the woodland reveal deer. while families of partridge-like birds run across the path. and hawks circle round. By the time we get to our patch the sun‘s starting to go down. After pitching the tent we just have time for a quick dinner. and while my partner takes our nibbish to the bin. I sit waiting at the picnic table with a little battery-powered lamp. lt‘s dark now and I hear a scratching sound at the metal locker. l shine the lamp and two far- apart eyes gleam back at me. It‘s a raccoon. I clap my hands and it runs away. but not before it has freaked me out and I spend the rest of the night listening out for sounds. The next day we go on an eight mile walk tip into the valley and through pine forests. rich in vegetation. nourished by a stream and the sea mists. As humans. it feels like we‘re intruders on the natural world. Ahead. moving slowly tip a bank is. unmistakably. a mountain lion. its long tail slinking through the undergrowth.
After two days and nights in the wilderness. it's back to the car. which we drive to a diner. Scrambled eggs have never tasted so good. Steaming and butteiy. with hash browns. ham. mushrooms and coffee. Rc-fuelled. we‘re ready for the journey inland to the Napa Valley. the wine region. Everything‘s warmer there. and
86 THE LIST 5- 19 Jan 9006
even the radio agrees. 'lt's a top- down kinda day'. With the wind in our hair and vineyards ahead. spirits are high. (ioing tip and over into the top end of the valley we settle on a small town called (‘alistoga which
has a campsite in the l-‘airground for
$10 a night. We hire a tandem and go wine tasting along the Silvei‘ado trail; a winding route that runs parallel to the main road.
The plan had been to go to
Yosemite. drive to LA and back again. but we had slightly
underestimated the distances in this. the longest of states. So instead. we take a pait of the coast road Highway 1 and drive to Monterey. then on to Big Sur. If the freeways are scary around the bay. the narrow coast road that takes you down to l,os Angeles has its own. particular hair-raising moments. The Bixby (‘reek Bridge. constructed in l‘)32. crosses a ravine that plunges down to a rocky conclusion where waves crash mercilessly. Kerouac spent weeks one summer living in a cabin here. writing poems just on the sounds of the waves. We spend two nights in a cabin. under a towering Redwood.
The journey is nearly over. but there remains one last point of pilgrimage and that is to Santa ('rii/. It has a working funfaii‘. painted in colours like a candy store and an St)— year-old (iiant Dipper. It is also the
Tales of the city (clockwise from top left): Driving over the Oakland Bridge; San Francisco‘s most famous landmark; Coit Tower in North Beach; chess on the streets
place where Ken Kesey and his Merry l’i'aiikstei's started the ISI) revolution in the (itls. We drive up to the pink (‘arousel Motel and check in. Walking up the main drag. Pacific Avenue. there is its friendly and screwed up a group of homeless people you could hope to meet. banging drums. strumming guitars and asking for money with charm. ‘Yoii look like a lovely couple. have you got a couple of bucks.” Spontaneous sing—alongs break out and people dance to the sounds and rhythms like they have for the last 40 years.
()n the final drive back up to San Francisco. I get a lecture from an organic farmer about the earth‘s resources as I try to buy some strawberries from him; at the airport a hippy—lookiiig (ioogle employee proudly wears a company 'llshii't. ('alil'ornia keeps believing. It is a strange mass of geography and ideas that defies America and yet is everything it dreams to be too.
FACTFILE
Getting there ll'H‘Wt A vi nos, Vlltll't Al'élltllf‘. aed Hr 3‘1" Anne-r3: :jil fly (liv'ort‘. from I out/ion to San Franc-soo l lV-"(t tii‘io is a both. 10 ‘~‘ hours. but tofuw rights (tai‘ tio found ‘or
as 'ittlo as 8‘33?
ml “' Where to stay The (Zhaioau llVOll ‘tifw' Stoinor Stroot. vim/w (:hatoau
t'voli (tomi is: a rostorod Victorian mansion l.'l San l ravittisco, (iOSltttg from around S‘s". «' for a room with sharod bathroom up to S‘tfati for a suito A slightle cheaper and mom (:ontral option is tho Grant Pla/a l loto‘ i465» Grant Avonuo. ‘.'.".'.".‘.’.Q."£tttl ola/acomi, \‘./lll(‘,l‘. is von; cost) to l Jnioo Square and China lown. F’v-(ios start at 3‘38 for a double room. Getting out of town lhoro aro *iiznd'ods of (tar hero (tonipanios to :‘liorisw from but ono of tho (:hoapost as probably l loliday Autos. which offers a vxook's; rontal fron‘ S‘lUt. Information about “‘0 Pou‘t Roy/es National Scasi‘o'o car no found at ‘.'."\.‘/‘.‘.'.HDSQCV pom Wild camping costs ‘ioni 5‘9 fora pitch slooping up to six pooplo Racooon's Roost can he found a‘. B'g Su' Campground and (iaoir‘s on Highway ‘. soo bids.:rcaliforriiaorg to! infor'n‘atmn on this and other lodgings in tho aroa. Ruth also \Jisitod tho marliv Nopovitno 'oar :wvnxr nopon t‘iotiiusu" (tonu. a cliff top outdoor out). with fantastic woe-rs across tho l)Et(‘,|l'{i Ocean I.” Santa Ow. tho (Zarouso' Motol ll 100 RIVOt'Slflf?
Ax'o'ii l(‘. n‘xwvx santaoru/
moiolsrmm (:arousoli costs from around 5‘98 fora room
When to go If you're, ViSitind San
t rancisoo "so". it's best to hoad thoro i". (éithor spring or autumn twoauso exhi'o summer tomporaturos in inland California soar abovo 40 degrees Co'sius. tho city Is ofton enveloped in for; at that time of yoar.
s. w M , fl?“ My}. "l ."'B' "‘ : :W'u
WW» {O‘w‘ "kw s * ‘tr
uni-s