Klamath…..

…..California, at the mouth of the Klamath River,
a tiny town in the Yurok Indian Reservation, can deliver;
all of the beauty of forest and sea,
it's really a place we wanted to be.

Redwood forests come right down to the sea,
two national parks here just for you to see,
Redwoods NP, and del Norte NP, large forests of trees,
the beauty will bring you right to your knees.

Oregon tomorrow.

Top:  Photos in del Norte County
Middle: Klamath River reaches the sea in Klamath
Bottom: Mount Shasta as seen from Klamath (on a clear day)

Arcata….

….California, just north of Eureka, is the one,
Humboldt County's said and done;
excels in beauty and good cheer,
we are pleased that we stopped here.

Right on Humboldt Bay and picture perfect,
makes a look around really worth it;
so much to see, so much do,
and, of course, we report to you.

Tomorrow we may reach Oregon, or maybe not,
the rushing type of people, we are not,
but this trip has been so nice, and peaceful too,
we almost feel as though we should have invited you.

Top: Harbor Seals vist.
Bottom: Moonstone Beach

Mendocino/Fort Bragg….

…California, Part Two. Abby loves it so much, she wanted to stay,
She didn't have to ask too long, we'll stay another day;
It's not like we have to get started, and be in a big rush,
Heck, if we had wanted to do that, we'd have taken the bus!

So much here to look at, what a wonderful sight,
Everywhere you choose to look, either left or right.
From the mountains to the sea, forest to field,
Natures bounty wasn't wasted here, it got it's full yield!

Top:  Redwood forest
Middle: Cottage at Mendocino ocean front
Bottom: Lighthouse at Point Carbillo

Mendocino and Fort Bragg….

….California. Two of the most picture perfect places,
probably in the world; there is nothing more that embraces…
…the eye; to be sure, there are shorelines and redwood trees,
and glass beaches and hills come alive, and probably bees.

So much to see and so little time, oh what a rush we are in,
something here to keep on your mind, to come back to again.
The big drive thru tree is here in the county, Ol' Larry went through there on one of his rides,
he had an old Hillman Minx, it was small, there was room left over both sides.

Top:  Mendocino coast
Middle: Town of Mendocino
Bottom: Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, CA

Ukiah….

……California, is a small city, a place that’s shows good cheer,
but it got a small town feel, a comfortable place here,
Ol' Larry ended up here before in Alameda he was due,
that old boy had hitchhiked all the way from Kansas too.

There isn't a whole lot to do, that would be my guess,
but ain't that something we all want, to relieve our stress?
If you just want to hang around for a couple of days,
why not try Ukiah, the town of stress free ways?

Top:  Ukiah area from the air

Bottom: The Russian Rivers head is in Ukiah

Healdsburg…..

….California, right on the Russian River,
a nice pretty town, not a taker but a giver;
crops grow here almost year 'round,
best prices you'll find for prunes by the pound.

Ol' Larry came here on a Saturday night,
woke up on Tuesday, didn't put up a fight;
not going into details but it was a fright,
if you want more info, you'll have to write.

Don't go to Healdsburg looking for trouble,
there are times it can be found on the double;
take a fair warning and don't take a chance,
you could end up at the Hells Angel's ranch!
(I don't honestly know if it's there anymore)

Alameda….

Ol' Larry just won't shut up, the old geezer either can't or won't stop!

When I left Japan, it was one quick flight home,
A KC135 with nine passenger seats, cold to the bone,
I reported to the USS Hornet now at Alameda too,
That's where I got the extra time represented there, hey you!

Are you keeping up with all this stuff?
All anyone needs to do - is simply say enough!
But one year on the Hornet and a WestPac cruise too,
Brought me right back, you know where, don't you?

This time it was DVR-21 which was re-commissioned as VR-30,
I had to leave the Hornet the day she left for Australia, boo!
And no leave either they needed me in a hurry, still don't know why,
Anyway while there, I did get the chance to fly.

They called it Flight Crew Load Supervisor, it was a lot of work,
But I guess the extra pay made it worth it, it was a perk,
So I think if we add this up, 4 and 1 are 5, add the other 5 is ten,
So a little more then half, spent here in Alameda, that's where I've been.

Top: USS Hornet CVS12

Middle: C131F of VR-30

Bottom: What the hanger looks like now

Alameda…

….California, Naval Air Station. Ol' Larry's still talking.

There are so many memories of that place and time,
shared by some others, who are still friends of mine;
Gene and Dot, Glen, Smitty and John: Are still showing signs,
these among others after fifty years remember the times.

The whole place is deserted now, and it seems so odd,
how could this place of memories go beneath the sod?
It will never be reclaimed and returned the way it was;
it's like we just clicked our heels, and left the land of Oz.

