River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-08-14
California Letter.
Pacific Grove, June 20, 1902

old camp grounds at this most Qe-
lightful resting place, for a few
weeks outing, and the thought that
the story of Our trip might be of in
terest to you, leads me to send you
these notes by the way. We had
often talked of driving down the
coast, and this vacation we decided
to do so, as San Jose is an inland
town, that meant mountains before
us; but we took the longest way
round, feeling sure it would give US
the greatest amount of enjoyment,
our first point being Pebble Beach,
at Pescadero, SIS miles away. We
left home at an early hour on May
28th with our tent for the comfort
of the "outer" and our box of food
for the inner" man fastened Sc
curely behind our buggy and little
oil stove inside. We drove by ways
we knew not Of except by hearsay,
and after leaving the open country
we found ourselves among the hills
and trees on the alpine" road.
We had started with the firm deter
mination of finding or seeing a
good time, no matter what might
befall us.
We had been told to keep, not to
the right, but always to the left,
and in this way we drove along, Sc
cure in our information, but a
slight misunderstanding of which
was our road and which a rancher's
front yard led us half mile out of
our way, causing our first mishap.
The only bad result was the wheels
sinking lower than the middle of
the road brought our oil can (tied
beneath the buggy in too close
contact with the soil and the top
was cracked, the oil escaped, but as
oiled roads are the style we made
the best of it and when righted we
drove rapidly on, gradually going
down until on a beautifully wooded
hillside we camped for a bite"
from the box of eatables, near a fine
old olive orchard and a sign of
Hidden Villa" telling of a house
near by, though unseen. A seven
mile hill was the problem we faced
in the afternoon, but in that climb
we found our reward, in the views
we had of our own home valley,
Mt. Hamilton, Stanford University
and the bay. This seven mile
hill" so-called, is a succession of
hills, or small mountains, each be-
ing bit higher and slightly steep
er than the other, all the while lead
ing in a roundabout way to the sum-
nit of the range. First our valley
would be on the right, then on the
left, as we changed to different
them. AS the hours went by we en-
tered the timber where grandeur
surrounded us. Tall redwoods,
the green bay tree and the immense
live oaks. We realized as never be-
fore the beautiful thought that
THE groves were Gods first tenn
PIES" AS the evening shades crept
down the hillsides we gradually
came nearer to the sea level and
camped for the first night by the
side of mountain stream whose
soft, ripping song wooed us to
rest. Mr.. Rhoads wrapped us in
the tent and slept on the ground
while the other members of the
family snuggled among the blank
cts in the buggy, not yet being &C
customed to sleeping among things
that creep.
The night was one long to be re-
membered because of many things.
The strangeness, the loneliness in
the deep mountain gorges, the
moonlight on the hills, the gurgling
stream and the sad call of the
mourning dove, added to the
thought Of our two selves alone in
the woods, so far from home, but
the morning light and call of birds
aroused us to the needs of the stom-
ach, and the little oil stove perched
on a convenient stump served US to
the comforts of hot coffee, while on
the Goals of brush fire we fried
hot cakes, bacon and eggs. lm-
agine our appetiteI We broke camp
at o'clock, stopping only for an
hours rest and lunch at z o'clock
in the most ideal camping spot
ever saw, among the same variety
of grand old trees; then on we went
through gorges, up high grades,
through beautiful little valleys, then
down, down, down, along the wind
ing road, until we reached the level
on the seward side of the Santa
Cruz mountains. We were bound
for Pebble Beach, famed for its i'm
mense stretch of pebbles of every
hue and variety. A while ago a lady
picked up one which was valued al