California's Best Trips 2 - Full PDF eBook

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PACIFIC
OCEAN

Pinnacles
National
Monument

LosPadres
National
Forest

SilverPeak
Wilderness

Sutter
Creek

Cayucos

SanLuis
Obispo

Los
Banos
Gilroy

Placerville

Auburn

Livingston

Manteca

Salinas

Modesto

Stockton

San
Andreas

Sacramento

Lodi

Turlock

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1 Sacramento
Taste the goods of
the valley first at the
sprawling Sacramento
Central Farmers Market
(www.california-grown.com;
cnr 8th & W St, under Hwy
80 overpass; admission free;
h8am-noon Sun;^ c). In
summer, Sacramento has
a market every day of
the week, but the biggest
and best is on Sunday
mornings year-round.
It’s held conveniently
near the on-ramp to
Hwy 99, under the
elevated freeway at 8th
and W St. Throughout
summer it sells many of
the 300-odd crops from
the valley, a colorful riot
of fruits and veggies
that left the vine hours

earlier: corn, stone fruit,
strawberries and leafy
greens. With a trunk full
of vitals, start the voyage
south, creeping out of the
oft-jammed lanes of Elk
Grove’s suburban sprawl
and into the sprawling
valley. Soon, the air takes
on the inimitable smell
of the region, a mix of
sweet pollen and pungent
cattle.

4 p267
The Drive » As you leave
Sacramento and head south
on Hwy 99 the clogged traffic
of the suburbs slowly give way
to agricultural fields and large
vineyards. If traffic is moving,
you will arrive at Lodi in 45
minutes.

Highway


99 Through


Central Valley


With.the.AC.off.and.the.windows.down,.the.rush.of.


heat.through.the.open.window.smells.of.tilled.earth,.


pollen.and,.somehow,.even.sunshine..Once.known.as.


‘California’s.Main.Street,’.the.byway.between.Sacramento.


and.Bakersfield.reveals.a.part.of.California.that.few.slow.


down.to.enjoy.–.birthplace.of.a.raucous.brand.of.country.


music.and.two-stoplight.farm.towns.that.fade.under.


300-plus.annual.days.of.squint-bright.sunshine.


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