Remembering NoCal

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It took awhile for me to notice, but there is a thriving agrarian culture in the most unlikely place on earth. Yes, on the strip of highway running through the heavily forested mountains, I began to notice people walking along the side of the road carrying gardening tools and sometimes wearing a backpack.

I bet there is not more than a quarter acre of tillable land in the whole county, but these dedicated gardeners trudge to their remote little plots to tend their vegetables.

Once, I passed a tall, lanky man standing beside his pickup truck holding a hoe. (The garden tool.) He eyed me carefully as I passed and remained stock still until I reached the next curve – about 200 feet away. I had time to see him take one-step to cross the road in the uphill direction of the mountain. Most of the foot traffic responded in similar ways. If I did not know better, I would have sworn they were running a still.

Overall, I expect a vegetable garden of small to moderate size could easily feed a family. The soil seems fertile enough and water is plentiful. Sunlight might be an issue. The ambitious gardener would have to find a clearing or at least a thin spot in the canopy to have a chance to set fruit on a tomato vine, for example.

I kept my eyes open, but I never noticed the kind of roadside stands associated with this much gardening. You know, someone selling beets and artichokes from the back of their antique pickup truck. Odder still, these gardeners seemed to prefer Lexus sedans to trucks.

The next time I pass that way, I will stop and strike up a conversation with some of the farmers. They seemed shy at first, but I bet they are proud of their gardens and eager to show them off to an interested stranger. Maybe I can score, er uh, purchase some fresh veggies or herbs, wholesale.

California! What a wonderful country.

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Crawl across the West with Me

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This is a huge country!

I awoke in Fortuna, California, a pleasant town on the northern end of CA-1. I puttered about until first light. Then I drove south. Through the evergreen forests, over the streams and rivers I marveled at the view. Naturally, it was overcast and raining (why does it ALWAYS have to rain?) the entire trip. The effect was to give the country a secret, hidden feeling. It was as if I were there all alone. I soaked it up.



Sunset in La Jolla



The roads have few (read zero) shoulders in the forested places, so extensive exploration on foot was out of the question. I shot from the hip and on the move many times. Naturally, I have a dozen photos with scenery seeming to rush toward me. It happens.



Sunset in La Jolla II

 The challenges began when I reached the “Shoreline Highway.” Long time readers know I cannot resist a tight corner. Shoreline Highway is CA-1 on LSD. It is a constant series of tight, hairpin turns. Many either went uphill or downhill, sharply, or even seemed to go both way at the same time. I was able to average about 45 mph through here and I earned every inch of it. It was the upper body workout of the century for me.

Cloud in the Mountains



A Mountain Cabin

 When the road finally let me go, I was exhilarated and limp as a rag from the experience.

I will stick a couple photos in here for a glimpse of the scenery. No, the photos do not do the place justice.

Lots more to come...

PS: Click on the photos to see a larger version.