Step up your game California!

OK, I can forgive the bumpy roads, I guess.  California does have a LOT of people on the road, and besides, Pat was the one who had to reroll the TP (never had a bumpy road cause that before).

We have been ALL OVER the U. S., however, and I don't think I have ever seen so much trash along the roads, both through and outside of towns.  Maybe I should be more forgiving here too?  Is California too busy with forest fires? Covid?  Are their fuel taxes too low (they sure don't seem to be)? Are they having trouble with their Adopt-a-Highway program?  We drove 4 1/2 hours this morning and this was consistently what I saw on the side of the road and in the medians.

A huge wind farm

We saw several vineyards that had at least part of their vines covered.  According to Google the plastic can protect the vines from rain and during high temperatures it can provide condensation that falls down on the vines.

Nothing to do on Thursday.  Lots of  vineyards but no wineries!  With it 'only' being in the 90's🔥 I drug Pat along to downtown Visalia for a mural and fire hydrant tour.  I'm not sure when the hydrants were painted but I think it's been a while.   Originally there were 22.  We didn't hunt them all down but it looks like some may have  met their doom and were repainted yellow.  

If things don't look quite right on the blog tonight it could be me, as it usually is, but Blogger does seem to be having problems. 

"Welcome to Visalia," completed by the Urbanists in 2021.

Vietnam Veteran War Memorial, "A Generation Forever Changed," by Rudy Vargus in 2003.  

A huge mural, "Giant Sequoia,"  in 2000.  Visalia is the Gateway to the Sequoias.

"Coca Cola," originally painted in 1941, covered up, and then discovered during a construction project.

"Smoke Break," (Freedom is not free)by Rudy Vargis in 2002.  Based on a photo taken in Korea in 1951.

"Sierra Nevada Mountains," Teen Mural Program in 2001.

"Basket of Oranges," Kaysi Grimes

"We are all Different, We are all the Same," Chances Learning Center

"Fishes," Joan Huckabay

"Gumball Machines," Kaysi Grimes

Most of the little towns we go through new little postal buildings.  Nice to see this beautiful building from 1933.  Older gentleman there was telling me those were the days, honest public officials.   I smiled and nodded, but I don't think that was probably the case.  They just didn't have the media coverage that we have today.

The Fox Theater was opened in 1930.  In 1976 it was converted to a three screen theater and closed in the 1990's.  It was restored to it's grandeur in 1999 and reopened as a live performance auditorium.

Where are the Piepers Now?  Visalia, CA