Road Trippin’

with Steve McCarthy

I’m saddened, a little bit pissed off, and glowing with the knowledge that Karma does indeed get the evil doers in the end. This is not how I envisioned this month’s column’s start. I was going to wax nostalgic about a great burger joint, only to find out it’s gone. That’s what makes me sad. It was called the “Top Hat” and had sat on a corner in Ventura near the mission for decades. One of the last real burger joints. A crumby, run done shack that catered to both the homeless and the well off. A must stop at place when Main St. was Highway 101 that made really great burgers. 

I’m pissed off because of the way the way this gem of Americana met it’s end. Good old Gordon Gecko Greed, coupled with what stinks to high heavens as Civic Malfeasance. Yasee, there is this developer. he owned the lot that was mostly for parking, but the corner of which was occupied by the Top Hat. He, in the long standing tradition of Johnny Rocco from Key Largo, wanted “More.” He wanted to “develop” the lot into something more lucrative. Some kind of trendy loft condo thing. He was gonna tear down the little stand and the city was OK with this, seeing a way to dip into the community redevelopment agency funds to the benefit of all. All meaning the developer and the council. 

The community was outraged and people mounted a campaign to save the Top Hat. Last I had heard, they were successful. Huzzah. Not so fast. In maneuvers made in the stereotypical smoke filled back rooms of government (this was related to me by several people in Ventura), the health department got involved and shut down a burger joint that had been serving good food for decades with nobody getting ill. Hmmmm. Something smells foul alright and it ain’t tainted burgers. 

That was a couple of years ago. The stand was shut up and the lot dug up and fenced off. Here’s the capper. In digging up the lot for the condos, they found NATIVE AMERICAN REMAINS!!!! HEEHEEHEE! Yep, seems they stumbled upon some kind of burial ground and we all know how touchy people are about those! The project is shut down for the foreseeable future and Mr. Developer is eating his investment. See, Karma WILL get you if you don’t watch out. 

So, despite this tale of civic woe, I still want to recommend Ventura as a neat place to visit. We in LA usually think of the town as San Bypass Ventura, the place with the railroad bridge over the freeway on the way to much nicer Santa Barbara. Before the freeway zipped you through town, it was the place you cursed as you logged though the traffic on Main, limping through a town that had little to offer except congested traffic. I’ll tell ya, you’ve missed something by not stopping. 

First, obviously is the Mission. This is a nice example of one of the smaller ones and has a great tour. Second, get off 101 at Main and cruise through town. At the south (well really east) end of town are some great motels from the Grand Era of  Motels. Then, there is the Main Street Restaurant & Steakhouse. Great breakfast place favored by locals and a good place for a steak. 

When you hit Old Town, you’ve reached the heart of the city and you’ll find a mixed bag of trendy and drab. Ventura is in a state of transition. Several thrift stores catering to the homeless who aren’t upscale enough to make it to Santa Barbara sit cheek to jowl with fine dining, chi chi boutiques, and art galleries. The whole transition is stalled right now, another victim of the crappy economy, and there are a lot of empty store fronts. We even came across a bonus! The law office of Erle Stanley Gardner is at the corner of Main and Ventura. There is a plaque there honoring the creator of the most famous lawyer ever. 

Another place to try is the Busy Bee Cafe. Now I have to say, we warily tried this place on the recommendation of our dear editor here at ACE, Will Owen. Given his apparent lack of taste in the way he sometimes “edits” this column, I wasn’t too sure. Marianne had the patty melt (one of Will’s favs) and I had the bacon cheddar burger. OK, Will, you were right! The place is really good. It’s a touristy retro-diner but it has great food! 

For dinner, we found a secret place. It’s not on Main or anywhere near it. You have to go across 101 and down Seaward Blvd. This is one of those serendipity things we discovered a few weeks previously on the way back from Carpinteria. Down at the end of seaward are a few motels and about five eateries. We hit the Seaward Fish and Chips with the whole lot of us. This was proper F&C. Just greasy enough, tasty white fish, and generous portions. The six of us split two of the combos and were stuffed. About fifty bucks fed the whole fam-damily. They also have a neat hook. The place is lined with dollar bills tacked to the walls, a tradition started by a friend of the owner when he took the place over some 10 years ago. The waitress said there were about 1500 of them. Yes, we left our mark as well. Now, we have to try all the others. I’m thinking about a week in one of the motels and a different place each night. There’s a burger joint, a pizza place and a more traditional (and possibly higher class) Italian joint to choose from.

So, yeah, stop in Ventura, despite the civic skullduggery, it has a lot to offer, and it’s about a half a tank of gas away! 

Carpinteria-A Flash Back to a REAL Beachin' Town

In keeping with our New Year’s theme of more closely examining some of the neater towns along some of the routes I’ve been nattering on about over the past few years, let’s take a look at one of Marianne and my favorites: Carpinteria.

