California trip, June 19

This morning, Maureen and I got started a bit earlier than yesterday, as our objective was Donner Lake and Lake Tahoe. After breakfast we loaded the car with our luggage and some gourmet food items so we would not be forced to eat every meal out. Cut-up vegetables, fruits, meats from the German deli, and flavored waters were packed, and the odor of the German salami, in particular, as the aroma pervading it was that of garlic, was irresistible. We ran into a few traffic snafus, but nothing hideously bad. Our route took us east and north, through the following locations: Fremont (the California gold rush transformed the mission-based trade and agricultural outpost into a boisterous supply stop for miners); Pleasanton (which has a number of restored old buildings and houses); Danville (home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Eugene O'Neill, who lived there from 1937-1944); Walnut Creek (with its gardens and wildlife museum); Martinez (home of the John Muir National Historic Site, where the great naturalist John Muir resided with his wife and family); Benicia, which boasts the oldest Masonic temple in the state; Fairfield (home of Travis Air Force Base, which provides troop airlift to the Pacific region); Davis (home of UC Davis and the recipient of several energy conservation awards as a result of its foresight and commitment to conversation); and then Sacramento, where we actually stopped to see the Capitol and its attendant gardens, as well as the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. We did not enter the Capitol, but took several pictures of its impressive facade and its gardens. Before going to the Cathedral, we had lunch at a cafe called La Bou, diagonally across from the Capitol. Both of us had sandwiches with slow-roasted pork, cilantro, cucumbers, and shredded and pickled carrots, and raspberry Italian sodas to drink. After that we were off to the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, which was just up the pedestrian way from the cafe. Built in the Italian Renaissance style in 1886, it was the largest Roman Catholic Church west of the Mississippi River until 1966. The cathedral's 218 ft. bell tower and stained glass windows were particularly noteworthy. Leaving Sacramento, we were on Hwy. 80 all the way to Donner Lake. As we traveled, we started gaining elevation. We passed the towns of Auburn, Grass Valley, Placerville, and Soda Springs, all of which played a prominent role in the California Gold Rush. Finally, we saw signs for Donner Pass Road and Truckee, as well as a sign indicating access to the Pacific Crest Trail (Ann Stevens, we saluted you and your soon-to-be completion of that 2,600 trail by September 7!!!). Truckee, named for Washoe Indian chief Trokay, was at one time a lawless lumber and railroad town, and some of that Old West charm still survives in restored 19th c. buildings and a train that runs through the middle of town. Donner Memorial State Park is 2 miles west on Donner Pass Road, which leads to our resort named Donner Lake Village. The park is near the site where the ill-fated Donner party was stranded trying to cross the Sierra Nevada mountains during the severe winter of 1846-1847. As members of the 89-person party died, some of those remaining resorted to cannibalism. Only 47 were rescued. We have a wonderful room with kitchenette looking out on Donner Lake, where boats are moored and the Canada geese come right up to the sliding patio door to do their foraging. We had dinner in our room, then drove down the Donner Pass Road and to Truckee to look around, and finally drove back in the mellow light of early evening, which is my particular favorite time of day. Maureen is working on tomorrow's itinerary while I blog. A great, flawless day, and Maureen's driving and my reading of interesting tidbits concerning everything we are seeing is working well. Tomorrow, we are off to Lake Tahoe. And now goodnight!