Traveling full time is not all fun and games as we found out in Cloverdale, CA as we were headed north to see the California Redwoods. Drove into an old park, around a corner and trying to dodge a truck, drove too close to a tree and took out 3 bays. Not a good day. Long story short, we ended up going back to Sacramento for two weeks while a company fabricated the bay doors. Then to a hotel for two weeks while they installed the doors, did some fiberglass work and painted the coach. It now looks great. Oh – forgot to mention that before we left the park, someone else hit the same tree!! Time to take that tree down.
During the month of waiting, we continued to venture to various areas. While parked in a great ROD park in Pollock Pines, CA, we drove to Coloma, where James Marshall discovered gold in 1848. There is a very interesting Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Park and that day there were many character actors showing 4th graders how to make rope (which we did), blacksmithing, and panning for gold. On other days there are other events open. It is another opportunity for 4th graders to learn about California history. Next on to Placerville which is another interesting town. Walked a good part of the town, stopping at one of the best old hardware stores we have ever seen, in fact it is the oldest hardware store west of the Mississippi. From there drove on to see the area and ended up at Jack Russell Brewery. A guy, years ago, wanted to make beer and found this place and bought it. He named the beer after his two dogs, Jack Russell. The beer is only sold in the California area and was pretty good for a microbrew.
Can’t be this close without driving to and around Lake Tahoe, so we did and what a beautiful area this is. Forgot how cold it could be at 8000 feet – brrrr. But before heading back, we drove on to Carson City, Nevada’s Historic Capital and walked the tour of 24 historic houses, stopping to also see Jack’s bar which was built in 1859. Next stop was Virginia City driving through Silver City, an old mining town with shacks and mining equipment all over the side of a hill. It looks like the town is abandon, but people were actually living in some of those shacks. Virginia City is America’s largest historical landmark and very interesting. The buildings are old and you do feel like you are stepping back in time, especially in the many bars. One interesting bar is Bucket of Blood where there are pictures on the bar back and Victorian pickle castors on the shelves. The Victorian pickle castors is a fancy table pieces used by privileged class Victorians back in 1880s, mainly made in America with few made in Canada. It was considered an American Victorian tradition and was used prior to refrigeration to serve all type of pickled vegetables and meat. Further down the strip was Mark Twain Saloon/Casino with a glass case that contained “the face on the bar room floor” and it was a section of a floor with a face on it. Pictures were very hard to get. Another bar contained the “suicide table” named because three owners of the table committed suicide due to the heavy losses. Most of the buildings have a history which makes the town so unique. It was a great place to stop and walk around.
While living in a hotel, we were able to spend a day in Old Sacramento with great RV friends, Jim and Joy. Folsom City was not far away and spent the day walking around the town, as well as traveling to Jackson, CA which was founded as a gold rush camp in 1848. Next we drove on to Sutter Creek, another historic town. But while we walking around, we received a very unexpected call that my sister’s husband died in his sleep. We were fortunate to also get a call that the coach was ready so we headed out to Denver to be with her, her son and family during the unbelievable sorrow time.