It’s just up the 101, or, take the 5 to the 126 to the 150 in Santa Paula, up to Ojai, continue on the 150 just south of Ojai, then a right on the 192 and a left on Linden. It’s a really pretty drive and one of the first I detailed. Another great way to get there is Amtrak! Yeah, take the train and relax! 

This is how beach towns are supposed to be. Although it’s growing up the hillsides, there are still lemon (wrong climate for oranges) and avocado groves galore that keep the agricultural ambience alive. Downtown Carpinteria is full of neat shops and eateries, the beach is one of the best in the world, and there are decent places to stay. You can even camp in the state park, if you are more adventurous and hardy than I am!

We used to do this when I was a lad. A couple of families in our neighborhood would trek on up, station wagons loaded with gear (no trailers for US, mind you!) and set up a couple of huge canvas tents. Then, for a glorious week, we kids would run free, the moms would sit in the sun, and the dad’s would go back to LA during the week to work, then back up on Thursday night. We’d (we’ll the moms) would cook on the Coleman stove or over the campfire, one of the dads was an accomplished classical guitar player and he’d play while we sang all the usual campfire songs. Once us kids were “asleep”, the folks would all head over to PeeWee and Irene’s Country Western Bar and Grill and whoop it up into the wee hours. 

On of the great things about Carpinteria is how little it’s changed from those halcyon days of golden youth. It’s still the world’s safest beach, you can walk a good half mile or so out into the surf before the water gets chest high, and kids can walk the town unguarded by wary adults, convinced that Danger lurks on every corner. Like all towns, some things have changed. The huge hardware store that supplied up with firewood and Coleman stove/lantern fuel is closed up, and most of the shops have become more tourist oriented. Still, the key elements are still there.

First has to be The Spot. This burger stand opened in 1950 (damn, that makes it as old as I am!), and despite a small addition of a covered patio, is the same place, serving the same burgers with just the right amount of grease to make them taste great in the salt air. the menu is more expanded, there’s fish tacos, and even some veggie associated slop to cater to modern tastes, but get the bacon cheese burger. The bacon is REAL. Thick and smokey, it adds that extra layer of taste essential to a good feed. Kids still hang out there, coy girls and blustery boys, all learning the opening moves of the American Mating Ritual. 

Our next favorite is Tony’s Italian food. They’ve been in the “new” place for decades now, but they still make a proper pizza. All the toppings you could hope for and a well done thin crust. Yeah, thick crust has become the norm these days, but there is a nostalgic blast from a nice, crunchy pizza pie. 

The best place for breakfast is the Worker Bee Cafe. This is literally a mom and pop diner. Bob’s on the grill and Janet waits the tables. She’s a bubbly motherly type and he’s a crusty old fart who will come out of the back and razz the regulars and even casual visitors as the mood hits. The waffles and pancakes are thick and tasty. 

Now there are other places to eat in town. There is an organic bakery that offers fabulous breads if a picnic up the road or on the beach strikes your fancy, there are good Mexican and Thai places as well. Enough restaurants to give you a different taste every day if you stayed a week. Discover your own favorites. 

One of our mandatory stops in town is Robetaille’s Candy Shop. This is a diabetic’s nightmare (although the DO have sugarless candies there that aren’t too bad), you could drop into a coma just waling in. They make their own fudges and peanut brittle and all manner of chocolate goodies. The really cool thing is that they stock all the favorites from your own kiddom. Yep, those wax tubes with the sugar water, chocolate rocks, sour balls, the whole gamut of unwholesome goodness. They even have a cooler that stocks real  glass bottled sodas! Yep, Coke and Pepsi, Bubble Up, Nehi (grape and orange), all the old, long gone favorites. The best thing about this place is it’s obviously giving the finger to political/gastronomic correctness. They have bubble gum cigars and candy cigarettes! I’m really surprised the Health Nazis haven’t shut them down! 

Antique shops with a wide variety and clothing boutiques round out the town, all on one street, plus a few side streets. There is a good local history museum and library and a yearly avocado festival. It seldom gets too hot and, rarely gets too cold. The dress code is flip flops and shorts and tee shirts. The pace is laid back and friendly. I’m sure, beneath this 1950s veneer, the town has the usual problems and intrigues. What place doesn’t? Who cares. Visit and linger and enjoy one of the last unspoiled little California beach towns. 

Going SLO for the New Year

Road Trippin’

with Steve McCarthy

Happy New Year! Let’s start the new year SLO. No, I didn’t say “SLOW”, I said SLO, as in San Luis Obispo. This year, I’m planning on focussing more on specific towns as destinations. Yeah, I know, Road Trips are supposed to be about the journey, not the destination, but eventually, you do arrive somewhere and having a better idea of what cool stuff is in a town that you stop in, especially if the town is worth more attention than a place to eat and a place to sleep. So, in addition to more great roads, expect more details on some great places to visit. 

