Showing posts with label Central Valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Central Valley. Show all posts
Thursday, May 16, 2013
May 16th - There's Gold In Them Thar Hills!
While we have been cleaning the trailer we have been chatting to a couple of our neighbours. The RV across the way, with some really nice people, is owned by real Gold Prospectors. Johnny and Lisa spend their summer months panning for gold, and they really do find it! They showed us some of the results of their labours. We had a very pleasant time talking about how to pan for gold and where some good places are, so next year when we come back we might have a go and see if we can pan some for ourselves.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
May 15th - Packing Up
View Spring 2013 Part 4 in a larger mapAll too soon we are once again cleaning and packing away the rig. The weather here is still glorius, though it hit the mid nineties yesterday. Last night we went with Ed and Cindy to the local casino for their buffet (senior discount - half price), which mean't we had to join the casino, which mean't that they gave us a $10 seed money, which mean't we had to get rid of it in a fruit machine on the way out, which mean't that Sally walked out with $50 and I walked out with $7, still I suppose you win some and then you ..... win some more!
Today we move our rig onto Ed and Cindy's property, which is a lovely country house with a large field. There are all sorts of birds flying around and it is very peaceful. they raise Barbary Sheep, which are great fun to watch at feeding time.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
May 24th - Corning
We moved on from Chico Fairground to our final destination, for this trip, of Corning, which is a small town which straddles Interstate 5. We are currently parked in a pleasant RV Park called Heritage RV, which is blessed with a small pool and trees. The temperature is continuing to climb into the mid nineties.
May 12th - How Little We Know
Coming to the end of Trip 12 we are still amazed by the way we stumble on great country and great stories. We are camped on the fairground at Chico, we arrived on Friday and as advertised on Friday evening there was a Meet at the Raceway, all of 100 yards from our trailer. It was noisy, but not too bad. We did not go to see it, now if it had been a demolition Derby we might have ventured out that far. Yesterday we took time to go East from Chico to visit friends. Chico is 'The last Major Town' in the Central Valley, north of Sacramento (Though Redding is further north, I don't think it is as big), we approached from the south on Highway 99, through the now normal views of flat land, irrigation and intensive agriculture. So when we drove East of Chico, taking a road called The Skyway we were surprised that within a cople of miles of the fairground we were immediately in hill country. We very quickly worked out why the road was called the Skyway. It is the only link to Paradise, originally a gold town, and as it goes East is slowly rises up, while the land either side drops away, leaving you on a narrow strip of land with the beautiful Little Butte Creek Canyon a thousand feet below you. What an amazing view, yet hidden from the rest of the world. Not only is it a wonderful view the river itself is a salmon river, which having almost died now has up to 12,500 salmon a year spawning there. Quite amazing. Having driven through Paradise, past the Chocolate Festival taking place this weekend, we had a wonderful, relaxing day with our friends in their lovely new house.
We drove back down in the evening, taking a further look at the Little Butte River Canyon, are again amazed at the variety and beauty of this country.
We drove back down in the evening, taking a further look at the Little Butte River Canyon, are again amazed at the variety and beauty of this country.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
April 15tth - Bluegrass Campout at Turlock
Thursday 18th
Following our lovely weekend at Pete and Jan's we have driven the 17 miles to Turlock, where we are now camping. we are here for the California Bluegrass Association Spring Camp. It will last from Monday until next Sunday and everybody here has come to play, or listen to, bluegrass music. However, like back home the weather is playing a part, we have had a very windy couple of days., but now the wind has dropped and the weather is set fair for the weekend.
It is nice and quiet now, but a lot of people will roll in tonight for the weekend
Following our lovely weekend at Pete and Jan's we have driven the 17 miles to Turlock, where we are now camping. we are here for the California Bluegrass Association Spring Camp. It will last from Monday until next Sunday and everybody here has come to play, or listen to, bluegrass music. However, like back home the weather is playing a part, we have had a very windy couple of days., but now the wind has dropped and the weather is set fair for the weekend.
It is nice and quiet now, but a lot of people will roll in tonight for the weekend
 |
| Set up at Turlock |
 |
| Sally at a jam on Wed. Afternoon |
 |
| Friends Minnie Winnie (Winnebego) |
 |
| Dave and Emmy |
Bluegrass Campout at Turlock
Thursday 18th
Following our lovely weekend at Pete and Jan's we have driven the 17 miles to Turlock, where we are now camping. we are here for the California Bluegrass Association Spring Camp. It will last from Monday until next Sunday and everybody here has come to play, or listen to, bluegrass music. However, like back home the weather is playing a part, we have had a very windy couple of days., but now the wind has dropped and the weather is set fair for the weekend.
It is nice and quiet now, but a lot of people will roll in tonight for the weekend
Following our lovely weekend at Pete and Jan's we have driven the 17 miles to Turlock, where we are now camping. we are here for the California Bluegrass Association Spring Camp. It will last from Monday until next Sunday and everybody here has come to play, or listen to, bluegrass music. However, like back home the weather is playing a part, we have had a very windy couple of days., but now the wind has dropped and the weather is set fair for the weekend.
It is nice and quiet now, but a lot of people will roll in tonight for the weekend
|
| Set up at Turlock |
|
| Sally at a jam on Wed. Afternoon |
|
| Friends Minnie Winnie (Winnebego) |
|
| Dave and Emmy |
Saturday, April 13, 2013
April 12th - Places and Home
Yesterday we modified our plans a bit, we had planned to stay two nights in Fresno, however an email from our friends including an invite to a Jam the next night tempted us to push on up to Pete and Jan's in Atwood.
