Winding South in California

 Mission Accomplished!  With business meetings in central CA finished, I traveled the scenic California central coast and south coast, on a few recommendations.

- this post has 200+ photos and 5 short videos -

This drive was improvised, as I had little time to plan in the days and weeks before the meetings. Suggestions came from co-workers. Mike suggested Paso Robles (Central Coast vineyard region). Stephanie suggested wine tasting at Lone Madrone and Daou. Larry suggested driving along the south coast. These are co-workers.

Sherwin-Williams unintentionally suggested Pismo Beach. Their paint line includes a color called Pismo Dunes, and that name has always intrigued.   The museum gift shop attendant at Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1772) recommended the butterfly grove at Pismo Beach. This came after I asked her what those white-barked trees were outside. She said they were Eucalyptus, they are an invasive tree brought in from Australia that had then flourished in California. Monarch butterflies stop at this grove in Pismo along their migration toward Mexico. In Santa Barbara, a guy filling up at a Shell station said check out State Street, right around that corner, for the shops and restaurants. A couple out for a neighborhood walk said go to Franceschi Park for a scenic overlook of Santa Barbara. Finally, it was my own spiritual purpose to see the San Andreas Fault.

Below: coastal driving route shown in purple. Large circles show the major layovers.

Prologue

Before the scenic drive, I was on business in Bakersfield and Sacramento. The drive from Sac. to Bakersfield is a straight shot down highway 99, a massive agriculture and food processing corridor. 

Some valleys of the Sierra Nevada mountains, seen flying in to Sacramento:

Below. taken from the plan approaching Sacramento, showing agriculture north of Sacramento. Rice fields are being flooded this time of year. They used to burn the rice crop after harvest, but now they allow it to decay. Burning was causing health issues to the locals, due to airborne particulate being similar to asbestos. The rice quality here is superior such that it is shipped to Japan as being preferable to their own rice, for making sushi.

Hotel next to the Sacramento office, not bad for a February morning

Due to the predicted Nor'easter, I arrived for business ahead of schedule. This gave me a day to explore the Sacramento agriculture areas. Below: the Yolo wildlife refuge. This refuge doubles as a flood plain, where flood waters of the Sacramento River are directed, so that the city does not flood.

Fruit prices don't seem as high out here. Ginger looked fresher than I see in New England supermarkets.

The classic low-rider car culture, stems from Old World traditions.

Rail-bikes are rented for a five-mile ride along the Sacramento River.

One of many thousands of farm fields

A 50-horsepower agricultural pump at a water well. These are generally along roadsides at the corner of farm fields.

Below: The Fremont Weir. A weir is a wall set at a fixed elevation, allowing river water to overtop it once the river floods to a certain height. The river is opposite this road, with weir (overflow) beneath. Flood waters are routed from the river (to the right of this structure). When the river rises, water flow goes under the road, (from right to left), but above the weirs.  The weirs are adjusted to precise elevations. The flood waters flow right to left. The flood waters flow south toward the wildlife area and down-river. The actual weirs, are the wood planks above the lower concrete.

After the first meeting in Sacramento, the mid-town section feeling cosmopolitan but no so fast-paced.

Southward

Highway 99 through California's Central Valley

South of Sacramento is Lodi. Lodi's economy primarily is wine. Lodi was also made famous by the 1960s band Creedence Clearwater Revival who wrote the song "Lodi" while their tour bus was broken down there.

Below: Lodi's ceremonial arch. These are an old tradition. Can you picture settlers riding proudly through these in their sombreros? There are few of these original arches in the mission revival style. Some CA towns have more modern looking arches. Now sadly, Lodi's archway is flanked by nondescript buildings, parking garage and train station.

Route 99 runs straight and wide like a turnpike through endless flat farm fields and food processing plants. Almonds and pistachios need to be shelled, sorted, mixed, packaged etc. at these facilities.

The San Joachin River, late afternoon

Downtown Fresno, looking once proud

Fresno, Feb. 3. Faded art deco marquee. But the taupe still glows in the California sun.

Continuing south toward Bakersfield......

Three lanes of heavy traffic for most of the 6 hours drive.  Below, another food processing plant. Some of these were immense. But what other way to feed a nation?

Intermission (business in Bakersfield)

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Part 1. Viridian

Bakersfield - San Andreas - Paso Robles

This 

through the agricultural district for which I am doing the aquifer analysis.

My rental car, a Hyundai Ioniq, got me from Sacramento to Los Angeles on 12 gallons! Behind the car, is an orchard, probably almond or pistachio.

For irrigation, they use water from the mountains and rivers, and from wells. Water runs through a vast network of aqueducts and canals, then on to the fields for irrigation.

Along Highway 46 around Lost Hills, is an oil field. These are called horse-heads, as they bob up and down on a pivot to pump crude oil.

Finally, moving west out toward the Coast Range.

Antelope Valley / Antelope Plain

Road to infinity

Driving west, the landscape started to seem foreign and intriguing. 

I started stopping frequently for views, as trucks passed by.  This open land seemed to reflect the vastness that is California.

Bluestone Ridge - approaching the San Andreas

Cholame Valley

Below: The far valley going right to left, was to me a singular vastness. The vastness that is California, is what I experienced before me.

I only found out later that this valley is itself on the San Andreas Fault.  (I thought the fault was further west in my journey, not having time for much detailed planning.)  That evening, I realized that the special place (being visually captivating) was actually a special place (the San Andreas).