Marianne and I got mid-week itchy feet a bit back (actually in November, such is the reality of deadlines and production necessities!) and it was mid-week (usually the best time for a road trip, fewer RV’s,) and we were enjoying one of our normal late fall light Santa Ana wind days. As constant readers know, we are ALWAYS up for a cruise up the coast, and that ALWAYS means 101. This time, we had an actual destination in mind, San Luis Obispo. 

For all the driving we’ve done around the Central Coast, I have to admit that SLO has always been a “drive through” or “drive around” city, which is a real shame. It’s got a great mission, wonderfully restored historic district, and great food. The surrounding area has fabulous wineries and the scenery is maybe the best in the world. What else can you want. 

On top of this, the weather turned out to be absolutely FANTASTIC! Really! WE did our usual west on the 210, through La Canada, then out the 118, getting off in Moorpark (ever notice what “Moorpark” spelled backwards is?), then the 118 to Saticoy, then the 126 to Ventura. This avoids the Dreaded Valley. We burst into Ventura to an amazing sight. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS WAS VISIBLE!!!! Not just barely discernible through the haze, but sharply, distinctly defined as if you could reach out and touch them. A few high clouds and a freeway’s worth of jet contrails (damn it gets busy up there in the less-friendly-than-they-used-to-be skies-TSA Pat downers must have been REALLY, uh, satisfied that day?) gave an added definition to the scene. Often, we’ll drive inland through some twisty roads, but that day, we wanted as much of the coast as we could get. It was just amazing.

SLO is only a couple of hundred miles away, so in about three hours and maybe half a tank of gas (depending) you’re there. So what is there? We arrived at lunch time and were ready for food. Exit the 101 at Marsh Street (signs tell you that this is the exit for the “Historic District”) and head into town. Marsh becomes a one way street away from the freeway and you can find public parking lots with meters (bummer, 2 hours for a buck and a quarter, bit tough to eat, stroll AND see the mission in only two hours, so-don’t tell anyone, it’s not really legal-re-feed the meter when you’ve done with lunch for a reset of your 2 hours) and walk over to Higuera St. This is the main drag. Lots of places to choose from SLO is a college town (Cal Poly SLO) and there are a lot of bars/restaurants that cater to this crowd. Funny, when I was in college, no one I knew could afford to hang out in places with $12 burgers and drink $10 shots. The glory of excess student loan money? Ah Well, durn whippersnappers! 

We decided on the Buffalo Pub and Grill.  One of the reasons we picked this one was as we were perusing the bill of fare outside, a couple of patrons were leaving and said, “Eat here, it’s great.” Unsolicited testimony from strangers is always a good sign. Never ignore it! Great choice! We managed to split one of their huge burgers (with apple wood smoked bacon and blue cheese) and fries, along with a pint of Guinness each and we were stuffed! 

Having fed ourselves and re-fed the meter, we walked the town. SLO has done a great job of restoring it’s old town. In many ways, its a cross between Pasadena’s Old Town and Monrovia’s. It’s a mix of small, independent businesses and, at the far end, newer chain stores (Barnes and Noble, GAP, and others of that ilk) in mostly newer buildings built to fit the old town look. 

In addition, right smack dab in the middle of it all is the Mission. San Luis Obispo’s example is one of the prettier one’s, and a lot has been spent on creating a nice park around it. it is well worth the time to poke around. 

As we were about to leave town, walking back to the car, we scored a bonus. McCarthy’s Irish Pub at Nipomo and Marsh. One of the Iron Clad Rules of Travel is to never, EVER pass up a place that has your name on it. Having walked off the pint we had with lunch, we downed one in this cozy, dark Namesake Bar that occupies a strangely incongruous Spanish Mission Style building. I’m betting it was once a Mexican eatery, but in California, we should be used to odd juxtapositions. 

Sated and relaxed, we set off back down the coast, got off in Pismo Beach to find gas, decided to take a brief jaunt along Foxen Canyon Road to the 154, over the San Marcos Pass and WOW! Smack dab into the most glorious sunset either of us can remember. I’m serious! Coming down the hill, we were treated to a panorama of Santa Barbara, the channel and the islands and a horizon that went on forever. If you looked just right, I SWEAR you could see Hawaii! 

As the sun was just starting it’s long slow daily dive into the Pacific, I knew there was one place we had to stop, and preyed that the timing would be right. Not racing, but not lollygagging about, we headed south, past the slowing of Ortega Hill and Summerland, Past Carpinteria, and dove off the freeway to the Old 101 at Seacliff. this is a great stretch of the Old Road, lined on one side by the tracks of the old SP Coast Route and on the other by beach houses jammed cheek to jowl, daring the Pacific to do it’s worst at high tide, and often paying for that dare. This was the kind of day that made that gamble worth it. 

