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Jamestown - Emporium
looks different in day timeFriday 4 June
from (South) Lake Tahoe - the quintessential northern California retreat for the weekend - almost the same as going to Vegas from LA - but for San Fran people - 2 hrs away they tell me to drive it to Sacramento to drop car off before noon.
Last night was of course in Jamestown - and I must admit it looked rather dull in the bright morning light - prefer the night lights in so many ways and Azzo's looked really dull closed up this morning while last night it had atmosphere. I did not mention that Azzo the owner has become a collector of Bay Area and other rock memorabilia - the relatively small hand bills of the time advertising the Airplane, the Dead, Big Brother etc are now worth quite a lot of money. I assumed it was likely his red Porsche Carrera parked out the front - and when he started it up last night and left the lumpy flat six running to warm over - what should be playing on the stereo but the Stones of course - from Exile on Main St I think - what a retro dude!
Anyway from
there not far, 3 miles or so, to Sonora - and man I was glad I pulled up short at Jamestown! - the heavy traffic thru the main street there is non-stop, whereas in Jamestown Main Street is actually off the highway and not a thru way. I decided to have a Mexican lunch there at Il Jardin so in a nice quiet garden on the side - although they had booths inside, but it was nicer out - and its fairly warm inland here. Not really much else to detail you in Sonora in my view - maybe at night, like Jamestown, it might have been interesting, but the non-stop traffic was a real mood killer!
On from there a short way to Columbia State Historical Park - which has little pretence to other than recreated historical reality of a gold rush era town so rather hokey. $8 for a ride on the 4 horse stage coach?? on from there after a short stop to get onot state highway 4 which crosses the Sierra Nevada which was quite a drive. Most of it is over 7000 feet and the highest point is at Ebbetts pass at 8732 ft.
the red house
in Sonora - with a name + PhD on the gate Naturally plenty of ice around, though cleared off the road by snow ploughs earlier the melt does run across the road in water streams in a number of places. I had hoped to go over the Tioga Rd thru the middle of Yosemite but that tops out at the Tioga Pass at 9945 ft so it is till closed! Anyway as you will see from the snaps at Bear Valley half way there are large carved wooden bears, and geese grazing amongst the snow - cross country ski-ing there I gather. The road was fairly twisty and narrow coming down but fortunately little traffic. Then a run on to Lake Tahoe where I had decided to spend the night, and then drive back to Sacramento for car drop tomorrow. There are many many motels lining H'way 50 - I had a coupon for a Days Inn at $42 - but all their singles at that price had gone and they wanted $99! - went 2 doors along and a nice Indian man whose sign said: vacancy - free wifi - free donuts (got me on at least 2 of them!) - and was only $45 for 2 double beds and
bumper to bumper
in Sonora main street a desk to put the lappie on to write this - very civilised.
Once settled I drove along towards the Nevada border and must have crossed it - was looking for a sign - but all the Harrahs Casino action etc probably indicated I was in Nevada. regardless I stopped near the lake at Zephyr Point - and got a stunning collection of sunset shots - I took about 40 in about 15 mins as it just kept changing - see some attached. Then dinner - found Ski Run Boulevard and the Italian place noted in the 5 yr old Rough Guide as "well respected" - Scusa! Well I would have to say it was. Really difficult call against Azzo's as the food I ate at both was completely different. For entree, grilled radicchio (never had that like that) wrapped in prosciutto, balsamic dressing and crumbled gorgonzola - needed the supplied steak knife to cut up the radicchio. The seared scallops, with some artichokes, black olives and tomato and some asparagus spears on a bed of slightly creamy sauce linguine - they did not mention the pasta but I went light on the carbs. They had tiramisu but decided
muscle car poster
usually done on tin plate - Sonora not to chance my arm again! Decided not to have any coffee either - sensible boy, after last night! - I need to get up to drive tomorrow morning and be out of here by 9am.
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Huddo
non-member comment
bears, and sunsets.
Hi Mike, What a trip you are having. Love all the photo's again, including the "Duke" John Wayne, to those not in the know! $45 for accom very reasonable there, the sunset description in the blog, was modest! compared to photo's. Number 5 with jet trail, reminded me of that movie about those young guys building rockets, then onto NASA (title escapes me) Keep up those "Muscle Car shots!" Love Huddo and girls.