Day 6 (June 16)-Soledad to San Antonio (Jolon)
This morning was crisp and inviting. My route took me to the east of Salinas River, up along the bluff. I followed the course of the Southern Pacific Railroad along the valley to King City. The first five miles or so was through vineyards and wineries. Then the crops gave way to produce. Carolyn, who is much more knowledgable about farm things than I am, listed the following crops she has noticed being grown in the area:
Lettuce (all sorts, including romaine and red leaf)
Spinach
Cabbage (several kinds, including purple)
Broccoli
Carrots
Green bean
Green onions
Parsley
Artichokes (I thought she was going to sneak into the fields and steal some!)
Strawberries ("everywhere!")
Cherries
Blueberries
And of course, GRAPES
Because she is a budding apiarist (bee keeper), she also discovered that 70% of all commercial hives are in California, especially for strawberries and almonds. Two-thirds of all hives are transported here to pollinate almond trees during three weeks in February.
With the wind at my back, cool temperatures and only a very slight uphill climb, the first half of the day was fantastic. I rendesvoused with Carolyn in King City at Firehouse Coffee, where we enjoyed lunch and refreshment. Then the fun began.
Leaving King City, I saw the sign that appears to the right. This was truly an isolated road, leading to Hunter-Liggett Military (Army) Reserve, where they carry out combat support training in the unpopulated valleys of the Santa Lucia Mountains. The road began to climb, and it was pretty much all uphill from there. At one point, there is about a two mile, fairly steep grade. After sweating and struggling, I was almost to the top when I looked down and saw the picture below somehow etched into the road. Evidently some other old guy trying to cycle this hill had been here before I came! I started hearing the "Rocky" theme in my head as I pedaled the last few hundred feet to the top. "AAAADDRIAAAANNNN!"
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Good thing my "forward scout," Colonel Carolyn went ahead of me. The routes of my maps AND the directions on her GPS were absolutely of no help, since evidently the Army opens and closes roads as they see fit, without notifying the taxpayer. In her usual resourceful style, she found the Mission and relayed instructions to me (I was surprised we had cell phone reception!). As I rode onto the base, I heard machine gun firing and some other disturbing noises, making me a bit nervous. I sure hope their aims were good! Carolyn caught me on film puffing into the mission complex, trying to make it before it closed for the day.
What has been impressive so far is how similar but yet how unique each mission is. Mission San Antonio de Padua, named after an Italian Franciscan who was famous for his preaching and is also the saint of "finding lost possessions," never had a town grow up around it. Then the military reservation surrounded the mission. It is said that the mission exists in an environment almost identical to the one in which it was founded in 1771. San Antonio was the third mission to be founded, after San Diego and Carmel. It was on the way, more or less, between the two. The San Juan River runs about three miles uphill from the mission, and much of the success of the mission can be attributed to the aquaducts and reservoirs built by the founding missionaries to provide a plentiful supply of good water to the compound and ranches. At the height of its production, this mission had over 20,000 head of livestock (8,000 cattle, 10,000 sheep and an assortment of goats and other animals). The mission quickly became self-sufficient, and was a prolific producer of wines and olives.
One gets a great feel from visiting this mission what early life would have been like. There is very little civilization around. And the caretakers of the mission have done an excellent job of providing signage to help the visitor locate and understand the rustic yet inventive elements that made up life at the end of the 18th Century in Spanish California. Probably the best way to tell this part of the story is through the photos below. (Click on any of the photos for a larger version.)
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Then there are the squirrels. I'm thinking that June is California Squirrel Month! We've seen hundreds of them--several varieties, including a lot of ground squirrels--both dead (on the road) and alive. At the mission, this squirrel spied Carolyn eating a granola bar, and graciously invited itself to help eat it. He would take a bit, fake chewing on it, then stuff it into his cheeks. I'm sure he is sitting in his hole tonight with the Rolaids saying, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
Later, she was sitting down on a bench in the front of the mission, and a cat came and curled up in her lap. Carolyn loves critters, and obviously they love her!
Because there is "No Gas" or anything near the mission, we headed back to King City for the night, and found a great little taco restaurant.