The fault is a way in which the Earth expresses itself. The American Plate moves left and the Pacific Plate moves left according to the arrows, as this picture faces west.

A ranch in the valley, along the fault.

Arrival in Paso Robles, Feb. 3, 2021

Rolling into the town, one of the first things you come to is the La Quinta inn, where I booked two nights. I found it to be exceptional., for your typical corporatey hotel. Open, airy lobby and dining area, cheerful guests here for the wine, pool deck with view of hills and Italian Cypress trees.

Paso Robles is a quiet town nestled in the hills, with a vibrant restaurant scene and vineyards in the surrounding hills. Below: celebratory dinner at La Cosecha with 12-hour braised lamb shank, and pureed Japanese white potatos with whipping cream. Even the sprouts were lavish.

Modern McDonalds in fine vintage architectural style

Feb. 4 (Friday), morning drive to the Pacific at San Simeon

First glimpse of the Pacific, coming west from the hills

Moonstone Beach along Highway 1

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Pool deck at La Quinta

Lobby Area

Feb. 5 (Saturday)
Wineries west of Pablo Robles

Daou vineyards, beautiful, except I forgot to make a reservation for wine tasting.

Across the street was the Lone Madrone tasting room (named after a tree), overlooking these hills. They featured wines with a sharp, dry flavor, sometimes peppery. No reservations necessary.

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Part 2. Transition

A brief detour to observe the Salinas River in Templeton, professional curiosity.

The 101, San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly campus, a quick drive-through

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1772)

An unplanned visit, guided by my own mission to explore beyond the modern comforts of the region. A local sign in town said mission this way. 

The Mission is in the center of downtown, as a church and town green would be in New England. I had little time to soak in everything to learn at the museum there.  I leave the talking to the photos.

The center court yard or patio. 

Front of the mission, from the direction of downtown.

Looking out toward the town

Downtown scene, not too busy on a Saturday morning.

Portico, with Eucalyptus trees

Stone oven

Nearby apartments

Continuing South

Pismo was the one place that I looked forward to, in my limited research before flying here.

The north part of the shoreline at Pismo is somewhat rocky and built up with homes and shops, etc. The southern part is a more traditional sandy beach. In between, Butterfly Grove where the Monarch butterflies stop on their migration.

Azure waters, north part of Pismo

At a small walking park (Dinosaur Caves park)

One place I could have stayed for much longer

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Part 3 - Classic California

Coastal Highway 1

Santa Barbara - Ventura - Malibu

Leaving Pismo

Already signs of the Riviera. The license plate on this Rolls-Royce reads "DSHSOAP"

Openness of the highway scenery

The open pacific, the Channel Islands in the distance. Spectacular driving.

Santa Barbara was unplanned. I stayed the night, deciding to not risk a long night drive to L.A. in the event of traffic.

An idyllic city with idyllic parking facilities.

Hot Rod convertible limo

Houses here are generally attractive

Hendry's Beach for the sunset

Seaside dining and drinking. Locals crowd the beaches at sunset.

This furry beach goer was attracting attention

After sunset, view of another fine parking lot

La Quinta, Santa Barbara. The modernist style seems fitting, though not as inviting as the one in Paso Robles.

Local architecture

On State Street, where one would go to get Turkish Delight

Vibrant restaurant scene

I stopped here for the clam strips. 

Art gallery - the upper is Hendry's Beach and the lower painting is reminiscent of the highway views.

More of La Quinta

Surrounding the hotel....

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2021

Morning drive up in the hills surrounding Santa Barbara. The hills are full of dense, beautiful residential areas.

Hillside landscaping

Below: view of Santa Barbara from Franceschi Park. Channel Islands in the distance.

Sometimes the travel lanes are terraced because of the steep slopes

Continuing on toward Ventura

Town of Ventura, archaeological museum (closed today)

Mission San Buenaventura

Mission bell sounding

California car culture

The 101 cuts inland a little, saving some time getting to Malibu

Approaching Malibu Canyon and the Santa Monica hills

Malibu Canyon. Difficult to stop here because of the steady stream of traffic making it hard to merge back in.

Malibu Beach

Organic beverage offerings at Malibu Pier

The pier building has two levels with shops and dining.

View from the deck, enjoyed a sangria chatting with another non-local

Walk along the beach, is what this New Englander does when in CA in Feburary

This hoists a staircase down to the water level for boats.

In one of the pier shops

A Mercedes might be low status in some of these parts

Where the canyon creek enters Malibu Beach

The Riviera

The Malibu Beach road is shoehorned between the beach and the hills. Much traffic.

Epilog

Los Angeles

South on 101 toward Santa Monica, buildings glowing in the sun

An interesting, curved pedestrian overpass. Infrastructure as art form.

Turning left for L.A. The Santa Monica pier to the right (not visible in photo), seemed to be crowded with oceans of people.

This car is a Lotus, extremely posh

Just these light colored buildings

Classic L.A. traffic on the 405

Manchester Drive heading to SoFi stadium, where the super bowl will be held Feb. 13.

The Super Bowl stadium had tight security, so no one could get in for a closer look

The End - Venice Beach

I fly out the following morning

Pulled in just after sunset

The beach seems to go on for infinity

Empty beach - everyone is packing the restaurants

Inn-n-out Burger, a California institution famous for not advertising. Near the airport on my way to return the rental car.

Incoming flight to LAX airport, from the 7-11

Residences near the airport hotel

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End of Post - Feb 7 - flew back east