We managed to get there in good time, have a bit of a rest and then go to Jack's for a lovely jam in the evening. It was such a good time, very relaxed, lots of music and talking and very friendly people, most of whom we had met once before in September, but amazingly they still remembered us!
We have been made most welcome by the people that we have met here (at Atwood, but also generally when we have travelled). I am coming to the conclusion that 'places' is about somewhere you go, but 'home' is about being with people. Either we have been very lucky, protected or guided, or we feel very easily at home. Atwood is one of those special places that make us feel like we are coming home when we visit here. It is a very comforting feeling and I suppose one of the many reasons we enjoy travelling.
We managed to get there in good time, have a bit of a rest and then go to Jack's for a lovely jam in the evening. It was such a good time, very relaxed, lots of music and talking and very friendly people, most of whom we had met once before in September, but amazingly they still remembered us!
We have been made most welcome by the people that we have met here (at Atwood, but also generally when we have travelled). I am coming to the conclusion that 'places' is about somewhere you go, but 'home' is about being with people. Either we have been very lucky, protected or guided, or we feel very easily at home. Atwood is one of those special places that make us feel like we are coming home when we visit here. It is a very comforting feeling and I suppose one of the many reasons we enjoy travelling.
Places and Home
Yesterday we modified our plans a bit, we had planned to stay two nights in Fresno, however an email from our friends including an invite to a Jam the next night tempted us to push on up to Pete and Jan's in Atwood.
We managed to get there in good time, have a bit of a rest and then go to Jack's for a lovely jam in the evening. It was such a good time, very relaxed, lots of music and talking and very friendly people, most of whom we had met once before in September, but amazingly they still remembered us!
We have been made most welcome by the people that we have met here (at Atwood, but also generally when we have travelled). I am coming to the conclusion that 'places' is about somewhere you go, but 'home' is about being with people. Either we have been very lucky, protected or guided, or we feel very easily at home. Atwood is one of those special places that make us feel like we are coming home when we visit here. It is a very comforting feeling and I suppose one of the many reasons we enjoy travelling.
We managed to get there in good time, have a bit of a rest and then go to Jack's for a lovely jam in the evening. It was such a good time, very relaxed, lots of music and talking and very friendly people, most of whom we had met once before in September, but amazingly they still remembered us!
We have been made most welcome by the people that we have met here (at Atwood, but also generally when we have travelled). I am coming to the conclusion that 'places' is about somewhere you go, but 'home' is about being with people. Either we have been very lucky, protected or guided, or we feel very easily at home. Atwood is one of those special places that make us feel like we are coming home when we visit here. It is a very comforting feeling and I suppose one of the many reasons we enjoy travelling.
Friday, April 12, 2013
April 11th - Fresno
We left the very nice fairground in Bakersfield and drove north on 99 to Fresno fairground ($20 p .n., full hook up very quiet). Fresno is the site of a Harvey House Newstand, but is no longer there. Once installed there I took the opportunity to visit the California Gratitude Train ,Merci Boxcar. Although a little out of the way this boxcar is proudly looked after by the American Legion Fresno Federal Post #509, in Fresno, particularly the 40 & 8's. While I was there taking pics of the boxcar one of the 40 &8's members came out and we had a very interesting chat about the boxcar.
 |
| Boxcar and Chevy |
 |
| The plaque near the boxcar |
 |
| Up close showing the 40 and 8 sign |
 |
| Me and the Boxcar |
Thursday, April 11, 2013
April 9th - Bakersfield and Highway 99
From Barstow we followed the Highway 58 to Mojave, to Tehachapi and on to Bakersfield, where we stopped at the Fairground.
I looked for signs of the Harvey House in Mojave, but it had been flattened many years ago. There was also a Harvey House in Bakersfield, but it too had gone many years ago. This had been a long drive for us so we stayed for two nights. The Fairground ($25 p.n. full hookup) is very nice and neat and clean and it was not too hot. The day spent here enabled us to get some shopping done. Bakersfield 's main claim to fame is its Bakersfield Sound, a sort of Rock-a-billy country style. Buck Owens and Merle Haggard are its most famous musicians. We had a look at the Crystal Palace, owned by Buck Owens, which is Bakersfiels's sort of Grand Ole Opre.
On Thursday morning we moved on up Highway 99 to Fresno, where we have stopped at another fairground (bit of a pattern here isn't there). Highway 99 goes right up the middle of California in the California Central Valley, which which is very intensively farmed, as we described in our other blogs, as we travelled up this way in the fall of 2011 and Spring of 2012.
I looked for signs of the Harvey House in Mojave, but it had been flattened many years ago. There was also a Harvey House in Bakersfield, but it too had gone many years ago. This had been a long drive for us so we stayed for two nights. The Fairground ($25 p.n. full hookup) is very nice and neat and clean and it was not too hot. The day spent here enabled us to get some shopping done. Bakersfield 's main claim to fame is its Bakersfield Sound, a sort of Rock-a-billy country style. Buck Owens and Merle Haggard are its most famous musicians. We had a look at the Crystal Palace, owned by Buck Owens, which is Bakersfiels's sort of Grand Ole Opre.
On Thursday morning we moved on up Highway 99 to Fresno, where we have stopped at another fairground (bit of a pattern here isn't there). Highway 99 goes right up the middle of California in the California Central Valley, which which is very intensively farmed, as we described in our other blogs, as we travelled up this way in the fall of 2011 and Spring of 2012.
 |
| Yep, this is Bakersfield |
 |
| Buck Owens Crystal Palace |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)