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Traveling Morgans, Phyllis with Harpo, Larry with Roscoe

TravelingMorgans.Com

We Lived our Dream -- 15 Years on the Road
Visiting scenic wonders & sharing them with you.
We want you to follow your own dream while you can.

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This page last updated : Mon Jun 11, 2012.

California State Parks

Original site for Sutter's Mill on the American River.

Marshall Gold Discovery State Park has original buildings from the time gold was first discovered in California in 1849 near Sutter's Mill. There are several buildings of the period maintained or reconstructed. The Mill was rebuilt near the original site, but away from the river.

Bridgeport Covered Bridge, Bridgeport, CA

Dating from 1862 and including the longest clear span of any covered bridge in the world the Bridgeport Covered Bridge in South Yuba River State Park, was reported by Wikipedia to have been closed to pedestrian traffic in 2011 after our visit.

First Engine for Central Pacific, California Railroad Museum, Sacramento CA

Unusual Cab Forward Steam Engine California Railroad Museum, Sacramento CA

First engine for the Transcontinental Central Pacific and unusual Cab Forward Steam Engine at the California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento CA. The cab forward design was due to the long tunnels and snow sheds of the Sierra Nevada range.

The largest state park to feature the glories of the desert. Anza-Borrego at Borrego Springs CA has a lot of quality ways to spend a winter.

California National Parks

Sequoia - King's Canyon National Parks known for the largest trees on earth and the High Sierra.

In mid April, the snow was covering the King's Canyon visitors center.

Sequoia - King's Canyon National Parks are also known for a lot of snow.
This was the middle of April and the visitor center is covered.

Merced River, El Capitan & Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite NP, CA

Yosemite is a treat for the eyes and has the highest waterfall in the USA.

Joshua Tree National Park is not well known, but well worth exploring. The San Andreas Fault is shown below on the edge of the park.

California

The most populous state in the union also has a large land area, so most of the state is not overcrowded.

California has a mixture of oceans, deserts, mountains and valleys.

In many ways, California is a land of extremes.

The highest (Mt Whitney in Sequoia National Park) and lowest (Badwater in Death Valley National Park) points in the 48 contiguous states are both are in California and only 85 miles apart!

Driving rural California is a unique experience with the high mountain passes and winding mountain roads

You Bet Road near Grass Valley California is an example. The former wagon road is paved, but it is never either straight or level. The 12 miles of this road has one straight stretch of two hundred yards at the beginning of the road. After that the only time your wheels will point straight ahead is when you go from a left hand turn to a right hand turn or vice-versa. The only time your vehicle is level is when you are at the top of a grade and starting down or you have gone down an hill and are beginning up the next one. This is the only way to get to town, and you don't dare get in a hurry.

The beauty of the California mountains, coasts, and deserts is the saving grace.

Other Interesting California Sites

From the Donnor Pass Summit, you can see many generations of Transportation History. Donnor Lake is a natural lake.
On the far (east) shore, the Donnor Party spent the horrid winter of 1846-7.
Few survived.
The road in the foreground is the original route of US 40 from the 1920's.
The original 1840 wagon road is to the right and closer.
On the far right is the Central Pacific Transcontinental railroad from post civil war years.
The picture below is a closeup of one of a snow shed/tunnel.
To the left of the lake is modern Interstate 80.

Most winters in the Sierra Nevada have heavy snowfall that melts late.
This picture was taken in July and the snow is still visible.
The structure is a snowshed to keep snow off the tracks.
Snow sheds are most common where tracks go through a tunnel.

Exploring the back roads of the California Mountains can be rewarding.
We saw the Middle Fork of the American River from Yankee Jim Road (gravel).
I did not have a chance to get a good picture of the neat old one lane bridge over the river.

Southern California is known for its beaches.
We were interested in one that welcomed the whole family:
The Original Dog Beach at San Diego.

North Tahoe Vista looking into CA.
Lake Tahoe is noted for its beautiful clear blue waters.
All boats must be inspected and approved before launch.
The beauty of the area is indescribable.

Peninsula Family Camping Resort on Rollins Lake and Wildlife we observed there.

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