over in the 1950's.

The river is dammed up just above this, but still had a lot of water. This time of year the state is probably releasing water to make room for snow melt, but Mom doesn't remember the river ever being this full.

A little later, just before we got to Colfax, Mom spotted another place she remembered. This house actually used to be a Wimpy's hamburger restaurant in the 1950's. Mom and Dad actually took us there several times (Dad wasn't normally one to spring for dining out, even at a hamburger joint, so this would have been a major event for our family). They had a juke box where Mom liked to play 'Autumn Leaves' by Roger Williams (Mom & Dad were never into popular music, this is about as close as they came).

Just around the corner from the old Wimpy's (now somebody's home) is Colfax. I thought it would be fun to stop in at an Ice Cream store I remembered from a couple of years ago, but since it's the 'off' season, the Ice Cream store was still closed when we got there about noon. To kill a little time, we meandered on over to an Antique Store a couple of doors down.

Yes folks, it's probably better if I stay out of Antique stores! Probably doubled my already extensive collection of 45rpm records in one fell swoop. I kept offering about 1/2 the marked price on a few items, they kept accepting so I bought (a few things anyway. Maybe it's the off season, not sure why they'd sell for such lowball prices?) Don't cringe, but I also picked up an old accordian and have been having fun trying to figure out the buttons (hmm). Anyway, I wasn't really intending to buy a lot of antiques, but I figure at those prices I could probably sell the stuff again if I get short and not much risk of loosing money. Of course, figuring out a way to carry it all home in the RV may be a challenge.

By the time I finished loading up all the junk I'd bought at the antique store, it was almost time for the Ice Cream store to open, so Mom decided to sit and wait for a few minutes by 'Calamity Jane'. The weather has also been great - 69 F today and clear & sunny. Just outside the Ice Cream store were some planters - quite a surprise to see both Daffidols and Iris blooming so early, and both at the same time.

We finally had our ice cream and headed back down to Nevada City where I had made reservations at an RV campground. On the way we decided to stop at Apple Annies - a family owned restaurant where they grow their own apples as well as cook all kinds of good stuff. The garnish on our plates was a slice of Arkansas Black apple - never heard of it before but it was quite good. We also both ordered Apple Cider, but we were too full for dessert (having already had ice cream). So instead we bought an Apple Pie to take to my brother's house.

We had miscalculated the dates, both my brother and his wife work tomorrow so we decided there is no reason to try to get to their place tonight. I also wanted to visit Sutters Mill, so now we have time to do that before heading up to my brothers place.

We are staying in Harmony Ridge RV Campground tonight. It's the off season, so the swimming pool is quite cold - but the Hot Tub was warm and appeared to be working, so we indulged for awhile. Life is just rough - what can I say?

ps - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!

Logistics:

Miles Driven - 37 (RT), Cumulative - 17,917
Camped at Harmony Ridge RV Campground (ROD)

Provisions: Propane $11.21 for abt 3 gallons
Lunch at Apple Annies
Ice Cream in Colfax

Junk (7 boxes of 45 rpm records, early 1900's accordian, mantle clock, teapot)

Before we left the RV campground this morning, I was able to get a few more bird pictures. Since we were on the Sacramento River Delta, there were lots and lots of birds - but I figure a couple of shots should be enough to show you how big the flock of snow geese flock was (thumbnail alert - click to enlarge).

We also saw this Western Meadowlark - a really cool bird. (The rest of the birds we saw refused to sit still for the camera, so have missed their opportunity for fame and glory in the blog.)

This morning, Mom & I went to visit Pam, a friend from when Mom & Dad lived in Nevada City. We had a nice visit and sampled an apricot pie she'd baked. When we mentioned that we planned to visit Sutter's Fort in the afternoon, Pam said she'd like to join us for that - so the three of us piled into her car and drove to downtown Sacramento.

Today, a school group was having a special program at Sutters Fort. All the kids from that school were dressed in period costumes and taking part in various activities to learn about pioneer life. Many of the parents and teachers were also participating in period dress. They had attended workshops to learn specific pioneer skills and were using them in the Fort. The group will stay overnight (at least the kids & dad's, not sure who else). We met one of the dad's outside the main gate, who was kind enough to pose with Mom & I.

Here's another view of the main gate, but from inside the Fort. Again, with some reenactors from the school group.

The Fort was still open for general tourists and other school groups, but it was really fun to have all these extra reenactor's running around in costume and acting like pioneers! This made the place really come alive (even if many of the pioneers were pint sized).

Just after we entered the gate, there were a couple of rooms set up with informative displays about John Sutter and the history of his Fort. John (Johann Augustus) Sutter was born in Baden, Germany in 1803. Baden is near the Swiss border and Sutter considered himself a Swiss. He left Europe in 1834 and spent some years travelling and exploring before finally setting up his colony in today's Sacramento in 1839. He called his settlement "New Helvetia" (New Switzerland). At the time he arrived in California in 1839, there were only about 1,000 Europeans and 30,000 Native American's living there. The Mexican Governor, Juan Bautista Alvarado gave him permission to settle in what is now the Sacramento area, then made this a formal land grant of about 48,000 acres after Sutter became a Mexican citizen in 1840. He was also given an additional grant of about 144,000 acres by a different Mexican governor in 1845, but lost this in an 1858 US Supreme Court decision after being sued by squatters.

