Another "late" start this morning at 8:27 with a temperature of 59*. Just down the road we crossed in to California. That was pretty exciting after 10 long days on the road and one more to go before we can relax.
Near the Nevada/California border
California - state #10
Next up is Lake Tahoe. We decided to drive the east side of the lake. That meant crossing back in to Nevada. All we could say was, "WOW"! It is absolutely gorgeous! After a stop at the Visitor's Center, it was recommended we stop at Sand Point.
One of our first good views of Lake Tahoe
Beautiful with the mountains in the background!
Conrad on the Sand Point Boardwalk Tral
Trail to the beach
Beautiful!
The water was so clear and blue!
Sand Point Boardwalk Trail
The water was pretty deep here but you could
see the bottom so clearly.
Lots of people enjoying the beach
We fed this guy a snack from our lunch.
This bird watched us eating the whole time we were there.
Near South Lake Tahoe, CA
Hard to leave this beautiful view!
We had one more stop before getting to Brent and Jackie's and that was at Folsom Prison, just east of Sacramento. Of course, we couldn't go in but we did get to visit the museum briefly. It was supposed to close at 4:30 and we got there about 4:00. We were looking around out on the porch and the man came out and asked us gruffly if we planned to see the museum. He said that we'd better hurry and he wouldn't charge us admission. He was already counting money from the day. The Visitor's Center museum is run by retired guards. The prison is mostly famous for Johnny Cash recording a live concert there on January 13, 1968 that revived his career.
Folsom State Prison was one of the nation's first maximum-security prisons, designed and built in the decades following the 1848 California Gold Rush that brought hundreds of thousands of gold-seeking prospectors to the state. In 1858, the California Legislature determined a branch prison was needed to relieve serious overcrowding at San Quentin State Prison, the state's oldest correctional institution located just north of San Francisco in Marin County. Construction of Folsom Prison began in 1878.
The first cellblock at Folsom Prison contained 324 cells and officers' quarters. The cells, which had no heat or plumbing, were approximately 8 feet by 4 feet in size, with solid iron doors featuring a 6-inch by 2-inch opening so officers could view the inside of the cell. A candle was the only source of light. By 1895, electricity had found its way into the facility.
Folsom was designed to house the state's most notorious prisoners, those serving long sentences, habitual criminals, and incorrigibles. As the years went by, Folsom gained a violent and bloody reputation.
Today, Folsom State Prison primarily houses Medium Security General Population male inmates. In January 2013, the former Community Correctional Facility on the grounds of Folsom Prison was reactivated as Folsom Women's Facility, and currently houses approximately 400 minimum-custody female inmates.
Folsom State Prison was one of the nation's first maximum-security prisons, designed and built in the decades following the 1848 California Gold Rush that brought hundreds of thousands of gold-seeking prospectors to the state. In 1858, the California Legislature determined a branch prison was needed to relieve serious overcrowding at San Quentin State Prison, the state's oldest correctional institution located just north of San Francisco in Marin County. Construction of Folsom Prison began in 1878.
The first cellblock at Folsom Prison contained 324 cells and officers' quarters. The cells, which had no heat or plumbing, were approximately 8 feet by 4 feet in size, with solid iron doors featuring a 6-inch by 2-inch opening so officers could view the inside of the cell. A candle was the only source of light. By 1895, electricity had found its way into the facility.
Folsom was designed to house the state's most notorious prisoners, those serving long sentences, habitual criminals, and incorrigibles. As the years went by, Folsom gained a violent and bloody reputation.
Today, Folsom State Prison primarily houses Medium Security General Population male inmates. In January 2013, the former Community Correctional Facility on the grounds of Folsom Prison was reactivated as Folsom Women's Facility, and currently houses approximately 400 minimum-custody female inmates.
Folsom State Prison Sign
Front of the prison showing the guard tower
The side of the prison
At the museum
Piece of rock from the wall when they built a
door out the back to an exercise yard for the
prisoners.
William J.B. Burke was convicted of burglary and sent to Folsom in 1928. He escaped in 1929 and was recaptured and spent the next 30 years in prison. But instead of just staring at the wall, Burke built a magnificent nine-foot-tall Ferris wheel out of 250,000 toothpicks.
The Ferris wheel
Lots of articles about Johnny Cash
The "Mock Cell" contains Sam the Perpetual Prisoner - a dummy in striped attire and big mustache circa 1890s, with an animated head that turns from side-to-side every ten seconds or so. There is a Bible propped on one leg, and a big rubber cockroach on the other. Sam's audio narration talks about hardships of early prison life.
Sam, the Perpetual Prisoner
The traffic through Sacramento was awful! We were there at the beginning rush hour time and not real sure where we were going. We were about an hour and a half from Brent and Jackie's apartment in Walnut Creek. Once we got to their exit, we found the apartment complex but couldn't find how to get in. We pulled in to a restaurant next door but the valet parking guy told us we had to leave. We called Jackie and she talked us in the back way and met us in the parking lot. They had parked in the outside parking and gave us their spot in the parking garage.
After hearing "the lady" say "at the end of the road", we had finally found OUR end of the road and it was so good to hug these people!
I FINALLY got to hug them! This is one
happy mama!
Ready to break out the wine we bought in
Deadwood, South Dakota
After a yummy dinner at Yan's China Bistro we went back to Brent's for some conversation and sleeping. We are so happy to be here and have delivered his "I want you to save this for me - don't throw it out" stuff after keeping it for 20 years!
It was only 249 miles today but seemed twice that much! Now to relax!!
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