THE SONGS OF A NIGHTINGAIL

WHEN CARS WERE PRETTY AND HAD PERSONALITY & CHARM   I just had to take at least one crack at the “Old Cars” theme because I’ve always thought we’re missing out on something about cars that used to be fun. 65 – 70 years ago cars were individuals.  They had their own designs and you could tell from a glance what year, make, and model they were. Not so today.  Today all cars look alike, no personality of their own.  What a shame A 1957 Buick 2-door 2-tone.  You could always tell a Buick by its iconic portholes which Buick stopped using in their ’78 & ’79 models but reinstated in the 1960s except now, instead of portholes, they were squared off die-cast badges.  Still, they pointed out a Buick.  But even those were discontinued in 1997.  Oh well. My Grandma Louise had a ’53 Chevy Bel Air 2-door hardtop in blue & white she named “Betsy” and it was her pride and joy. A blue & white ’55 Chevy Bel Air 2-door hardtop. A blue & white ’...

So last week we left my great grandfather and his fellow Yo-Semite bound travelers in First Garrote drinking water from a fine roadside stream. This week the party will reach the northern boundary of Yo-Semite and continue on toward the Valley. A quick reminder: J.K.’s words from his journal are in black ; my remarks are in blue; and the remarks of Helen Hunt Jackson , who made the same trip two years before J.K. did, are in pink .  And away we go . . .            A little on (from First Garrote) is the saw mill where we met two stages outward bound.  At 11:38, on rising a hill, first saw the Yo-Semite mountains with snow.  Passed the fork and canyon of the Tuolumne, which is grand indeed.  This would be the area of the current Rim of the World vista point.   Next stop was Colfax Springs.  Beyond there, they would have crossed the south fork of the Tuolumne River through a covered bridge above what is now Rainbow Po...

            Okay, so we left my great grandfather Smedley and his traveling companions at the City Hotel in the pretty little town of Sonora, California, where Mr. Sutton had just insulted a young lady’s virtue and was about to be clouted by one of several willing folks.   Good thing they weren’t planning on staying there overnight! And on we go . . .   Left Sonora at 5:45 PM.  On rising a hill, saw a beautiful sunset.   (This was most likely from what is now called “Twist Road”) This is where I’m sure he saw the sunset he wrote of.  The fence and windmill probably weren’t there at the time? Arrived at Jacksonville at 8:15. Got some milk and crackers.  Crossed the Tuolumne at 9PM. (on Hoswell’s ferry) .  Arrived at the foot of Rattlesnake Hill (Old Priest Grade) at 10PM. Then it was our turn to walk. Jacksonwille in the early 1900s – some 30 years or so after J.K. and party stopped here for milk & crackers....