We stopped just shy of the entrance to Emma Wood State Beach and OH MY GOD!  We spent at least an hour staring and taking 114 pictures with the little digital camera and staring and staring. There was a smattering of cars parked with us, the occupants doing the same as the poor lost dead souls up on the highway sped by, seemingly oblivious, too pre-occupied with Getting Somewhere to stop and marvel. The surf beat it’s steady beat, shore birds played tag with the waves, and one of Nature’s Daily Miracles played out a perfect coda for a perfect day. 

Wow, It's been a bit. Been busy. 

OK, it’s nearing December and time to start thinking about making a list and checking it twice. I hope you’ve not been too naughty, nor too nice! That wouldn’t be much fun now, would it? Since the election noise has finally subsided, we can finally get down to serious business: Holiday Shopping! To that end, I’ve got a few ideas for all you intrepid Road Trippers out there.

I cruised the shelves of our favorite bookstore (gosh, what might THAT be?) and came up with some gems. Tina has stocked a whole bunch of goodies but these were standouts to me. First, I’m going to indulge in some shameless self promotion. Road Trippin’ ($22.95) by me is not a bad book! It’s a compilation of a lot of these columns, all cleaned up with purty pictures and more consistent directions. In addition are some of my columns that dealt with my outlook on Road Trips. If you haven’t picked up a copy for you and several for friends, you should. Who doesn’t need the allure of the open road during the dark days of winter? I also want to thank those who have bought a copy. I really appreciate your support. It makes me feel like I’ve actually made an impression and that I’m not writing to a blank wall! So enough of ME, what else is there?

Route 66 is the obvious area of Road Trips that EVERYONE does. And it seems that everyone writes about it too. Autobooks has most of these if they are in print. There seem to be three categories of Route 66 books. The first is the all encompassing Ode to the Mother Road. these wax nostalgic about the alleged good old days and how “wonderful” travel was back then. they also ignore the fact that travel back then was downright dangerous! Two thousand plus miles of two lane highway in a car with drum brakes and nominal radiators? Seriously? It was a pretty grueling trek. Still, these are good books and give us a look (albeit rosy tinted) at an important part of our history. 

The second type focusses on all the weird and funky stuff on 66, extant or vanished. Again, these books play on the nostalgia for the Mother Road. And again, they give us a terrific look at American Culture and the lives of everyday people. These two types of books focus not on the Great Leaders and Big Issues, but on what the everyday people who really make up this nation, and how they lived and traveled. Their hopes and dreams, successes and failures. 

The third type is the useful guide book. Of these, we looked carefully at two. Finding the End of the Mother Road-Route 66 in Los Angeles County, by Scott R. Piotrwski ($19.95) and EZ66-Route 66 Guide for Travelers, by Jerry McClanahan ($15.95). Get them both. There that was easy! Why? You had to ask. Each of these books are meant to be used in a car. They are spiral bound for easy reference and of a convenient size. Piotrwski’s book on LA county has more detail on the wonders of Route 66 in our own back yard. The maps and directions are easy to follow and accurate. Most of the focus is on what is still here and how to find these gems that are buried in the vastness of our urban sprawl. 

McClanahan’s book takes on the whole enchilada. It does not have really detailed information, but makes up for that in the sheer abundance of great stuff. Each town along 66 is detailed, in order, giving you an idea of what is there, or in too many sad cases, what WAS there. One of the more amusing features is the Giant Alert. Every one of those HUGE advertising statues (like the giant guy holding tires, or the giant boot, or the giant doughnut) is chronicled and you are alerted to their presence. Pretty cool idea. another great feature about this book is that you can use it front to back (if you are traveling from Chicago to LA) or for us going eastward, simply flip the book back to front and it’s equally useful! What a GENIUS idea! 

Marianne and I had a hard time picking which was the better book. The Finding the End of the Mother Road  is terrific for it’s detail, but is limited to LA country. The EZ66 guide may not have the narrative, but has all the detail anyone needs to make a real trek of discovery. I seriously recommend both PLUS at least one form the other two categories. 

Another book that caught my eye is more unusual. Constant readers will know how much I love Highway 395. It’s maybe the last of the “real” highways. Pretty much all two lanes and it still goes through the center of every town, including Carson City, NV, right past the state capitol building. I was delighted (and a bit disappointed, I want to do a 395 book myself-who needs the competition?) to find U/S. Route 395-Travel America’s “Three Flags Highway” in a Classic 1969 Porsche 912, by Michael Newlon ($24.95). In his often amusing narrative, Newton describes his epic 1300 mile journey in his beloved 912, describing his joys and tribulations and giving the reader a great sense of what is out there. He also has plenty of tips about preparing for such a journey in an older car. The book is loaded with pictures of his little white chariot at a huge variety of neat and often funky places along the way. My only problem is that he seems to over-emphasize that he did all of the “at legal cruising speed.” Really? You never gave in to the temptation to open it up somewhere between Wagon Tire and Alturas? Well, OK, his book is about cruising, not racing. I was going to insert a dig about it only being a 912 and something about how legal speed limits are about all it will do, but I won’t. Seriously, get this book. It may help you decide that taking an epic journey in your Auld Crate is not only doable, but highly advisable. 

