OK, I'll admit it wasn't the smartest of moves taking a spontaneous drive yesterday from Monterey to Mountain View, but it was a chance to spend a little time with my son who had a purpose for meeting up in a place so close to Stanfordland and so far from Berkeley. He wanted to visit Kapp's Pizzeria & Grill for a school project. And I wanted to see my son.
Not surprisingly, Helga, my VW Jetta Squareback navigation mistress (the better word should be "dominatrix") insisted I take Hwy 1 to the 17, then cut over through Scott's Valley to the 85. Now, I like the 17 -- very pretty drive -- but not the most ideal during a winter rain storm. As I neared Santa Cruz, the yellow flashing warning signs began: "HEAVY SNOW ON 17 AT SUMMIT!" Huh?! I was being directed by Helga to take highway 17, what to do? What to do? I had no chains! This is a new car! And where oh where is the Summit?!
Too late to digress, I took 17, hoping "Summit" came sometime after the 85 turn-off and I wouldn't have to deal with the "heavy snow". Shortly after turning onto 17, another flashing sign shouted the same alarm. I looked across the highway at cars traveling in the opposite direction, and saw no sign of snow clinging to their vehicles.
Onward I pressed. It was raining off and on, but not too bad. Cars weren't slowing down, and continued to take the highway at maximum speed. I was nervous, piddling along, checking the outside temperature just in case it was cold enough for black ice on the road. After all, how often does a West L.A. resident get to drive in what I thought was going to be a blinding snow storm without chains? On dreaded highway 17?!?
I finally reached the Summit and there was a "dusting" of snow off to the sides. Nothing on the roadway. Gee, we had this much snow in WLA in 2007. My paranoia was the total result of False Advertising!
"Heavy Snow" in Santa Cruz Mountains?!?
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In my trek to Gilroy outlet shops today, I learned from a local that the "light dusting" is a major event, since it rarely happens, which is why it was slightly exaggerated by the sign alarms.
On Monterey:
I'm always trying to find something new to do in Monterey, since I was born here, and have been coming up once or twice a year for various conferences. So I heard that the Monterey Public Library has some of the greatest resources on historic California stuff, with a particular focus on the Central Coast, I decided to go check out their famous archive room. It's a small, closed off room on the second floor. You have to have a Monterey Public Library card to go in there. Since my husband and I have been collecting library cards from all over the State and our local UCLA as lifetime alumni (we get that perk), I decided to go in and get the library card. One of the perks to having a City or County library card is that many of our public libraries have many on-line resources. So you can download ebooks and get lots of information sitting in your house in your pyjamas! Great for agrophobics (not that I'm one).
All I can say is that the archives room is the coolest find! I was able to research the history of Fort Ord (where I was born) to see what was going on at the time of my birth. Tons of newspaper clippings, and so forth. Lots of people use the room to research Steinbeck, Cannery Row, and info on the beginnings of the California State Constitution.
In looking through the old Fort Ord clippings, I was surprised to find a clipping from 1904 involving two troops, one African American, and one White, that occurred in a "house of ill fame". Little did I know that there was once a Red Light District in Monterey (this one on Adams Street, between Franklin & Pearl). And I also didn't know that troops were separated by color. The white troops were the 4th Cavalry and 15th Infantry. The Infantrymen were showing their newly arrived comrades of the 4th about town, and were about to wind up the night by a tour of the red light district. Needless to say, at 3 in the morning and completely sauced, they went into one of the houses where 4 African American women had set up shop. There, they found about half a dozen gents from the all black 9th Cavalry. It went downhill from there.
Anyway, it was kind of fun spending the morning when it was pouring with rain outside learning a little about the darker side of Monterey History.
We tried to go up to Mount Hamilton today - road was closed due to snow
I figured that since it hadn't snowed up there since yesterday or some time last night, that they would have plowed it by this afternoon. Nope - not sure if we even have that type of equipment in our county. Oh well, we had a nice drive.