Soledad to Mission San Antonio (Jolon): 49 miles
Total Missions visited: 10
Total Miles Biked Thus Far: 382
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| Road from Soledad to King City, following the Southern Pacific Railroad |
Lettuce (all sorts, including romaine and red leaf)
Spinach
Cabbage (several kinds, including purple)
Broccoli
Carrots
Green bean
Green onions
Parsley
Artichokes (I thought she was going to sneak into the fields and steal some!)
Strawberries ("everywhere!")
Cherries
Blueberries
And of course, GRAPES
Because she is a budding apiarist (bee keeper), she also discovered that 70% of all commercial hives are in California, especially for strawberries and almonds. Two-thirds of all hives are transported here to pollinate almond trees during three weeks in February.
With the wind at my back, cool temperatures and only a very slight uphill climb, the first half of the day was fantastic. I rendesvoused with Carolyn in King City at Firehouse Coffee, where we enjoyed lunch and refreshment. Then the fun began.
 |
| King City to Mission San Antonio-- NOTHING! |
Leaving King City, I saw the sign that appears to the right. This was truly an isolated road, leading to Hunter-Liggett Military (Army) Reserve, where they carry out combat support training in the unpopulated valleys of the Santa Lucia Mountains. The road began to climb, and it was pretty much all uphill from there. At one point, there is about a two mile, fairly steep grade. After sweating and struggling, I was almost to the top when I looked down and saw the picture below somehow etched into the road. Evidently some other old guy trying to cycle this hill had been here before I came! I started hearing the "Rocky" theme in my head as I pedaled the last few hundred feet to the top. "AAAADDRIAAAANNNN!"
 |
| Pulling into Mission San Antonia |
Good thing my "forward scout," Colonel Carolyn went ahead of me. The routes of my maps AND the directions on her GPS were absolutely of no help, since evidently the Army opens and closes roads as they see fit, without notifying the taxpayer. In her usual resourceful style, she found the Mission and relayed instructions to me (I was surprised we had cell phone reception!). As I rode onto the base, I heard machine gun firing and some other disturbing noises, making me a bit nervous. I sure hope their aims were good! Carolyn caught me on film puffing into the mission complex, trying to make it before it closed for the day.
What has been impressive so far is how similar but yet how unique each mission is. Mission San Antonio de Padua, named after an Italian Franciscan who was famous for his preaching and is also the saint of "finding lost possessions," never had a town grow up around it. Then the military reservation surrounded the mission. It is said that the mission exists in an environment almost identical to the one in which it was founded in 1771. San Antonio was the third mission to be founded, after San Diego and Carmel. It was on the way, more or less, between the two. The San Juan River runs about three miles uphill from the mission, and much of the success of the mission can be attributed to the aquaducts and reservoirs built by the founding missionaries to provide a plentiful supply of good water to the compound and ranches. At the height of its production, this mission had over 20,000 head of livestock (8,000 cattle, 10,000 sheep and an assortment of goats and other animals). The mission quickly became self-sufficient, and was a prolific producer of wines and olives.
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| The church and corner of the mission complex at San Antonio |
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| Fountain and roses in the inner courtyard at San Antonio |
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| Interior of Mission San Antonio's church; Gregorian chanting was being played. The acoustics were amazing. |
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| Carolyn's new best friend |
Then there are the squirrels. I'm thinking that June is California Squirrel Month! We've seen hundreds of them--several varieties, including a lot of ground squirrels--both dead (on the road) and alive. At the mission, this squirrel spied Carolyn eating a granola bar, and graciously invited itself to help eat it. He would take a bit, fake chewing on it, then stuff it into his cheeks. I'm sure he is sitting in his hole tonight with the Rolaids saying, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
Later, she was sitting down on a bench in the front of the mission, and a cat came and curled up in her lap. Carolyn loves critters, and obviously they love her!
Because there is "No Gas" or anything near the mission, we headed back to King City for the night, and found a great little taco restaurant.
Soledad to Mission San Antonio (Jolon): 49 miles
Total Missions visited: 10
Total Miles Biked Thus Far: 382
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