The last book is maybe the ‘Must Have” book for any true Road Tripper. The Lincoln Highway-The Great American Road Trip, by Michael Wallis with photography from Pulitzer Prize winning Michael S. Williamson ($39.95). Route 66 gets all the press. First the hit song by Bobby Troup, then the TV series that seldom featured that highway, plus the 50s nostalgia craze and great marketing have all propelled Route 66 into the public conscience as The Road. Now I LOVE Route 66. It does embody much of what our culture is all about. but it’s not the only highway, and in fact, was not the first transcontinental road. That honor falls to the Lincoln Highway. 

The Lincoln Highway, begun in 1913 connected two of the most iconic and polar opposite sights in America. the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge. That’s right, New York to Frisco. The Big Apple to the Big Kiwi with a Lime Cranberry Sauce and Shaved Cumquat or what ever Friscoians call them selves. This road goes right smackdab through the center of America. The Heartland. What Both-Coasters call sneeringly, “Fly Over States.”  Thirteen States (is that a coincidence or was it planned?) and 3,389 miles. New York, Chicago, Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, Reno, San Francisco. And what must be hundreds of little wide spots in the road that make up the Real America. 

Much of the western half parallels the first Transcontinental Railroad and there is more of the Lincoln Highway intact than there is of Route 66! This is a journey that all serious Road Tripper MUST take! 

This coffee table book has it all. A great mix of new and historic photos, postcards, shots of the weird and funky, the iconic and mundane fill this book. It’s gone to the top of my Christmas List. Santa, are you reading Ace? Can we send a copy to the north Pole? 

So, some goodies for under the tree. Treat yourself or someone else, these are essential for any Roadt Trippin’ library. 

Dunsmuir to Eureka to St. Helena

Road Trippin’
with Steve McCarthy

OK, so we got to Dunsmuir and poked around at some great sights along the way. Now we need to get on with the next two days of our NoCal backroads trek. From dunsmuir, we’ll be trotting across more pine covered forests towards the coast. For us SoCal folks, all those pine trees give us a whole new perspective on the Golden State. I mean yeah, we have trees here. At least a few are left from the various rounds of fires, but up there, they have TREES! this section of the lower Cascades is actually a rain forest. What’s that you say? “Rain Forest? Isn’t that like jungle? In, like, BRAZIL?” Well, yes and no. Yasee, not all rain forests are equatorial jungles.
This is a Forest, and yes indeedy do, it rains here. A LOT! That’s a hint to be prepared. Especially if you drive an open car. Expect rain even in the summer. In the winter, it snows. And since we’re talking some really minor backroads, you can’t drive them in the winter. They just flat close the roads down, rather than spend the bucks to keep them open. there’s no one up there to keep them open for!
That should give you pause. If not enough people use these roads to bother to plow them in the winter, do many people use those roads the rest of the year? That would be NO! So, a bit of extra care in your driving and extra care in your preparing the Auld Crate are in order. And cell phone service? What’s that? I also hope you packed a picnic lunch because there may not be many places that actually sell food here. Unless you brought your fishing pole.
So, after wandering around such great places as Big Bar and burnt Ranch, you will reach the next night’s lodgings in Eureka. This is a neat town. It started life as a seaport for the logging industry and still performs that function today. Check out the Fort Humboldt State Historic Park & Logging Museum 3431 Fort Avenue Eureka, CA 95503-3828 (707) 445-6567. It’s got great exhibits and plenty of old equipment. It’s amazing to think of guys cutting down redwood trees as big around as your house with giant handsaws and axes! Again, I put this drive together in shorter legs so you could have time to poke around a bit.
The next treat is dinner! Actually, what I said about lunch? forget it. Don’t eat all day. You’ll need the appetite. The Samoa Cook House,  is across the bridge (head north on 101 from the motel and look for Hwy 225 to Samoa--Ya can’t miss it! I’m sure the people at the motel can tell you haw to get there as well.) in the tiny town of Samoa. this place is Legendary! In fact, constant readers will remember a while back when I held a poll on best roads, on of the questions was about favorite places to eat. This was on several lists. From their website (samoacookhouse.net): “Breakfast, served family style, can include eggs, french toast, pancakes, sausages, biscuits & gravy, hash browns, coffee and orange juice. Lunch and Dinner, served family style, include entrée, soup, salad, bread, vegetable, potato, coffee, tea and dessert.” And LOTS of it! This was an actual cook house for miners up until the 1970’s and has stuck to it’s basic format of Fill the Hungry Bellies of Hard Working People. It is also worth looking at the museum on the premises. Eureka is also a neat town to explore, so walk off dinner by strolling the streets. Find the Carson Mansion at 143 M St. this place is spectacular!
So, still sated from dinner, it’s time to head back to St. Helena, or indeed home to SoCal. The rest of the trip should be familiar. It parallels Hwy 101 and takes you through the Avenue of the Giants. This side trip is not to be missed. neither are the funky tourist places along the way. Trees of Mystery, Confusion Hill, the Drive Through Tree, all of it is worth the stop. Experience how simple being a tourist used to be. Set aside your jaded 21st Century outlook, suspend disbelief and just enjoy. I recommend going back to St. Helena for the night. It will allow you time to poke around more, as well as hit some of the great wineries in the area. So, enjoy October! In November, I plan to suggest some reading material to put on your Christmas Wish List. Books that I THINK we can find at a particular store in Burbank!

