Travels in the 2nd half

  Located about 20 miles inland from Monterey Bay is the city of Salinas, California. Salinas is the county seat of Monterey county. It was founded in the 18th century by a land grant, first from the Spanish government, and then from the Mexican government. The city became the center of the agricultural industry for Monterey County, a roll it still enjoys today. Ghost Signs John Steinbeck House and Cafe Salinas is the birthplace of American writer John Steinbeck (1902-1968). Steinbeck mostly wrote novels and novels. From 1929 through 1961 his fiction described the lives of working people in this area. He is best known for The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, and East of Eden, all of which explore the experiences of farm workers on California’s farms. Steinbeck was awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize for Literature. In the center of town is the National Steinbeck Center. This wonderful museum offers interactive exhibits that go beyond Steinbeck’s books, highlighting their cultural effects...

The Southwest Chief in La Junta Colorado Taking the Southwest Chief out of Chicago means spending a good 15 minutes traveling through one train yard after another, followed by a seemingly endless stretch of suburbs. But once you get past Naperville you are in farm country and the vista opens up. Flat fields off to the horizon. The trees are wind breaks, or provide shade for houses. On a grey day like the day we traveled the sky and ground just kind of blend into each other like an impressionist painting, losing distinction in the distance. Mendota IL Mendota Water Tower Coming into the town of Mendota IL, past the Del Monte Factory and the silos, we are met with a very quiet Easter Sunday afternoon. A few square blocks of downtown, then it is back to the farms. Truthfully, I can’t imagine living in a town like Mendota. As a city kid it would drive me nuts, but I know that there are people here who feel the same way about living in New York City.  ...