Cruising on the Levy

The Sacramento River under lovely poofy clouds

I woke this morning, so excited - I remembered where I was to take Gene & Joann! The Delta, the Sacramento River. Wooo hooo, my remaining functioning brain cells downloaded the correct input to RAM!

We totally lucked out. There is hot weather coming soon, but for today the forcast, surprisingly, was overcast and drizzles, which beats dry roasting in one's skin, I can tell you. We headed out late morning for a drive along the Sacramento River to relax and view the orchards and farms on one side of the levy, and the River on the other.


We had big fat clouds all day long and the breeze was a heavenly mix of moisture and wild grasses. From time to time kept thinking, 'is that anise in the air?' Nope! The heavenly scent, floating my way was Joann's breath - my girlie-friend enjoys that salty black German licorice. Really, that stuff ought to be a perfume.

In adventure mode, we drove off the levy & down into the eensie town of Locke where we discovered probably one of California's smallest 'China Towns'. It was barely a city block in length, but there were loads of shops and even a Chinese Apothecary.

China Section of the tiny town of Locke

A little practitioner of traditional Chinese Medicine in Locke

We also drove into Courtland, where the annual Pear Festival is held. We admired the gorgeous little homes along the tiny streets.

Cute little Dentist's office/home in tiny town of Courtland

After crossing a couple of the river bridges - which are the kind that open so bridges can pass underneath - we stopped for lunch at a little cafe in the river town of Walnut Grove. There, in the sleepy little cafe, Gene and I had yummy A-1 bacon layered cheese burgers which were ace. Joann's Caesar chicken salad - not so much. As Joann commented, "When in town, stick with the house specialty."  Well, amen to that!





I drove up and down searching for the tiny river ferry I once took to Riley Island in search of an owl. Now, try as I might, I couldn't find the correct road. I gave up and we left the Delta driving on Twin Cites Road where we stopped by the Consumnes Refuge to see what waterfowl are currently in residence. Most notable was a lone Snow Goose that didn't seem ill, but why didn't it fly north with its bretherin? I figured must be a hermit like me.

Parent Goose lecturing its goslings

All along Desmond Road by the refuge, there were lots of waterfowl, most notably many families of Canada Geese with their fuzzy gray goslings, some barely out of the nest, and others looking like gawky teenagers.

Last, after a drive past the Rancho Seco former nuclear plant, I decided to take Gene & Joann for some four wheeling along Michigan Bar Road. There were baby cottontails and wild California Quail along the drive in to the bridge, and even a few late season wildflowers. It is always a jiggly ride but looking back at the Consumnes River and the barn on the far shore is always worth any bumps.
 

Gene preserving the sights

Jo & Gene were tickled by the beauty of the dry expanses of oak woodlands and grasslands. There are some interesting rock outcroppings along the route I drive through there. We found a few end-of-season wildflowers.

By the time we got back to Chez Claire, we were all a little tired so we collapsed in the living room & vegged out to the holiday NCIS marathon on the telly before we all crashed for the night. Not bad for a fun day out, eh?

This morning we were all up early for breakfast and to say goodbye. Our visit, as always, ended too soon. Safe driving my San Diegan homies!