The exact directions can be had by buying a copy of the October issue of ACE from autobooks-aerobooks.com. There is a link at the top of this page!

Road Trippin' in NoCal

Road Trippin’

with Steve McCarthy

 I’d like to give you some details about what can be found between the Napa Valley and Dunsmuir.  First, believe it our not, prepare for lunch. We really didn’t spot any good lunch joints along the way, so this is a good trip for a picnic. Or, you can wait until you get to Portola and find food there. There’s lots of choices from pizza to burgers to cafes that should fill the bill. The great thing about the Napa Valley is (aside from the wine) the food. There are any number of foody places to stock up on cheese, bread, and salami. the Safeway in St. Helena actually has a pretty decent selection, so stock up (you really might want to have enough for three lunches!) and find a wide spot in the road, throw out the blanket and enjoy! 

NOW we can talk about breakfast. Under an hour up the road is a little town called Middletown. Not much of a place, and (surprise!) it’s halfway between Calistoga and Clearlake. On the left is a great little joint called “Beulah’s”. No kidding! This place is great! Tiny, friendly and really good pancakes! The bacon is also generous (four slices, four THICK slices!) and very tasty. The prices are better than reasonable as well. 

One of the reasons I broke this trip into fairly small chunks is that there are a number of places to stop and poke around. In Portola, as I mentioned last month) is the Western Pacific RR Museum. The Western Pacific was a smaller competitor to the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific. It had it’s own route through the Sierras along the Feather River (as opposed to Donner Pass-part of the original Transcontinental Railroad, built by the Central Pacific-and then owned by the SP) and some pretty spectacular scenery of it’s own. The museum is a tribute to this lesser know railroad and has a great collection of equipment. The really cool thing is that for $150, you can actually run a real, full size locomotive! For more information, you can check their website at www.wplives.org. How can you pass up this kind of opportunity! 

On the second day of the trip, I hope you didn’t eat all that salami and cheese. Eat breakfast in Portola and plan on a picnic at Mt. Lassen. This is the highlight of day two. It is well worth the $10/car fee to drive through. There is a very good visitor’s center at the lower park entrance and there are tables and chairs to have you lunch. I can’t really recommend the cafe there, it looked pretty average. The displays and history of the park however, are wonderful. It’s a good idea to get a map and get familiar with what there is to see. The variety of volcanic sites is fascinating! Be warned however, just up the road from the center are vents in the mountainside that spew sulfur laden steam. PEE-YOU! Drive slow through this part of the park (the speed limit is 35 mph and the rangers DO patrol!) and stop at the various points of interest. You also need to know that the road through the park is closed in the winter. They do get a bit of snow up there! The summit is around 8000’ so be advised of that as well. 

Once you get down the backside, you will continue on Hwy 89 pretty much all the way to Dunsmuir. While the scenery is gorgeous (lots of rolling meadowlands and pine trees) there are not a lot of places to stop. The drive is pretty easy, once you get out of the mountains. One of the great sights on 89 is Mt. Shasta. As you near Dunsmuir and I-5, that old volcano looms above the road right in front of you. All alone, it just thrusts up to the sky and dominates everything. If it ever goes Mt. St. Helens, we are not only in a world of hurt, we’ll lose one of the most magnificent sights in California. 

Dunsmuir is one of our favorite little towns. It’s a town created by the railroad. It was a major yard on the arduous climb up and around Mt. Shasta, but changes in both the railroad and our driving habits are killing the place. The downtown area is full of great buildings, too many of which are vacant. Poke around a bit, it is a place well worth exploring. We found a great little restaurant called “Sengthongs” that serves up a combination of Vietnamese, northern Thai, and Laotian food that is really, really good! It’s a bit on the pricey side perhaps, but well worth it. the portions are big and the selection is unusual. The husband of the chef also looks like Chuck Forward’s long lost brother! 

