APPROACHING THE SACRAMENTO METRO AREA

When I turned on the radio this morning, I heard a familiar voice: Donna Apidone, the host of Morning Edition on Capital Public Radio, the Sacramento metro area NPR station. Good morning, again, Donna!

Before we moved out of West Sacramento when we began fulltiming, my weekdays began every morning at 5 am, listening to Donna announce the local news. Hearing her voice again means we're back - to family, friends, the dentist, the doctor, and all the well-known shops and restaurants. Toss the maps - we don't need 'em now.

In the six years we have been traveling, we've returned to Sacramento twice a year (except 2008, when medical issues intervened), in spring and in November. To me, the springtime visit marks the end of our winter travels; the November visit marks the end of summer's travels. Parked here at the Lodi Elks Lodge (click here to read our review and see additional photos) for a few nights, our winter travels are winding down.

A couple of weeks ago, we were in the arid and relatively barren southwestern desert - now we are surrounded by green fields, blooming orchards, and budding vineyards. April is a beautiful time in central California, and our drives during these last couple weeks of travel have been eye-poppers.

Above: Hiking in Fremont Peak State Park	Above: Blooming roadside orchard
Below: Farm along Interstate 5	Below: Traffic thickens near Stockton

Tomorrow we'll move another 60 miles or so to our "home" lodge, the Placerville Elks (click here to read our review) in Shingle Springs, about 5 miles from my parents house. Next Monday, we'll move into the heart of Sacramento for a month-long stay at Cal Expo RV Park (click here to read our review) - not a favorite spot, but convenient to the places we like and need to visit. Rest, relax, re-group, visit, play, catch up with maintenance (mostly on ourselves) - and plan our summer!

PASO ROBLES TO SALINAS - AND A VISIT TO MONTEREY

Because our travel day was Friday, and we knew the roads would be clogged with visitors to the wine country and the beaches, we were up and on the road early for our drive from Paso Robles to Salinas. Another beautiful day for driving.

Our route wound through some of California's premier agricultural areas, with a quilt of crops spread around us. Lettuces of many colors, broccoli and strawberries, with patches of wildflowers addiing color on the grassy green hillsides.

We were in place at the Salinas Elks Lodge (read our review and see more photos here), backed up to a golf course, by early afternoon. Unlike our travels in the southwest, by the end of this short travel day, Scoopy's huge windshield was smeared with the bright yellow innards of countless squashed bugs. Odel did a major cleanup before he snapped our solar screens in place.

Then we were off to Old Town Salinas to visit the National Steinbeck Center for all things John Steinbeck, a native. Naturally, the largest exhibit area was devoted to an examination of Steinbeck's life and writing, but I found myself more interested in the exhibit describing the history of agriculture in the area - especially the packaging that enabled transport of local produce further and further afield. When we stopped to buy packaged "Herb Salad Mix" for dinner at Safeway, it occured to me that it was probably picked within 50 miles of our current RV site.

We had picked the Salinas Elks Lodge because of its proximity to the coast and Monterey, and we were up early this morning to drive the 16 miles to Monterey before the road was too crowded. We had a long walk on the "coastal trail", a paved walking/biking trail that runs from downtown Monterey, past the Monterey Wharf and on to Cannery Row (and beyond) before it was too jammed - but even early in the day we mingled with joggers, bikers, parents pushing strollers, dog walkers...

Parking lots were filled with bodies wiggling into wet suits, and kayakers unloading their watercraft. The sunshine was dazzling, and the color and movement fascinating, the views spectacular.

When we got back to the car, we headed farther south, to Pacific Grove and a seafood restaurant we had tried to visit (it was closed) many years ago. This time, it was open and not too crowded, so we stopped in for lunch. I had a delicious seafood quesadilla (shrimp, crab and scallops) and a glass of wine; Odel had Shrimp Fettucini Alfredo - good, but accompanied by garlic bread that was so stale it seemed leftover from last night. Not really worth driving out of our way to eat there, but we took another beautiful walk afterwards that made up for his mediocre lunch.

By the time we got back home, we'd walked at least five miles. I settled down on the bed for a little reading which, thanks to my lunchtime wine, turned into a little napping, instead. What can I say? I'm a lightweight!

PASO ROBLES: A WINE COUNTRY TOUR

It was a very short drive from Oceano to Paso Robles yesterday - in spite of a road detour that abandoned us after diverting Scoopy from our planned route, and a missed turn on the way to Kit and Nancy's (my fault). I took this photo of Scoopy in their driveway just as the sun was setting, after a two-bottle happy hour (followed by a delicious meal accompanied by more vino).

Paso Robles is the center of a grape growing, wine producing universe - vineyards in every direction with huge, beautiful wineries and their tasting rooms on every hillside. Kit and Nancy know most of the wineries, and like to visit 'em - and we were willing passengers for their guided tour.

It was the kind of day that makes a fulltimer think, "Hmmmm. If we ever decide to settle down, this might be a good spot." Warm-but-not-hot sunshine, a tiny breeze, new green grasses and leaves everywhere, and the occasional whiff of blooming jasmine. As Nancy reminded me, though, everyplace looks great in spring and fall!

We stopped at several wineries, tasting here and there - but often simply admiring the architecture or the gardens, the caves or the sculptures.

Kit was the designated driver, and Nancy had packed a picnic of cheese, fruit, smoked oysters, salami, crackers - and chocolate truffles for dessert. For Odel and me, it was really delightful to simply climb in the car, ride along, get out and have a few tastes of vino, climb back in, get out at a picnic table, eat the scrumptous lunch packed for us, take off again... it was like being a kid, except we got to drink wine!

We ended our afternoon in downtown Paso Robles, around the square. The men went off to a park bench to practice being seniors; Nancy and I browsed in and out of shops, and walked several of the blocks while she filled me in on the history - including the 2003 earthquake that caused considerable damage here.

We all met up for dinner - melt-in-your-mouth BBQ ribs and sweet potato fries, mostly - as the sun was sinking behind the huge old oaks in the square. Pleasant music was playing, the food was delicious, the service perfect, the companions mellow and contented - a day to be savored.

Bottom Photo: Northern Magnolia