Gilroy, California – October, 2011

It was one of those hazy warm days as we headed south on I-5 toward Gilroy for a week’s stay in the garlic capital of the entire universe.  Part of the journey involves traveling on Highway 152, a snaky little number that goes up and down Pacheco Pass and skirts a large reservoir with some pretty curvy curves; it is a major truck route for farm produce between I-5 and U.S. 101.  At one point we were playing tag with a semi hauling two gondolas loaded with plum tomatoes and it seemed to us he was taking some of the “55 mph curves” a bit faster than the speed limit and we speculated that load of tomatoes might be headed for premature conversion to sauce.  We eventually lost track of that particular truck but we did see evidence that one of his soul mates had capsized along the way; there were skid marks at a particularly severe curve and the shoulder was covered with Roma tomatoes.  Oops.  Pass the cheese, please.

As one approaches the city of Gilroy, one becomes aware of its status as Garlic City USA.  The valley is fairly marinating in the aroma of The Stinking Rose.  Imagine how it must smell when the Garlic Festival is in full swing during the month of July.  Yum.

On our first full day in town we went off in search of the Visitors Center to gather brochures and other information of what to see and do while in the area.  We located the building without much trouble but it was locked up tight and there was a note on the door to seek information at two other businesses nearby, neither of which seemed all that prepared to guide tourists.  But we did find an interesting eggcup to add to my collection and scored a free head of Gilroy garlic. 

We’d seen a number of signs along the roadways advertising garlic ice cream so we stopped at a shop and tried some.  It was pretty darn tasty, very mild garlic taste and the ice cream itself was extra creamy and rich-tasting.  We are also planning to try cream of garlic soup soon but in the privacy of our own home.

One afternoon we headed south on 101 to San Juan Bautista to visit the mission.  We trundled around the mission grounds, gawked at the exterior and mutually decided not to broach the hordes of school children who were also touring.  The town itself is quaint and so we poked into some of the shops along the main street before heading back to the coach.

As often happens with rolling real estate, problems arise from time to time and the kitchen drain chose this particular time to malfunction.  Well, break actually and begin dripping dishwater into one of the storage bays.  A mobile RV tech confirmed the diagnosis  and arrangements were made to have it repaired in Morgan Hill on Friday morning.  We got an early start, the work went more or less the way it was supposed to and we were back in Gilroy in time for lunch.  So off we went to check out the Outlet Mall.  Unlike so many outlet malls these days, this one seemed to be very busy.  And it was there that we stumbled upon the Visitors Center that had so mysteriously disappeared from its home downtown!  We picked up a few brochures we thought might come in handy but the clerk behind the desk made no offer to assist in any way.  It’s probably good they call it a “visitors” center and not a “welcome” center.

On Saturday, October 22, we took the short drive south to Salinas, which bills itself as America’s Salad Bowl.  We left the highway near a big shopping mall that featured a Costco.  It being lunch-time we decided to drop in to see what samples they might be offering.  All sorts of good things, it turned out.  We made a few other stops and then decided to check out the historic downtown where we found some sort of street fair underway.  A sign at the Steinbeck Center announced that the Salinas Wine and Food Festival was slated for “Saturday, October 18, 2011” so we were puzzled what the event might be which was being held on Saturday, October 22.  It was the Wine and Food Festival alright; hope they didn’t pay too much for the sign which promoted the event for the previous Tuesday. 

By the time we arrived things were pretty much winding down but there was a food demonstration going on.  We arrived a bit after the participants were announced but we did quickly get up to speed that they were preparing sardine quesadillas with aioli sauce.  The chef with the sharp knife made boning and filleting a sardine look easy but we won’t be preparing this dish anytime soon.  Not that it wasn’t tasty but I’m not allowed to have sharp knives.

Being so close to the Monterey Peninsula, we took the opportunity to make the 40 mile drive to pay a visit to the highly touted Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is housed in a converted sardine factory on Cannery Row.  We’ve visited a goodly number of zoos and aquariums and found this one good but over-priced and quite a distance from being “the best”.  Sea otters figure prominently in most of the advertising for the facility so it was a disappointment to discover they have only two on display; both seemed more interested in grooming between their toes than frolicking about in the water so we quickly lost interest in that exhibit!

The aquarium features a new million gallon tank called The Open Ocean wherein reside a young Great White shark (who was released into the wild the very next day), hammerhead sharks and tunas.  At feeding time, a large school of sardines swirled up out of nowhere like a silver-plated tornado.  Traveling in such a tight formation is what prevents them from being picked off as appetizers for some of the larger fish.  We did notice that one tuna, however, was smacking his lips over a tasty tidbit he snatched from the edges of the vortex.   Another  interesting fish was a very large, very square fellow called an ocean sunfish.  The announcer informed us that the food has to be all but put directly into the sunfish’s mouth because he’s so slow and cumbersome that he’d lose out to the faster smaller fish if he didn’t get additional help from the staff.  He has the turning ratio of an aircraft carrier and is not much fun to watch.

The display of seahorses is delightful.  The ones that look like miniature dragons draped in ferns are among my favorites; they look exactly like floating pieces of seaweed.  And the large tanks of jellyfish were mesmerizing – stand there long enough and you can just zone out.  It’s an excellent relaxation technique.

 

We also took a quick stroll along Cannery Row with its souvenir shops and restaurants then drove to Pacific Grove for a walk down the main drag, traveling in and out of expensive antique shops. 

