KOA, W. Sacramento, CA, to KOA, Coarsegold, CA:  Left this morning at around 9:30 and arrived in Coarsegold at 2:30.  Took Rt. 99 south through the San Joaquin Valley to Madera and then took Rt. 145 east to Rt. 41 north.  Back in the golden hills with the Sierra Nevada mountains looming in the distance.  It’s really pretty here in the foothills.  In places the hills are covered with these low, bushy plants in pastel shades of pinks and mauves.  Very different and quite pretty.  After getting set up we sat outside reading for a while.  94 here in Coarsegold.  We’re just south of Yosemite.

Vietnam War Memorial--Capitol Grounds, Sacramento

Assembly Chamber--State Capitol, Sacramento

Senate Chamber--State Capitol, Sacramento

Sacramento

KOA, W. Sacramento, CA:  Drove into downtown Sacramento this morning.  Parked a few blocks from the capitol building and then headed out walking.  The capitol is very dramatic with its park-like setting and gardens which surround the building.  Went inside and checked out the Assembly and Senate chambers.  Wandered around the capitol a while more, then walked a few more blocks to the governor’s mansion—a huge Victorian house built in 1877.  The last governor to live there was Ronald Regan who only lived there 3 months.  Arnold lived in a suite at the Hyatt across the street, and Governor Brown currently resides in a loft apartment above the Chinese restaurant P. F. Chang’s.  We had lunch there after touring the mansion.  Then headed back and picked up some groceries.  Sat outside reading for a while.  Tomorrow we leave for Yosemite for 10 days.  92 here today.  The weather is really great here.  Warm during the day, but in the evening it cools down a lot—almost chilly.  Great!

California State Capitol in Sacramento

Large grounds around the capitol

Capitol dome

Governor's mansion--circa 1877

Music room in the mansion.  JFK, Frank Sinatra, and Liberace played on this piano--to name a few. 

UC Davis

KOA, W. Sacramento, CA:  Left for Jerry and Helen’s home in So. El Macero at noon.  Only about 12 miles away, so we got there a little early.  They have a lovely home on a beautiful golf course.  We had lunch at a cute little restaurant in quaint Davis near the UC Davis campus.  After a great lunch we drove around Davis a little and then took Helen back home because she wasn’t feeling too great.  Then Jerry, Mike and I went back to the UC Davis campus and Jerry took us around.  He teaches a graduate course in business management at the university.  A beautiful campus. The kids that go to school here are very lucky.  Across from the School of Management where Jerry teaches is the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.  A beautiful facility and Jerry even got them to open up the building and give us a mini-tour.  The campus also has an Olympic size pool and fully equipped gym.  We met a bunch of Jerry’s colleagues and even went into the Dean’s suite of offices.  Back to Jerry and Helen’s and visited some more and then we headed back to our park.  A fun day.

Mike and Jerry outside the Graduate School of Management where Dr. Suran teaches.

The lounge of the Graduate School of Management--UC Davis

A classroom dedicated to Jerry's Wife, Helen.

Jerry and his late wife, Elsie, have also made generous donations to the university.

One of the conference room walls were entirely "white board".  So I posted a note on the wall.  Eat your heart out Facebook.

Sacramento

Premier RV Resort, Redding, CA, to KOA, W. Sacramento, CA:  Left Redding this morning at 9:30.  Took the 5 down through the Sacramento River Valley with mountains on both sides off in the distance.  This valley is a big agricultural area.  Apple orchards, olive orchards, vineyards, and lots of other more exotic looking crops we couldn’t identify.  A lot of the highways in California have beautiful, flowering bushes in the median—especially the 101.  The 5 was no exception.  Arrived at the KOA in W. Sacramento and were set up by 1:00.  Had some lunch and then called Jerry, my former boss in Syracuse, NY.  We’re getting together with them tomorrow.  Should be fun.  Mid-90s today.

One of the guest houses--Hearst Castle

Main dining room--Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle

Premier RV Resort, Redding, CA:  The guy that showed up this morning to wash the fifth wheel did an outstanding job.  He said there was a lot of salt on the roof.  I’m so glad we had it washed.  No wonder it was filthy—all that salt.  No marine layer any more, so it should stay clean for a while anyway.  After lunch we drove back on 299 to the remains of the historic town of Shasta, which was founded in 1849 when gold was discovered in nearby clear creek.  The gold petered out, but the town became prosperous by supplying other mines and miners.  This little town had the largest number of brick buildings north of San Francisco.  And the area is so rugged that the carriage/stage road terminated in Shasta.  On the way back to our park an indicator lit up in the truck that the battery wasn’t charging, so he dropped me off and drove over to the GMC dealer in Redding.  They installed a new alternator and he was on his way in a few hours.  I sat outside reading.  Finished my book on Alcatraz which was really interesting. Whitey Bulgar, the infamous gangster they just recaptured was incarcerated in Alcatraz for a while. 

Mount Shasta off in the haze.

Masonic Lodge built in 1849--still in use.  Oldest in California.

Bull Baker & Co.--largest supplier of mines/miners.

General Store & Bakery--in use until 1960.

Premier RV Resort, Redding, CA:  Intended to just kick back the couple of days we’re here.  We had to get the laundry done first.  We lucked out and the laundry here was completely empty when we went over there this morning.  Got that done by 10:30 and came back and relaxed outside reading.  Later in the afternoon we headed into Redding and I got my hair cut and Mike got the truck washed.  Tomorrow a guy is coming over early to wash the fifth wheel which is filthy.  I guess because of the constant fog drip. Since we’re away from the coast now, hopefully it’ll stay cleaner.  95 today.

Bark of a huge redwood.

Huge redwood.

Moss-covered tree in the redwood forest.

Sounds of the Sea RV Park, Trinidad, CA, to Premier RV Resort, Redding, CA:  Left at around 9:30 this morning in a heavy fog and listened to the barking of the seals one last time.  Took the 101 south 20 miles or so and then headed east on 299.  We weren’t sure what to expect on this road.  On the map it looks very twisty and windy.  Turns out it was a really nice road in good condition with shoulders and guard rails and passing lanes up the many uphill climbs.  A steep uphill and then a steep downhill many, many times.  Stopped in Weaverville and had lunch at a little restaurant there. And this route went through beautiful, heavily-forested mountains along the crystal clear Trinidad River which cascaded through deep, rocky gorges.  Just outside Redding we passed the pristine Trinidad Lake and went through the historic town of Shasta, which appears to be a ghost town with all the old, historic buildings in place.  We left at 9:30 and arrived in Redding and were set up by 3:00.  It’s 92 here!  Ahhhhhh!  Back into shorts!

The beautiful drive along Rt. 299

Pristine Trinidad Lake