I left the Naval Air Station in nineteen sixty-three,
went to Japan and spent two years at the NSD. (Naval Supply Depot)
And we all went our separate ways, only I would return,
but you can't erase the memories - that in your brain still burn.

Tomorrow: The return

Top: The barracks - present

Bottom: (?)Supply or some other-present

Alameda….

Ol' Larry is writing today.

…California, Naval Air Station was my home, twice,
all of my memories, almost, of the place are nice.
I could just write this entire blog about this one place,
of course, now, it has a much different face.

I first arrived in fifty-nine, first duty right out of school,
for four years I worked there in Supply, oh we were cool!
There are so many memories of this work place,
just thinking about it, starts my mind to race.

One single sailor could not have asked more,
then to serve his duty on this Pacific shore;
there were times when we worked hard, and times when we played,
that's all for now, but you will see how I stayed. (sort of)

Continued tomorrow: Larry spent about half of his Navy career, by things
that are represented on the base.

In the distance: San Francisco on the left, Yerba Buaena Island/Treasure Island on the near right

Salinas….

….California, salad bowl of the world,
rows upon rows of veggies lay curled,
ready for picking or maybe just planted;
all due for market, packed not slanted.

Eighty percent of the lettuce consumed,
once grew here in the most fertile loam,
P\picked be farm workers, most who speak Spanish,
Quick, eat it all up, go on, make it vanish.

Home of the John Steinbeck museum,
his home town here also, you can see them,
a mild climate and beautiful city,
here in "veggie valley" so pretty.

Mystry destination

Pismo Beach.....

….California, home of the famous clams and such,
a good place to stop and walk on the beach if you don't want to do much;
a right pretty place on the face of this earth,
watchin' the waves give the ocean new birth.

Ol' Larry used to come here back in '59,
hitchhiked down from Alameda, bought coffee for a dime;
when prices went way up, more than they oughta,
raised the damn price of coffee up to a quarter.

Well, the old guy, way back then, didn't have a lot to spend,
he got paid 'bout thirty-seven dollars for two weeks to the end;
so he didn't come down here as often after that,
but he sure remembers the smell of clam flat.

He still came down here once in a while,
the memory still makes him smile;
he still travels this coast in his dreams,
it's just the legacy of one of his schemes.

North to south, hitchhikes just don't unravel,
after all, he joined the Navy to travel.
he's never given up that traveling ghost,
he's doing it today, right now, as your host.

We're headed up north on state route one,
prettiest road, if ever there was one;
the ocean shore comes right to the edge,
but you have to go down some pretty steep ledge. (see photo).

Take a ride!

Tehachapi…

…still hangin' around,
I swear that hoss's feets stuck to the ground;
we can't ride the ol' critter anywhere,
I think it's time to hit the road, then we'll be all square.

We are hopin' to get goin' sometime the next day,
all the way to Seattle, if we get our way.
Roscoes got the ol' Ford ready, it'll go to the Pacific shore,
Abby says shes ready, to go off and see some more.

Take 'nother look around this place, but there is no loss,
'cept it'll be another long while before I can ride that hoss.
And the travel will be easy - with Abby to ride along,
we'll get up the coast in no time, simple as a song.

The 'photo' is a label from a seed packing company that is no longer in business.

The Tehachapi Loop

The Tehachapi Loop is a .73 miles (1.17 km) long 'spiral', or helix, on the railroad main line through Tehachapi Pass, in south central California. The loop derives its name from the circuitous route it takes, in which the track passes over itself, a design which lessens the angle of the grade. A train more than 4,000 feet (1.2 km) long (about 85 boxcars) will thus pass over itself going around the loop. In 1998 it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

A tremendous amount of goods, mostly from Asia, are in shipping containers or "piggy back" truck trailers and moved east by train, the ships are too large now to use the Panama Canal.

Just look at how many rail cars are on this train, all either containers or piggy backs.

There are about 120 trains a day that use the loop.

Tehachapi…..

Poppies and Blue Bonnets - happens every spring.


…..California! Home at last, home at last!
We was in a hurry and we drove fast!
I am so overjoyed to show Abby our home;
'course we ain't sayin' here, still got more to roam.

We hang around a coupla' days,
workin' my brain out of a haze;
showin' my Abby, oh, Meatloaf and such,
really 'sides him, well, I ain't got too much.

And we'll get Roscoe to go over the car,
kinda' surprised the old Ford got me this far.
And we'll be goin' for a good long ride,
if Meatloaf will giddyup, dadburn his ol' hide.

Tomorrow:  the Tehachapi Loop - a real engineering marvel.