While on the way back to camp, we veered off to follow the signs to “historic downtown Monterey” where we came upon the city’s Colton Hall Museum.  Not only was it open on a Monday but it was staffed by a delightful woman who told us about the building’s early history.  In 1849 Colton Hall was the site of the Constitutional Convention that made California a state.  San Jose was selected as the first capital and remained so until 1851, followed by quick stops at Vallejo and Benicia before landing in Sacramento.

Our southward journey resumes so tune in again soon for more reports from along El Camino Real.

Wandering Southward – October, 2011

After leaving the Oregon Coast, we made a quick stop in Eugene to get new tires for the coach.  Seven years is about the life expectancy for RV tires and the rough Alaska roads probably didn’t do much to prolong their life. 

We stopped for a few days in Sutherlin and found ourselves once again in an area with a surprising number of wineries.  It was suggested that we do a tour of Oakland where many of the buildings are of historical significance.   Antique shops abound, although most were closed on the day we visited.  Traffic on the wide main streets was minimal and only a few folks were wandering about, leaving one with the impression that the town was a stage set after the final curtain.

Originally settled in the 1840’s, the town became an agricultural center and for a time turkey ranching was the primary industry.  It was here that the big-breasted turkey we enjoy today was developed.  Wood products, cattle, sheep and various farm crops kept the economy going.  But time passed, commerce moved elsewhere, and Oakland devolved into the quiet town it is today.  Not exactly a ghost town but well on its way.

Our next stop was Grants Pass, a city we’ve visited several times in the past.  Their Saturday farm market is one of the best.  So often “farm markets” are really craft shows but Grants Pass boasts a goodly number of booths offering organically grown fruits and veggies with a number of heirloom varieties to tempt the taste buds.  There’s a separate area for the craft vendors with a wide array of goods to choose from for those inclined in that direction.

Because we’ve seen most of the local attractions in Grants Pass, we decided to head to Jacksonville, which claims to be “one of the most historically significant communities in the western United States”.  Gold was discovered nearby in 1851 and the camp quickly developed into a major city with shops, banks, saloons.  It was the center of civilization in southern Oregon and the seat of county government but when the railroad bypassed it and chose Medford instead, Jacksonville entered a state of suspended animation until the residents decided to preserve its buildings and ambience.  Today it’s a National Historic Landmark, heavy on the eateries, boutiques and B&Bs in charming old homes.  We just strolled around town, poking into shops and soaking up the laid-back atmosphere.

Moving south into California, we spent two weeks in what is known as The Delta Loop at a membership campground.  This was time to get some heavy-duty chores done, rearrange cupboards, etc.  We also were able to have a mini-reunion with Howie’s college chum, Charles, and his wife Ellen, who live over near San Francisco.  After sitting around yakking for the afternoon, we drove to Rio Vista for dinner at Foster’s Bighorn.  Unbeknownst to us, Foster’s is famous; not for its food so much as for its collection of wildlife trophies.  Our table was directly under an elephant’s head, reputed to be the largest mammal trophy in any collection.  The tusks, mounted separately, are said to weigh 110 pounds each.  I was left wondering just how well that particular trophy was attached to the wall…and just how sturdy the wall was in the first place!

This area of California is criss-crossed with winding rivers such as the Sacramento and the San Joaquin, held in place by levees.  The flat areas between rivers are planted in all sorts of crops, including grapes to help supply the many vineyards in the region.  There are also enormous fields of corn and tomatoes and we’ve been told that asparagus is one of the most significant crops in the spring.  The nearest town of any size is Lodi and it sports a very charming downtown area, studded with interesting shops and places to eat.  The downtown’s “signature” is this mission-style arch.  Except for the fact that it’s in the state of California, Lodi meets all the requirements as a place to live if and when traveling ceases to amuse us – big enough to have a Costco and small enough to find your way around without much help.

A wintering spot for lesser and sandhill cranes, Lodi brags a bit about its winged winter visitors with this fountain situated in front of the railroad station. 

 

 

 

 

We spent our final Sunday in Lodi visiting the Hill House Mansion, a Queen Anne confection open to the public only from 1:00 to 4:00 on Sundays and staffed by members of the Historical Society.  Our tour guide, a long-time resident of the city, filled us in on all the details about the house, the Hill family and Lodi’s history.  We’ve toured a great many similar historic homes but this one has a unique aspect which most others do not; generally furniture and artifacts are “of the period” but almost all of the contents of the Hill House belonged to the family and were used in the home.  At one time the house sat “downtown” across the street from the Post Office but eventually commercial expansion made its site less attractive and the house was moved, in toto, to its present location.  Our tour guide as a young boy had watched this magnificent Victorian home being hauled down the street by a one-ton truck and plopped down on Church Street where it now faces west, not east as it once had.

The guide explained that the house was not the first in Lodi, nor was it the grandest but it is a complete intact example of how the upper middle class lived at the turn of the century.  What a great treasure!  In touring old homes such as this, someone in the tour group is certain to bring up the subject of ghosts and this trip was no exception.  Our guide was not only ready to address the subject but even a bit eager, although he personally disavowed any strong belief in the paranormal.  He told some of the stories covered in this newspaper article and admitted to feeling a bit uneasy every time he had to be at the house late at night.

Now we continue our trek southward where we will be spending some time visiting the central coast of California along with a few of its famous missions.  Stayed tuned for a full report…eventually.