California Has It All

The hotel in Santa Ana was mostly occupied by families visiting Disenyland. It didn't occur to me that this would true, until I had gone to breakfast---omelettes and other breakfast items were made to order, with breakfast coupons given out at check-in. I could overhear many day plans being made at tables next to me, and recollections of visits that had just occurred.

The flight out of Orange County (SNA) was majestic. It was a bright sunny afternoon. The plane was full, but I had bought business select on Southwest and thus snagged a window seat on the left side with a clear view.

We took off  to the south and climbed steeply as we passed over the estuary and the marina of Newport Beach, out over the Pacific. Then after a sharp curve over the ocean we passed right over a couple the large islands---San Clemente and Santa Catalina, the latter laced by roads.

We made landfall again over Santa Monica, with its distinct grid embedded in L.A.  Then we passed over Simi Valley, where one could see out to the old Reagan ranch, and follow the highway to Thousand Oaks and Ventura. The plane passed right over the infamous Spahn Ranch, then, following the "Grapevine" of I-5, passed over the Santa Susana Mountains into the Central Valley.

We followed the valley northwest, past Bakersfield, along the course of the San Joaquin River and State Highway 99. The earth of the valley was brown and dusty, except for where it was explicitly cultivated, such as around the old lake bed. I tried to keep track of the cities below---Taft, Hanford, Madera, Merced,  based on the size and highway patterns. I recognized some of them my memory, but is was difficult without a map.

From time to time, I caught a glimpse out the windows on the other side. One could see the Sierra topped in snow. But I was glad I was on the side of the plane I was. Today I wanted to see the valley and the coast ranges, and follow the course of the rivers in it.

Near Modesto, after about ninety minutes of flight, the terrain below had undergone a change. It was no longer brown and dusty but green and lush, somewhat like Oregon.

Around Stockton I could see all the way across the delta to Suisun Bay, and the mountains around the GoldenGate. Around Lodi we began to descend, and we did, the rolling green ground got closer. As we came into Sacramento International (SMF), it looked lush and fertile, like the Midwest, complete with a barn right next to the runway.

eden ahbez suggestion courtesy of Coop.