Over the Diablo Range

12/22/06

3 days before Xmas and it's 36 deg. F in the Valley.

Time to go surfing.

Got the car loaded and the coffee brewed and I was on the road maybe about 7:30 or so. It was pretty windy at home, so I was a little worried that it would be really windy crossing the coastal mountains, but I figured it couldn't be too bad. The stereotypical California surfer lifestyle is as far removed from the valley as, say the midwest. Well, skating and snowboarding has changed that a bit. And you actually can surf in the midwest, in a number of spots. Hell, you can surf in all 50 states! But still, leaving to go surfing from Turlock is quite a bit different than already being near the coast. The drive is quieter, more meditative. And your excitement builds a lot more slowly. It just doesn't feel like you're going surfing until you get to highway 1. The scenery is more like this:

Taking the 165 south through Hilmar and Stevinson, it's mostly fields, dairies and lone houses acres apart. Heading east on 140 the largest town you pass through is Gustine. I always like passing through this area. Parts of 140 run alongside the outer borders of Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge consists of extensive wetlands ideal for duck hunting or just bird watching. Agricultural drainage supplies much of the water for these wetlands. Kesterson made news in the early 80's as toxic buildup of selenium (as a result of that drainage) killed or deformed thousands of wild birds. Eventually drainage into the refuge was stopped. Another story about Kesterson is here.

Anticipation builds a little bit as you head out of Gustine because you can then see the hills that separates the Central and Silicon valleys. The gateway through these hills and to the coast is Pacheco Pass.
140 to 33 and Santa Nella gets you to 152 and Pacheco Pass. At the base of the Pass is the San Luis Reservoir:

The San Luis Reservoir is fed by the California Aqueduct. The California Aqueduct runs for over 400 miles from the Sacramento River Delta to southern California at Castaic Lake and San Gorgonio Pass, bringing water from north to south. When I was a kid I imagined rafting down the length of the Aqueduct like Huck Finn on the Mississippi. Water has long been at the heart of California politics. Read Cadillac Desert and see the movie Chinatown to get a sense of it. When winds blow across the Valley or from the Pass the reservoir is also a great place to windsurf. I've seen wind howling into in the Medeiros area of the SLR with loads of windsurfers taking full advantage.

The morning sun coming over the Pass lit up the hills beautifully. Watch your speed though!
Higher up on the pass it got a little foggy:

One landmark on Pacheco Pass that I remember going to when I was a kid is Casa de Fruta. It's a long standing roadside stop with a restaurant and country store. It originally started as a family fruit stand. We used to always stop to there on trips to the coast and get dried fruit. They also had a fishing pond, petting zoo, a playground and the Casa de Choo Choo. It was one of my favorite places to stop. In fact, I barely remember the actual places we were ultimately going to, but I remember begging to stop at Casa de Fruta. The one thing I don't remember seeing was the world famous cup flipper at the restaurant. Well, he probably wasn't really world famous.

Coming down off the pass, the weather cleared up again. I stayed on the 152 towards Gilroy and all the way to highway 1. Here are some pictures of the valley on the other side:

As you get closer to Gilroy, the smell of garlic becomes stronger and stronger. You get a little closer to civilization as well.

In-N-Out Burger is my favorite burger joint in California. Also, as far as fast food joints go they're one of the good guys (read Fast Food Nation). Don't know anything about the Super Save Market, but I really liked their sign. Continuing on 152 eventually brings you through Watsonville:

One of the reasons I stayed on 152 (I usually take another road after Pacheco Pass) is because I wanted to pass through Watsonville, the town I was born in. I couldn't even remember the last time I passed through here. We lived in Watsonville for a couple of years, I think, after I was born. I'll try to dig up some old photos, if possible. Watsonville is famous for its strawberries. The whole area, the Pajaro Valley, is a big agricultural region. It was nice driving through downtown. Still feels like an old California town.

These are some of the photos I snapped while driving, just to give you an idea of what my birthplace looks like (and also to plug Tino's Plumbing). Anyway, the last part of 152 is really beautiful as you leave the Pajaro Valley and cross another ridge, but it's too twisty and winding to take photos while I drive. Eventually, I got to Highway 1 and the Pacific Coast:

Next stop is Santa Cruz.