Petaluma, California...'round the turn of the century was the "Chicken Capital of the World.", now known for the "World Wristwrestling Championship" and the "Ugly Dog Contest " (center of town has statues dedicated to 'em). And home of the best Sourdough French Bread around...Lombardi's and Parisan.
When I was growing up it was a small town, where everyone seemed to know everyone by sight usually. Maybe 10,000 people or so, featuring gas stations, bars, banks, cafes, small shops, churches and schools. The downtown was 'about 5 or 6 square city blocks. Agriculture was big, plenty of small dairys that co-op'd a large local cremery, plenty of grain for the local poultry processing plant for the chickens and eggs.
Now it is a bedroom community, tons of tract homes especially on the east side of the river which bisects the town as does the train tracks used for freight (a few feeble attempts to have passenger trains over the years never took off). Still plenty of old style Victorian 1900's mansions on the older west side. Population is up 75,000, downtown composed mainly of eateries and antique stores. Shopping centers clog the surface streets and the downtown has expanded to include housing to stimulate business and make the city more "busy" rather than desolate after 5:30PM in the old days.
Still love motorcycling out that-a-way...only a 'bout 30 minutes from the coast to Hwy 1 for the best scenic (but cold and foggy, so be ready to "layer up") and swervy roads and there are redwood trees, wilderness, small waterfalls, great camping, biking and hiking on Northern California, and of course the best wine tasting if you care to "indulge."
I live in Southern California in Camarillo, far enough away from LA (55 miles) east, and 55 miles south east of Santa Barbara...and only 10 miles from the ocean. Great motorcycling here, much dryer and less wilderness (campsite in SoCal is a small patch of green to pitch your tent and park your car, and usually not near anything scenic, unless you pay...! Still there are some nice curvy roads here and plenty of Harley people here.
When I was growing up it was a small town, where everyone seemed to know everyone by sight usually. Maybe 10,000 people or so, featuring gas stations, bars, banks, cafes, small shops, churches and schools. The downtown was 'about 5 or 6 square city blocks. Agriculture was big, plenty of small dairys that co-op'd a large local cremery, plenty of grain for the local poultry processing plant for the chickens and eggs.
Now it is a bedroom community, tons of tract homes especially on the east side of the river which bisects the town as does the train tracks used for freight (a few feeble attempts to have passenger trains over the years never took off). Still plenty of old style Victorian 1900's mansions on the older west side. Population is up 75,000, downtown composed mainly of eateries and antique stores. Shopping centers clog the surface streets and the downtown has expanded to include housing to stimulate business and make the city more "busy" rather than desolate after 5:30PM in the old days.
Still love motorcycling out that-a-way...only a 'bout 30 minutes from the coast to Hwy 1 for the best scenic (but cold and foggy, so be ready to "layer up") and swervy roads and there are redwood trees, wilderness, small waterfalls, great camping, biking and hiking on Northern California, and of course the best wine tasting if you care to "indulge."
I live in Southern California in Camarillo, far enough away from LA (55 miles) east, and 55 miles south east of Santa Barbara...and only 10 miles from the ocean. Great motorcycling here, much dryer and less wilderness (campsite in SoCal is a small patch of green to pitch your tent and park your car, and usually not near anything scenic, unless you pay...! Still there are some nice curvy roads here and plenty of Harley people here.
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