Never To Be Again

This sign in Olinda on Happy Vally Road is left to remind us of the good ole days. But it really hasn't been that long ago. I go even further back to gas station signs in Texas that advertised 14 Cents/gal with 20 times Blue Chip Stamps. Back then a uniformed man would check your tires, water, battery, and clean your windshields just for the few dollars it took to fill the tank. And don't forget those precious Blue Chip Stamps that came as a bonus. (Just click on the picture for a larger view.)

The Post Office at Tehama, California

The Tehama, California Post Office is located just South of Gerber, California and West of Los Molinos. I occasionally make deliverlies to this very small community. I would say the main industry is Walnuts and Cattle and Goat Ranches. (Just click on the picture for a larger view.)

The Post Office In Vina, California

Every wonder what the Post Offices looks like in very small towns or communities? Well, I will be showing pictures of Post Offices in the small communities in which I occasionally make deliveries. In these small communities, I have yet to find an unfriendly Post Master or one unable to assist me in finding an address; and I have sought their help often. The picture you are viewing is the Post Office in Vina, California. Vina is a very small community South of Corning, California and just off Highway 99E. Probably the main industry in Vina is walnuts and almonds with some cattle ranches. (Just click on the picture for a larger view.)

Where is The Cowboy?

When I first drove past this riderless horse I didn't think much about it. But I got to thinking that maybe the rider had been thrown off. I turned around and on a closer look I could see the horse was tied to a fence. All seemed to be OK so I took this picture and continued on my Route. (Just click on the picture for a larger view.)

Cottonfield in Gerber

These pictures of a single cotton field were taken along I-5 near the Gerber, California turnoff. I must say it rekindled old childhood memories of when I picked cotton in Mississippi back in the early 1940's. We didn't use machines then but walked or crawled down the long furrors pulling a very long grass sack while plucking the soft cotton from its dead bolls. I think I made about 2 or 3 cents per pound and it took a lot of cotton to weigh a pound. This scene reminds me of the old song "....when them cotton bolls get rotten you can pick very much cotton in them ole cotton fields back home...". In one of the pictures you can see Snow covered Mount Shasta in the background. (For a larger view just click on the pictures.)

Trip to Hornbrook

Last Saturday I delivered to the lovely little mountainous town of Hornbrook, California which is on Interstate 5 near the Oregon border. The picture of the Klamath River was taken from the front yard of the the recipient of the package. I did a lot of gold panning on this river back in my gold prospecting days but further west toward Happy Camp. And naturally I couldn't resist taking a picture of Mount Shasta with its recent blanket of snow. I hope we have a good snow pack this year. (Click on the pictures for a closer view.)

View From Platina Road

Recently I made deliveries to both the small communities of Platina and Igo. To shorten the trip I decided to take the Platina Road from Platina to Igo. I'm not sure if I ever want to travel this route again as it follows the side of a mountain just about all the twenty five miles between these two communities. Although picturesque, this road has one curve after another almost the entire distance and you are literally on the outside lane of a very narrow road looking straight down the side of the mountain with NO guard rails (brakes don't fail me now). This route shortened my trip about thirty-five miles so I guess you could say it was worth it. (Click on the picture for a larger view.)