SG: Thanks for the entertaining report!! I could see snow this morning to west of us on Mt. Diablo and towards Berryessa. Library info is great too!
Sorry I will miss you next month!!
MY
You too, MY. Next year, perhaps?!
NM -- I'm going to have to google Mountain Hamilton, don't know where it is!
I'm thinking of heading back up to Santa Cruz tomorrow morning before we head back to L.A. just to go to the Bookshop in Santa Cruz on Pacific (the greatest bookshop in town!) with the hope that they still have the What would Atticus Do? bumper sticker.
Mountain View & Joe Kapp: Ask any football crazy Cal student or alum about Joe Kapp, and their eyes will glaze over, and you'll get this crazy cock-eyed smile across their face. And out of their lips will spurt an uncontrollable utterance: "THE BIG GAME!"
It's one of those things you can go to Youtube and type in: Big Game and get the whole picture. Joe Kapp, first time coach at his alma mater, Cal Berkeley vs. Stanford in one of the most stunning pull outs in the last 8 seconds. Joe Starkey, the sportscaster for the game, went berserk!
So Joe Kapp, of course, is a really big deal for true Cal sports fans, and Kapp's Pizzaria & Grill that was started up by Joe Kapp is the real deal. Lots of cool sports memorabilia, especially Cal stuff, and in particular, a Stanford Ax and photos and other cool things commemorating the 1982 Big Game.
The bar is great -- such good vibes there, and the pizza is pretty darned good as well. Which is why my son spent an hour or so on BART heading south, and me 1 1/2 hours heading north to meet up in the town of Mountain View.
I want to give props to Mountain View, that has a brilliant, laid back vibe; a very nice main street (Castro), free parking (where can you get that anymore!), and if you like a good amphitheatre venue, Shoreline can't be beat. It's where Neil and Pegi Young host their annual Bridge School Benefit Concert for the Bridge School, for kids with disabilities.
Mountain View & Joe Kapp: Ask any football crazy Cal student or alum about Joe Kapp, and their eyes will glaze over, and you'll get this crazy cock-eyed smile across their face. And out of their lips will spurt an uncontrollable utterance: "THE BIG GAME!"
It's one of those things you can go to Youtube and type in: Big Game and get the whole picture. Joe Kapp, first time coach at his alma mater, Cal Berkeley vs. Stanford in one of the most stunning pull outs in the last 8 seconds. Joe Starkey, the sportscaster for the game, went berserk!
So Joe Kapp, of course, is a really big deal for true Cal sports fans, and Kapp's Pizzaria & Grill that was started up by Joe Kapp is the real deal. Lots of cool sports memorabilia, especially Cal stuff, and in particular, a Stanford Ax and photos and other cool things commemorating the 1982 Big Game.
The bar is great -- such good vibes there, and the pizza is pretty darned good as well. Which is why my son spent an hour or so on BART heading south, and me 1 1/2 hours heading north to meet up in the town of Mountain View.
I want to give props to Mountain View, that has a brilliant, laid back vibe; a very nice main street (Castro), free parking (where can you get that anymore!), and if you like a good amphitheatre venue, Shoreline can't be beat. It's where Neil and Pegi Young host their annual Bridge School Benefit Concert for the Bridge School, for kids with disabilities.
Mt Hamilton is east of San Jose - home of Lick Observatory. I've lived in SJ since 1995 and never actually been up there, so we decided to go since the snow looked so pretty from down below. Have to try again another time.
Mt Hamilton is east of San Jose - home of Lick Observatory. I've lived in SJ since 1995 and never actually been up there, so we decided to go since the snow looked so pretty from down below. Have to try again another time.
NM: The road to Mt. Hamilton continues east and meets up with Del Puerto Canyon Road. This continues over to I-5 and Patterson. I have always wanted to explore this with DH in the spring when the poppies are blooming. Perhaps this year?
MY
Poppy-covered hillsides are one of my favorite things. I declare this The Year of Mount Hamilton!!!