Sutter employed the local Native American's, as opposed to enslaving them as we'd seen happen along the east coast. He actually built a fairly extensive and successful community. He employed carpenters, blacksmiths, coopers and whatever other farmers or craftsmen/women were needed for a successful community. Much of the reconstructed fort's rooms contain living history type shops. Here are some examples of how they are set up (some others had folks actually working in them!)

While there were quite a few structures and residences at New Helvetia, only the adobe Fort has been reconstructed. It was actually a Fort and contained defensive "Bastion" corner sections with cannon, 2.5' thick walls, and a weapons room to store the rifles and ammunition.

They also have a room set up as Sutter lived in it and another as a workman's quarters (not everyone had beds in 1846).

A number of people were cooking using 1846 style equipment and techniques. The school group would actually be eating dinner from their efforts!

One thing I hadn't been clear about was that Sutter's Fort is not where gold was discovered. Sutter needed lumber for his growing enterprise and joined a partnership with James Marshall to build a lumber mill in the foothills about 50 miles east of the Sacramento area on the south fork of the American River. That is where the gold was discovered (and we visited it a couple of days later). The sad thing is that once the news got out, most of Sutters workers abandoned his fields and shops for the gold fields. Squatters and minors overran most of his holdings, cheated him and left him with little to show for having settled northern California. The Gold Rush did not leave a positive legacy for Sutter or the Fort that helped many early settler's survive in California.

After touring Sutters Fort, we also went through the State Indian Museum, which was right next door. I was able to get a couple of pictures of the general area, but the Museum doesn't allow photography inside. It was pretty good if you ever get a chance to visit it.

Pam treated us to lunch at a nice place near the Fort, then Mom & I got back in the RV and headed east again, bit of a story there but we ended up staying in the Nevada County Fairgrounds which has RV camping at the far end. (Another unscheduled route change?) We had a pretty nice night there - but a friendly rooster took a liking to us and made sure he fulfilled his rooster duties very early in the morning!

Logistics:

Miles Driven - 120, Cumulative - 17,880
Camped at Nevada County Fairgrounds for $24

Provisions - $26.70 for 7.718 gallons at 127,721

Woke up this morning, the weather is just to die for! But the pollen is also way off the charts (may even be worse than San Antonio, if that's possible?)

I stopped by the Marin County Courthouse to take care of a couple emails since there hadn't been any internet signal at the campground - how did I ever get through life without email? Unfortunately, it is only open for tours on Wednesdays at 10:30 AM - so maybe we'll come back this way after visiting my brother...

For those of you in an architectural fog, the Marin County Courthouse was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) and is to blame for my closet obsession with his work. I remember seeing it as a kid and just falling in love with it...

While I worked on email and admired the FLW architecture, Mom found some friends on the nearby pond...

I also made reservations in a nice campground (membership type, so no $$ outflow) - we've been staying in lovely state parks so long and they're great, but we really need to do some Laundry & Vacuum!

So we had a few hours to kill (can't check in too early), and I thought it would be nice to drive up to the Napa/Sonoma area. I'd grown up in the SF Bay area, but don't remember ever visiting Napa or Sonoma. Mom graduated from High School in Petaluma, her Aunt Evelyn lived in Glen Ellen, and Mom also lived in Sonoma for a time, so she enjoyed the drive.

On the way to Sonoma, we started passing through a lot of vineyards. I decided to stop at this one, the Jacuzzi Winery, since they advertised that they had olive tasting as well as wine tasting. Mom & I went into the Olive section first, but we should have read the sign more closely - it was olive oil tasting, not olives. That's OK for me, I like Olive Oil, but Mom doesn't. I think she enjoyed the building however and looking at all the neat, but expensive stuff in the gift shops.

This is actually one of the newest wineries in Sonoma Valley, but they've built a really nice place. The courtyard is all done up as Spanish style early California, it was very nice and had Mexican music playing in the background.

While I was out back admiring their vineyards, a Harrier flew by. Then, knowing it took me a while to set up the camera, he just kept circling and circling just above the vines - of course that's actually the way they hunt but I can pretend he did it for these shots?

After spending a little more than I could afford on some wine and olive oil, we drove on into downtown Sonoma.

We got a TON of great ideas at the Sonoma Visiter's Center, but didn't have time to try them today - so maybe we'll head back here after visiting my brother, I'm not sure. We did eat at a really nice little shop, they sell pastries also so we picked some up for later.

I also walked around the town square a bit and took some pictures of the old Mexican Army Barracks and Mission (didn't take the time to tour these today however). They also had a nice mural in one of the alley's (which are all full of shops by the way).

We finally headed off towards the campground, which was quite far south still. On the way we passed a dairy that Mom actually remembered from when she was a kid. It was still in business and still had dairy cattle, but they now share space with grape vines!

