Scenic Drive

Wednesday Scenic Drive.
It is Wednesday, June 4, 2003. The time is about 1030 Pacific. Tony, hit’s the accelerator of our Quail Creek shuttle bus. Tony is our “Wagon master”, and Kelli is our “Hostess“, and riding “shotgun. Nine residents are off on our “Scenic Tour”.
We head out the gate and proceed to Air Base Parkway. A left turn and proceed down to Walter Road. We turn right and head for Highway 12. Left on 12 and drive by Suisun. This used to be a “killer” highway, similar to Highway 37. Thoughtless drivers would pass on blind curves and hills, causing many accidents most were head-on “fatals”. Widening the strip between Fairfield and Rio Vista was not feasible, so they decided to put a concrete barrier down the center of the road. Today is the first time that I have seen this improvement.
We pass a wind farm. The props are barely rotating as it is a pretty calm morning - but, I guess that any action is a gernerating plus. I can see a lone -large plane, off to our right. It appears to be flying so slow that it seems like it must be in a “stall”. I can only presume that they are training the pilots, by making “touch and go” landings.
The large fields on both sides are “golden”. I would like to think that it is wheat. But, it probably is just wild grass. My right window frames the majestic Mt. Diablo, about 20 miles to the south. Now, we are seeing quite a few cattle having their breakfast/brunch? This afternoon, they will be looking for shade, but I don’t see a tree around Another picturesque scene - a lone donkey standing guard in the center of a herd of sheep. What a picture this would make - but we must speed on. Then, another scene - that would make a good picture - a stand-alone barn in the middle of no place! I can’t help but wonder who owns all this land we are passing? If I were asked to make a guess, I would say the State of California.
Tony hangs a left from #12 on to highway 113, and we head north towards Dixon. I blinked my eyes and didn’t see Elmira. While I have heard of it, I don’t recall having seen it. This section is a bumpy ride! The tire, shocks and front-end alignment people will be happy! I kept thinking, I hope that there is no one aboard having trouble with hemorrhoids. The view on either side is an interesting contrast in color. On the left side, were irrigated-green fields. I assumed that they were tomatoes, because Dixon processes a lot of them. On the right side, the fields were golden - what a distinct contrast. I hope that I was looking at wheat or alfalfa. But, being a gentleman farmer, I wasn’t sure. It was probably un-irrigated grassland. (An aside). After I returned, it bothered me to realize that I couldn’t positively identify the crops in the two areas. So, I called the Dixon City Hall, in hopes that they could help me. The lady, who answered the phone, didn’t have the foggiest idea. So, I called the Dixon Tribune. I asked the lady my same question, and she didn‘t know either! She told me that “I don’t get out there very often!”. So, I left it at that - not realizing that Dixon was so provincial.)
We passed the Dixon May Fair grounds. I remember going there, a few years back, to their May Fair. We moved from Vallejo to Fairfield, recently. For many years, a year doesn’t go by, when the Solano County Fair Board and the City of Vallejo, don’t talk about moving the Solano County Fair up-county. Their justification is that the property is too valuable to be used as a fairgrounds for only two weeks out of the year. The only catch, is that the deed reads that if the acreage is no longer used for the County Fair, the title would pass from Vallejo back to the county of Solano.
I remember the Dixon area for all their sheep. But now, it seems that there are fewer sheep and more cattle. Into Vacaville along a scenic route. I didn’t realize that there were so many upscale places in the Vacaville area - a very enticing setting. I would be concerned about grass fires, but that is the pessimist in me. Back on I-80 heading for downtown Vacaville. Could see the 505 cut-off with the Kaiser and Genetech complexes anchoring the area.
We stopped at the Yen King restaurant in Vacaville - on the other corner from the Nugget restaurant facility. I had a nice orange- chicken lunch. We rode through very nice residential area, and then onto the frontage road paralleling I-80, and home. Nearing the gate, Tony braked as we came around a curve, - to slow down and let a mother quail and her chicks waddle across the street in orderly -single file.- a reminder of what suggested the name of our Quail Creek Assisted -Living facility.

RCL - 6/10/08.