On a sunny California
morning, we left Oakhurst for our next stop in Gilroy.
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| preparing to leave Oakhurst Elks campground |
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| route 41 southbound |
Alpine took us along
route 41 south, through winding twisty sections most of the way. The only way
to get through the never-ending velvety hilly mounds in this region is to drive
through and around them. Roads are narrow and twisty. And the scenery is
pretty. Quite dry at this time of year, but still pretty.
We turned west on to route 145 to Madera, a sizeable town. Then merged on to route 99 at a bit of a challenging intersection, traveling north on 99 until the route 152 turnoff to Los Banos.
Here we crossed the flat
valley, all gold and beige and very dry. We passed ranches with coal black
cattle. I felt sorry for them, wondering what they could possibly find in the
dry grass that is tasty.
The San Joaquin River
flows down the valley, and must be harnessed to support the orchards and the
almond trees in the region. The trees were now dormant, having completed their
growing cycle, and the leaves looked dry and spent. Several fields were newly
plowed, the soil a dark rich brown. We passed two large cotton fields, a
surprise to see the white cotton balls on the plants here. I associate cotton
fields with the south.
Once we crossed I-5, we
started to climb towards the Diablo Range. Once again the topography changed to the
velvety, gold colored hilly mounds, many with oak trees covering them. We
passed by the KOA where back in 2013 we stopped for the night on a merciless 104F day, glad
to be off the road, seeking the largest tree in the campground to park under in
our previous Rialta RV. We bought ice-creams at the office store then, and couldn’t
eat them fast enough before they started to melt in the heat.
Thankfully it was not as
hot today. I wonder how folks can live here, especially during the brutal summers.
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| starting the climb at the San Luis Reservoir Recreational area |
By late afternoon we
drove up the very steep hill to find a spot at the Gilroy Elks. The Elks Lodge
is perched high on a hilltop, overlooking a golf course. It’s pretty and the
few sites here are fairly level. We will hang out here for a few days.
We
will explore the town of Gilroy, which is the garlic capital of the world.
About 11 miles from our turnoff into the town, we drove through the heady aroma
of garlic and laughed. It is that potent!
The other item on the to-do list is to figure out our jack issue. After the unsuccessful leveling episode in Mariposa, and the creaks and straining that ensued,
something stopped functioning as it should and needs attention.
Well, that is life on the
road in a house that gets shaken up like an earthquake as you drive from one destination to the next, particularly on some of
the California roads in their current condition. Or if you park your home on wheels in places that are not level and it creates issues with the leveling jacks.Life on the road continues to be an adventure.