For a place  to stay, there is only one choice for us. The Cave Springs Motel. We stumbled across this place about 20 years ago and have made it our mandatory place to stay. There are two parts to this place, the standard motel type rooms, built I’d say in the 60s are nice and clean and comfortable. The other accommodations are  little cabins, built in 1923 and are wonderful. Sparse, no, downright Spartan, but wonderful! The owners have made a concerted effort to preserve these gems and the experience is just like travel was WAAAAY back. there is a lean to shed/carport that will fit your Model T (or perhaps a TR3) and not much else. These clapboard cozy cabins overlook the Sacramento River out the back, and you are advised to open both front and back doors to get the benefit of the breeze to cool them down. By the way, in the summer, it can get HOT in Dunsmuir! The breeze off the river is refreshing to say the least! Inside, you will find an old iron framed bed with REAL bed springs, a small kitchen with a two burner gas “stove” that you have to light with a match. No oven. There is a sink and on the back porch is a “modern” refrigerator! No room inside for one! It’s easy to get to the kitchen, by the way, because the floor slopes quite noticeably towards the cliff overlooking the river. They even include cookware and plates and utensils and a mandatory cast iron skillet. Each cabin also has a pair of those old metal “motel chairs” on the front porch and a BBQ grill and picnic table out front. The last real upgrade these places have seen was when they decided to add that new fangled thing called “Electricity.” The wiring is all exposed and the switches date from the 30s. In addition to all this luxury, the motel offers a pool and hot tub as well as a bocce ball court and horseshoes! Talk about “Old School” recreation. It may sound like I’m making fun of the place, but believe me, I’m not. The place is a wonderful throw back and is worth staying at. Everything is wonderfully relaxed. So much so that, other people staying there will say “hello” and strike up a conversation.  When’s the last time that happened at the Holiday Inn? It made me feel like I was staying at “Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven Of Bliss” from the old Jean Shepard story, complete with swarms of mosquitos in the evening. The rates are also VERY reasonable. Under $60/night. They also have weekly rates if you are up for some trout fishing. 

So, those are some of the gory details of the St. Helena-Dunsmuir leg of this trip. Next month, we’ll take you over the hill to the coast and Eureka. Be prepared for more mountain roads and bring a BIG appetite for the Samoa Cookhouse. Till then, keep Hitting the Road! 

Road Trip Music

“Son, you’re gonna drive me to drinkin’ if you don’t stop drivin’ that 

Hot                            Rod                       Lincoln!”

Clearly, the greatest road trip song of all time. But even as great as Charlie Ryan’s (who sadly passed away this past February at the age of 92) anthem to the hot rod is, you can’t listen to it more than five of six times on a road trip without the danger of rebellion from the shotgun seat. So what other songs are essential on a road trip? Is, in fact, music even a necessary component to a road trip? If you drive a TR3 with Brooklands windscreens that make it impossible to hear (like we do), I’m guessing no. If your idea of a road trip involves anything that is red, Italian, and has 12 cylinders, you’ve got all the music you need from the tailpipes. If the V8 rumble and blower whine make you shout to be heard, probably not. But still, in most instances, music and road trip generally go together like Guinness and mussels in cream sauce. 

Now it used to be, before the advent of satellite radio, that half the fun of a road trip was finding a radio station. Any radio station! In the bad ol’ days of AM only radio, when there were three whole stations that were deemed acceptable to teens in LA (quick, for 50 points and a free trip to Pacoima, NAME THOSE STATIONS!) if you were off in the boonies, you might be able to catch a skip off the ionosphere (or what ever sphere it is, science isn’t my strong suit) and pick up Wolfman Jack, broadcasting from his secret lair somewhere around (so it was rumored) Waco, Texas. If you were unlucky, you got Grand Ol’ Opry. I got the opportunity to demonstrate this lost art to my daughter as we were driving her newly acquired ’62 Mercury Comet home from Hemet. We were cresting the Beaumont Pass and trying the radio. It only took 5 minutes for the tubes (Yes, TUBES!) to warm up, then with that old familiar: “WEEEEEOOOOOOOOWWWEEEEUUUUUUUOOOOO” we managed to pick up something. A traffic report. For Salt Lake City! Needless to say, my daughter was impressed! But now we have multiple disc CD players, or iPods that can carry all the music of the Western World. What do you load in for that multi-day, cross country trek? 

Obviously, personal tastes play the most important role, but still, music that is maybe a bit out of your comfort zone can enhance a road trip in ways unimaginable. Time of day is also a factor. So is weather. So is the road. So is the car. The only types not allowed in my cars are Disco and Hip hop/Rap. I’m boycotting K-EARTH now that they’ve started to play the BeeGees as “Oldies.” Puh! Overall though, the more eclectic your play list, the better the experience. So here’s some of our favorites. Its far from a complete list. That would take enough space to fill several books, and ACE won’t devote an entire issue to one topic. 

