trackandtrain.com presents the CaliforniaNevada.com archive: An insider's view of California and Nevada

San Francisco: Cable Cars, History, Hills -- Vibe, Views and Overviews
NEW Tourist Tips on Amtrak's Coast Starlight, Surfliner and California Zephyr.
Amtrak Travel Advisory

California, a land of diverse natural wonders and mountain meccas, surrounding the vast marshland of the Central Valley. Or so it was a couple hundred years ago... Today, California is a name known around the world as the planet's 5th largest economy. From Hollywood movies to Heavenly skiing, California and Nevada are the worlds biggest tourist attractions, nearly 1000 x 600 miles where you can be in the middle of all the action (Vegas), or away from it all in Death Valley.
Nevada, formerly controlled by Mormons, was part of the Utah Territory. Nevada is another land of diverse beauty, from the stark splendor of Pyramid Lake to the tree capped peaks of Lake Tahoe and Great Basin National Park.. Let's not forget the natural beauty and gambling in Sin City, Las Vegas. For the more conservative gambling crowd, Reno and Carson City offer more relaxed atmospheres.

San Francisco Section See the NEWLY EXPANDED Herb Caen - Michael Savage Memorial San Francisco Home Page! HOTELS, CABLE CARS, Tourist Tips, the Best Places for Photos	Big Sur, Monterey and Santa Cruz A View of the Pacific Ocean
Sacramento Delta A Drawbrige on the River	The Chinatown Gate at Grant and Bush, entrance to Chinatown
Clear Lake -- Hopland -- Lake County	San Francisco -- Legion of Honor Museum
Napa County -- Wine Region Photo courtesy jack at europebyphoto.com	Donner Lake -- Donner Pass -- Interstate 80 Donner Pass overlooks Donner Lake and Donner Lake State Park, site of the Donner Party misfortune
Auburn -- Lincoln Highway - US 40 (Interstate 80) - Big Bend Visitors Center	Reno-Tahoe - Carson City - Virginia City
Death Valley Bodie State Park -- Historic Ghost Town Photo courtesy Don Oates photography	Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey and Salinas, Hwys 156, 101, 168
Santa Cruz Natural Bridges State Beach This is at the entrance to Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, just 30 minutes from San Jose	Another Santa Cruz photo Another shot shows the broken natural bridge at Natural Bridges. Even though the star attraction was lost, there are great tidepools and wildlife here at the West end of Santa Cruz.

Near Byron on Mountain House Road, this barn is probably torn down by now

This barn was on Mountain House Parkway near Byron Highway. The old two-lane country road was replaced in 2002 with a speedy 4-lane divided road leading to the new KB Home development. Click here for more photos of the barn and house.

When I used to commute to Reno this route and Highway 160 were favorites. Do you plan to travel from the Bay Area to Sacramento, Auburn, Truckee or Reno? Forget the 80's (I-80,680,) and blow off Interstate 5 in style. The California Delta's Highway 160 is a road of history, style, and B&B's. There's a golf course, wineries, even an Italian Villa on Grand Island.

If you plan to travel in the Western United States, watch this site for new developments.

Here is the first page I ever posted here about California and Nevada . And finally for the odd's n' ends dept. here's a few Japanese color woodblock prints by Kuniyoshi, Hokusai and Hiroshige. Also here's an African American history class project.