There's Gold In Them Thar Hills...

It was with that call that the California Gold Rush started in 1848. Tens of thousands made the mad dash west to find their fortune in the mountainous country east of Sacramento and the growth in population and newfound riches led to California becoming our 31st state in 1850. Well we’ve discovered gold in California also; the beautiful natural resources, the spectacular scenery and the mild weather that make it such a pleasant place to live year-round. The problem is that millions of others have discovered it as well, and now you really DO need to have a stake in a gold mine to afford living here. We’ve been enjoying visiting at least, even though it’s not likely where we’ll end up one day for good (unless Patty’s panning down by the river’s edge pays off…).

Leaving Big Sur, we continued winding our way up the beautiful coast and arrived at a favorite place in California, the Monterey Peninsula. Having been here before for various world-class automotive events over the years, it brought back pleasant memories. And making it even more memorable was parking Mia on a hillside in the Laguna Seca Recreational Area, overlooking Mazda Raceway, where I’d had the pleasure of driving years ago in a Formula Dodge race car. Hearing the melodious sounds of the engines each day as cars lapped the famous circuit was an added bonus to being in beautiful Monterey. We toured Carmel, Pacific Grove (reminds us a lot of La Jolla), Salinas and Fisherman’s Wharf/Cannery Row in Monterey, made famous by writer John Steinbeck. If one had unlimited funds, a house in this magical area would be an absolute necessity.

Moving north, we continued to hug the coast and passed through rich, agricultural land, where artichokes grow abundantly. Patty was fascinated by these unusual plants, which I think portends a culinary experiment in our near future. We spent a night in cozy Half Moon Bay, just north of Santa Cruz, west of San Jose at yet another beach campground in yet another lovely, small town along the California coast, with pristine beaches and crashing waves. There are too many to choose from. Next stop was San Francisco, or rather, Alameda, to see Bernie Clark and Yvonne Tso. Our plan to park Mia in town was foiled by a new parking ordinance that took effect the day before we arrived, and we had to scramble to arrange a secure parking spot. Fortunately, a local aerospace company allowed us to park in their large lot for the several days we were there, as private property had become the only place for us to park legally. In the end, it worked out, but it made for a few stressful moments, with visions of Mia on a tow truck hook.

Having been to the foggy city before, we didn’t have too many places on our list left to see, but we filled a couple of days exploring in more detail some of the neighborhoods, like the Mission District (largely Hispanic), where there were many artistic murals drawn on the buildings, the Castro District (heavily gay), North Beach, Telegraph Hill, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square and the Financial District. All were endlessly entertaining. We discovered a Frank Lloyd Wright building we were not aware of and enjoyed taking the ferry over each day from Alameda. San Francisco is a delightful city to spend time in, as long as the ground and bildings remains stationary. We also were invited to an Oscar party, and while we had seen none of the movies nominated, still enjoyed the non-stop entertainment that is part of the evening.

Next stop was Sacramento, a town that sprung up to help supply all the aforementioned fortune seekers in 1848, and today finds itself the capitol of California (after several other cities took their turn along the way, beginning with Monterey). We toured Old Town Sacramento and the Capitol Building, then made our way into the nearby Gold Rush towns of Nevada City, Grass Valley, Amador City, Sutter Creek and Coloma (where the first gold was discovered by James Marshall). The highway through these towns parallels the Sierra Nevada mountain range and offers magnificent scenery as well as constant terrain change. Each of these towns has made an effort to retain some of the charm and character of the 1800’s and many of the original buildings remain, still being used today. We also drove through Folsom, seeing the prison made famous by Johnny Cash in his 1968 concert held for the inmates there.

After yet another inland incursion in California, we’re heading back to the coast to continue our way towards the Pacific Northwest. Spring arrives in less than 10 days! Cheers… Bob