For just plain cruisin’, even if its a day long drive, proper Rock and Roll is just the ticket.  After all, that’s how we all got started. Whether it was up and down Colorado in Pasadena or Whittier Blvd, or where ever, we all cruised to Rock and Roll. Windows down, arm hanging out, Just Cruisin’. Some of the best collections can be had from a local DJ everyone around here knows as LeRoy, the Milkman. You’ve probably seen and heard him at various car shows around SoCal. He puts together some amazing CDs. My favorite is called LeRoy’s Car Tunes. It’s got almost every great car song ever, including of course, “Hot Rod Lincoln.” There’s “Little Deuce Coupe.” “409,” “Mustang Sally,” and “Fun, Fun, Fun.” Pretty much what HAS to be there is there (I can’t figure out why “Dead Man’s Curve: is missing, though), but he’s included other, more obscure stuff as well: “Pink Cadillac,”  “Rocket 88,” and “Bucket T,” for starters. My next favorite of his is “Surf Tunes.” A whole CD of the greatest surfer music ever. “Miserlou,”  “Wipe Out,” “Telstar Surf!” It doesn’t get much better than that! He also has several Doo-Wop CDs available, nice for the late night cruise, when you want to dial things back a bit on a warm summer night. 

My next Rock and Roll selection is a truly varied compilation. I bought it at the Rose Bowl Swap meet, but I’ve seen the guy at other events. Its a four CD set put out by Invicta Music, Ltd., up in Quebec, Canada (of all places!). Who, knows, these may not yet be “Oldies” up there in the Great White North! Anyway, this set has 103 songs. Its at least three hours of music. Volume One begins with Willie Nelson and “On the road Again”, proceeds through Freddy Fender (“Before the Next Tear Drop Falls”), Creedence (Bad Moon Rising”),  and The Diamonds (“Little Darlin’”), before hitting Duane Eddy, Jan and Dean, and Three Dog Night. It just gets better with Volume Two. Janis Joplin and “Bobby McGee” gives way to “Sixteen Tons” and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Bo Diddley, WAR, Chuck Berry and the Eagles also show up. Three and Four are equally as mixed up. Meatloaf, The Troggs, The Boss, Foghat, and the Vogues mix it up with Howlin’ Wolf, the Doobie Brothers, and ZZ Top. Whew, makes me tired just listing the stuff. I have to tell you too, all the cuts on these CDs aren’t in my comfort zone. Neil Diamond and Glen Campbell usually get bypassed, but that’s just me. 

Now so far, we’ve stayed in an area that I’m betting is safe for most of you. Good Ol’ Rock and Roll. Let’s push the boundaries. Late at night, on a long lonely road, maybe with enough rain to need the wipers on real slow, try Jazz. Smooth, Cool, Jazz. Dave Brubeck, Wes Montgomery, Antonio Carlos Jobin. Spice it up a bit if you are really adventurous with some John Coltrain, or Miles Davis. There is something about 2 AM, an Open Road, and Jazz. 

OK, now let’s REALLY push the limits. Let’s go all out beyond what most people can deal with. It may surprise you. Opera. Yes, Opera. That-Thing-Foreigners-Do-Until-Your-Head-Hurts. In the words of Luciano Paverotti, “Controlled Screaming.” I’m telling you, there is nothing like flying down a back road with that same Paverotti belting “Vin-cher-a, Vin-cher-AA, vin-CHHEERR--ah!” at the end of “Nesun Dorma” or carving up Highway One in the fog with Maria Callas doing the Mad Scene from “Lucia di Lammermoor.” Its bloody MAGIC! Vocal Classical a bit too much for you? Fine, try some instrumental stuff. Mozart symphonies are great stuff. Not too heavy, actually hum-able, yet very satisfying. I’d suggest Ravel’s “Bolero,” but that’s not driving music, that’s parking music! 

The last genre I advise you to look into for variety is traditional Irish Music. Not “When Irish Eyes are Smiling,” or “Danny Boy,” but the REAL stuff. Try the Chieftains, especially their early albums. Its easy to tell which ones they are, they’re numbered. As in “Chieftains 1”, “Chieftains 2,” and so on. Numbers 4, 5 and 8 are my personal favorites. Other groups like Dervish, Bothy Band, or Planxty are good bets. I’m telling ya, a good fast, hard reel has just the right rhythm for slamming up a mountain road. 

Since a good sound system seems necessary for a good ride, find some good music to play on it.  That’s the beauty of modern technology, you can burn your own mixes at the ‘puter. Van Morrison, Simon and Garfunkle, the Doors, some Motown. Throw in Cat Stevens and the Beatles and the Stones with Mozart and Puccini, a touch of Cannonball Adderly, a soupcon of Charlie Parker and you’ve got the right idea. Mix it up, and keep people guessing as they try to figure you out. And like they say, if its too loud, YOU’RE too old!