After crossing I-80 a little farther south, we drove through a giant wind farm - don't remember this sort of stuff when I was a kid?

We finally found the campground. It is located along a levy in the Sacramento River Delta, about 20 feet below the surface of the river.

We got the laundry done. Tomorrow we'll do some visiting of an old friend, then who knows. In the meantime, one advantage of staying around the Sacramento River Delta is the birding - we saw lots and lots of birds - some of which I've identified?

(I'm working in a KOA clubhouse to get an internet signal, so don't have my travel log handy, will add the logistics later - not that anybody reads that. I just keep it since it's part of the whole Lewis & Clark style travel experience, to log our journey!)

It was quite windy this morning when we got up at Half Moon Bay State Park, but of course that made for some big waves! I wanted to get my feet wet just a little bit, but the surf was so rough I tried to avoid going in any deeper then my toes. However while I was distracted taking a picture, I didn't notice a particularly large wave break and wash up almost to my knees - the water pulled so hard I wasn't sure if it would pull me over (I think if I'd lifted a foot to try to walk it would have, it was that strong) - but I stood fast and was able to get back, with somewhat damp jeans of course.

While we've certainly met some nice folks here in CA, they haven't been as consistently nice as in most states we've been in. When I stopped for gas just outside the park, another customer started cussing at me for blocking his way (like I can just zip in or out at will in an RV!) Of course, it didn't help that Mom decided to chip in and help offer ways to get out of his way - of course, she won't drive the RV so has no idea what sort of turns I can or can't do. We had a bit of a moment there, but seem to have survived it. As far as Californian's go, I'm generally glad I don't live here any more.

While we also generally skip the big cities, my sister Que and her partner Vivian were in San Francisco for a medical conference. When we realized we were all in the same area at the same time, we thought it might be fun to try to meet up. (Que & Vivian live in Seattle, so we do get to see them fairly often - but of course we've been on the road for several months now). Que said she hadn't been to a beach in a long time and I figured the road along the beach would be as easy to navigate as any, so we agree to try to meet up along the SF beach.

Somehow, Mom & I managed to navigate there without going around in circles too much (one anyway) and found a parking spot right across from Golden Gate Park, within sight of the Cliff House and Seal Rocks. The Cliff House is not the same place I remember as a kid. They've built something new at the same spot that just doesn't look all that special to me, but I guess we don't all have the same tastes in building styles?

We were also right across the street from one of the windmills at Golden Gate Park. There are two of these built in 1903 and they were actually used to water the landscaping in the park in the early 1900's. This one has been restored, the other is still undergoing restoration.

BTW - SF still isn't charging for parking along the beach! There are still a few bright spots for visitors here. Que met us at the beach shortly after we got there. Que and Mom enjoyed a walk out to the beach (believe it or not, I was trying to work on the blog for a few minutes).

A short time later, Vivian arrived and we somehow all managed to meet up without getting lost (cell phones come in handy in such situations).

We were right across the street from an old San Francisco landmark, the Beach Chalet restaurant. It was built in 1925, but had recently been restored. Vivian generously offered to treat us all to lunch there!

On the first floor are several murals that were painted in 1936 as part of the WPA program. I continue to be favorably impressed with all the public works generated by FDR's depression era programs to provide work for the unemployed. Also you will notice that I am not the only member of my family to have caught the photography bug!

We had a great dinner, I tried taking a picture but didn't want to use a flash so as not to annoy the other diners. I should have used a flash. Well, close your eyes and imagine us sitting by a window overlooking the beach (the RV in plain view across the street, as well as the sea wall and beach) - enjoying all sorts of good eats...

After dinner, Que & Vivian had to go get ready for a show later in the evening. Mom & I enjoyed seeing SF again but figured there were better ways to tour the city than in an RV and I wanted to head north and find a campground before it got too dark. We drove on up the street and turned as it passed the cliff house. When we got to where we needed to turn to get to the Golden Gate Bridge, there was a "No Left Turn" sign as Vivian had warned us, so we just went around the block - in driving, three rights equals a left. I thought the houses looked pretty typical for San Francisco, so while we didn't do much sightseeing in town, I stopped for this shot as we rounded the block.

In fairness to SF however, the streets and parking didn't seem nearly as bad as I'd expected (nor as bad as Boston or Philadelphia). We did get onto the correct street and onto and across the Golden Gate Bridge without a hitch. It was starting to get a little darker, but I pulled over at the vista point just across the bridge for some nice shots. It was surprising how many tourists there were at the vista point - almost no parking left. I guess March isn't a bad time of year for tourists to this area?

By the time we left the vista point it was really dusk, so we drove up to San Rafael where Mom had found a state park on San Pablo Bay, a little east of town. The China Camp SP was really nice, but just over some low hills from the town - and had no cell phone signals, so no internet. Here we were in the middle of one of the most populated area's in one of the most populated states, and continue to find rural space with no connections! Amazing.

Logistics:

Miles Driven - 59, Cumulative - 17,673
Camped at China Camp State Park, San Rafael, CA

Provisions - Gas $36.59 for 10 gallons at 127,505