Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

This week's exercise/activity brought me to San Jose, California on our Journey to Shamrock map. (My route, of course, is on the left and Peggy Sue's is on the right. Double click on the map to zoom in.)

So let's see... what can I say about San Jose? Not a whole lot. I don't go there very often. When I was little, we used to drive through San Jose on the way to my grandparent's house (we lived in Central California, back then) fairly often and there was a huge freeway project that was put on hold due to a state budget crisis (not unlike the one we're having now... strange). Anyway, there was a big crazy overpass thing that was built but not connected to the freeway for years and years. To this day, it freaks me out to drive over it... the 9-year-old in me remembers that creepy overpass to nowhere.

Creepy, right? As I searched for this photo, I learned that it was referred to the California Stonehenge.

Years later it looks like this:

Not sure if that's an improvement now that I look at it. But San Jose isn't all about freeway exchanges. It has played an important role in California since 1777 when it became California's first civilian settlement and then went on to be the state's capital during the gold rush in the mid 1800's. Prior to the Spaniards settling there, it was home to the Ohlone Native Americans. It served as an agricultural hub for the west coast (Del Monte was it's largest employer for years), then an industrial center beginning in the 50s and now is the heart of Silicon Valley.

So there you have it: San Jose in a nutshell. But how could we talk about San Jose without a little Dionne Warwick? Enjoy!

Welcome to Lizard Lick!!

Unlike Betty Lou, I don't have any large cities to post about just yet. But that won't stop me. My exercise journey to Shamrock, Texas, has brought me to Lizard Lick, North Carolina. I've never actually been IN Lizard Lick, but I have driven past it many times on the highway en route to Raleigh, the state capital.

There's not much to say about Lizard Lick. Here's what I know. It is a small unincorporated community that has its own highway program, a mobile university, and even a tiny TV station -- WLIZ. It keeps company with other "lick" named towns like Big Lick and Lickskillet. In 1998, Nintendo video game company called to say they wanted to use Lizard Lick as a back drop to unveil a new game called "Yoshi's Story". And I know that it has an unusual name.

Many states have towns with funky names, but that is especially true of southern states. So I would like to share with you my Favorite Funky NC Town Names Top Honors Lists, in honor of my journey so far. Enjoy.

Best Food Town Names

1. Meat Camp
2. Burgertown
3. Pumpkin Center
4. Soda Hill
5. Chip

Best Foreign/Exotic Wannabe's

1. Gretna Green
2. Scotland Neck
3. Egypt
4. Vashti
5. Honolulu
6. Bahama
   

Best Animal Names

1. Bat Cave
2. Possum Trot
3. Duck
   
4. Cat Square
5. Tick Bite

Best Whatever Names

1. Toast
2. Hairtown
3. Floral College
4. Beautancus (pronounced bow-TANK-us)
   
5. Hardscrabble
6. Jugtown
7. Elf

I love North Carolina!

Ode to Oakland

Today my virtual journey took me through Oakland, Ca (check out the map to the right to track our journey to Shamrock). I won't lie, Oakland is not my favorite place on earth. Maybe it gets a bad rap. I don't know. Anyway, I wrote it a poem to commemorate my "leaving" it.


Oh Oakland, birthplace of my mother's father, how I do not love to visit you.

Your freeways heading in every direction confuse me. Your streets leave me lost and wondering through unfamiliar neighborhoods. But wait, what is this? From the hills to your east you offer the most amazing views of San Francisco, the bay, and the bridges that cross it. Perhaps I have been unfair in judging you. You are home to some gorgeous art deco buildings and beautiful craftsman houses. Yes, you have had ups and downs. You were born of the gold rush, you offered shelter to thousands after the Great Quake, and you provided for our country in a time of war. For years you have struggled, but are trying to improve in many ways.

Oh Oakland, city of confusing freeways, I do not like to drive in you. But perhaps I will visit you again some day soon...or simply pass through you in my locked car on the way to the airport.

Betty Lou leaves her heart in San Francisco

This past week I've "seen" some beautiful views. I'll need to keep these in mind when I'm in the middle of the dessert in a couple of months. I started out in San Rafael, California. It's a cute little town in the heart of Marin County just north of San Francisco.

There are at least two options when starting out toward Shamrock from San Rafael. One of those options became a much easy path when the San Rafael bridge was finished in 1955. You can see by this photo that heading further south by way of the Golden Gate Bridge is a safer and more scenic option. So I head in that direction and traveled though the towns of Larkspur, Mill Valley, and Sausalito.

Sausalito has the most beautiful views of SF bay and the city itself. It was originally a small fishing town but has grown to quite the tourist attraction and weekend escape from San Francisco. Boating on the bay is great way to speand the day as long as you bundle up. Even in the summer the fog rolls in and it's freezing!

Just below Sausalito is the gorgeous Golden Gate Bridge. No matter how many times I cross it, I never fail to notice how beautiful and grand it is. Crossing it into San Francisco, with the view of the city out in front is a vision to behold.

Once I cross the bridge, I head through the city in the direction of the Bay Bridge. I see it all: the hilly streets, Fisherman's Wharf, Coit Tower, Lombard Street, and the cable cars. I'm tempted to stop for a loaf of sourdough or some Ghirardelli chocolate, but I think better of it. There are tons of cute neighborhood cafes along my route as well as amazing shops and kinds of other distractions. But I stay focused, put one foot in front of the other and continue my journey. I'll leave San Francisco tomorrow as I head southwest. I don't mind leaving my heart in San Francisco... along with a few pounds...because I know I'll be back. Home is where the heart is, right?