I took a drive this afternoon

[Mike D.]

Needing a replenishment of the firewood supply gave me a reason to head on down to the home ranch after chemo this morning. It was a nice fall day with temps in the high 50s and a nearly cloudless sky. I should've taken a rifle but since my mission was to load some wood and get it home and stacked before dark no guns were taken along. The stacks in the old packing house are all white oak from trees removed from the levees around the property. After nearly 100 yrs the packing house was closed several years ago. This building is the "new" one that replaced old wood structure that burned in the '70s. It is plain too costly to pack fruit these days and the co-op that we belong to does it for us.

Looking back at the grade for the old RR spur that served the packing and ice house for over 50 yrs. Steam locos would come down load the cars with ice and fruit and travel back to the branch line to continue north or south. The Southern Pacific built the branch in 1910-11 to serve the fruit growing and packing industry in the Sacramento Delta region. They ceased all operations in 1978 and the tracks and bridges were removed during the following years. The facility could handle a 10 car train.

Someone put up some new target stands at the range on the levee. I suspect members of the SO, but no one ran it by me. Lots of friends and neighbors shoot there and I had groused about the stands being shot up. Maybe next week I can take advantage of it.

Now that the vineyard is naked of leaves and fruit it makes a nice picture. I took this from the levee and turned around to take a pic of the water on the other side. This is where Lost Slough makes a turn and heads for the world famous Delta Meadows. There are literally hundreds of miles of sloughs and rivers that make for very scenic boating, and skiing where the speed limit allows. Our slough, Lost Slough, was built by my wife's great grandfather at the turn of the 20th Century to provide steamboat passage to the landing where fruit and grain was loaded aboard. Too many blackberry vines and trees make the water difficult to access, except at cleared spots.

[Chris83716]

Looks like a beautiful place to spend an afternoon or two.

Chris

[kimwcook]

Looks like a beautiful place to spend an afternoon or two.

Chris

I agree.

[earlmck]

What a nice place for an afternoon drive, Mike. Couple different times back in the 60's I was stationed at Treasure Island and would go over to Yuba City on week-ends to knock around with cousins. So that looks kinda' familiar.

Who is cutting up that nice wood so you can just pull into the shed and load it up?

[Griff]

Needing a replenishment of the firewood supply gave me a reason to head on down to the home ranch after chemo this morning. It was a nice fall day with temps in the high 50s and a nearly cloudless sky. I should've taken a rifle but since my mission was to load some wood and get it home and stacked before dark no guns were taken along. The stacks in the old packing house are all white oak from trees removed from the levees around the property. After nearly 100 yrs the packing house was closed several years ago. This building is the "new" one that replaced old wood structure that burned in the '70s. It is plain too costly to pack fruit these days and the co-op that we belong to does it for us.


Looking back at the grade for the old RR spur that served the packing and ice house for over 50 yrs. Steam locos would come down load the cars with ice and fruit and travel back to the branch line to continue north or south. The Southern Pacific built the branch in 1910-11 to serve the fruit growing and packing industry in the Sacramento Delta region. They ceased all operations in 1978 and the tracks and bridges were removed during the following years. The facility could handle a 10 car train.


Someone put up some new target stands at the range on the levee. I suspect members of the SO, but no one ran it by me. Lots of friends and neighbors shoot there and I had groused about the stands being shot up. Maybe next week I can take advantage of it.


Now that the vineyard is naked of leaves and fruit it makes a nice picture. I took this from the levee and turned around to take a pic of the water on the other side. This is where Lost Slough makes a turn and heads for the world famous Delta Meadows. There are literally hundreds of miles of sloughs and rivers that make for very scenic boating, and skiing where the speed limit allows. Our slough, Lost Slough, was built by my wife's great grandfather at the turn of the 20th Century to provide steamboat passage to the landing where fruit and grain was loaded aboard. Too many blackberry vines and trees make the water difficult to access, except at cleared spots.

For those of us that don't like scrolling back & forth! Looks like a great place to spend some quality time. I just looked at the new CA regulations for trucks. It looks like I've made my last trip to CA. Not even sure that my diesel p/u can haul the horses out there ever again. Was going to go out to Sac after the first of the year to buy a "new to me" boat... looks like it'll only happen if the seller meets me in AZ or NV.

[Mike D.]

The trucking co that carries our fruit is located just down the road and they are undergoing some CA mandated changes. For the life of me I just don't understand the business killing legislation that has passed through the capitol. We all know that liberals run the show, so why are they not eradicated. Waste Connection, a long time CA corporation is bailing to Texas. All the Democrats could say was "Don't let the door bang your a** on way out." How is that positive? There are so many weak kneed pansy voters is the "Tarnished State" that we who are trying to survive in a 19th Century business are barely keeping our collective heads above water. Just the word "Republican" makes the sissies go apoplectic. It is a "verboten" word on the Coast.

[Alan Wood]

Wouldn't be quite so frustrating if they were only driving the jobs out of state. But when they leave they also start looking oversees and to Mexico. Considering leaving the United States altogether!

[Mike D.]

Wouldn't be quite so frustrating if they were only driving the jobs out of state. But when they leave they also start looking oversees and to Mexico. Considering leaving the United States altogether!

It's only gonna get worse, Alan, especially after BOBO is reelected. The Reps are so bleepin' screwed up that they will without a doubt nominate a candidate who will ensure a Dem victory. Sure BOBO is weak, but Republicans generally endorse a loser. The way I read it the Reps might hold on to the House, but thy will lose more seats in the Senate. Heartland votes can't survive the Urban "vote Dem and vote often" tactics of the union machine. If we did not have a lifetime investment in CA we would be gone in flash. Nope, the family is in it for the long run. My great great grandfather, grandfather, great grandfather-in-law, grandfather-in-law, and all the rest of our farming ancestors would be spinning in their graves if they knew what has happened to the state they emigrated to from Germany, Ireland, Scotland and Switzerland in the middle of the 19th C.

[Alan Wood]

Agreed Mike. By the way glad to see that you are in shape to make the trip!

[Bis]

Love the Pics.. N. Ca. is great. I lived in George Town (sorta near Lake Tahoe) for awhile when I was a kid. Your right about the status of Calif., its a shame. I was born and raised in Ca. for 55 years. I now have lived in Texas for the last 10 years and love it.

[Mike D.]

Agreed Mike. By the way glad to see that you are in shape to make the trip!

I feel great Alan, and it's only 20 miles.