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I vacation in California for the first time in 1994 with a friend. Heading north from San Francisco on our way to our first destination, I am immediately struck by how arid the climate is in that part of the country. The vegetation looks very yellow and parched, making me more clearly understand the massive incompatibility between the human population in California and the water needed to support that population.

California and Yosemite

Domz
2004-04-06 19:43:28

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of its former mighty self. It is, nevertheless, the most popular whitewater in the state. It was fun, but no where near as exciting as my previous whitewater experiences. I had purposely selected a relatively tame river, since my friend, as a first-timer, was understandably nervous. But even she was somewhat disappointed, and we quickly decide we should make a trip to the Chatooga River (the Deliverance river) soon.

San Francisco

Finally, it was on to the City by the Bay-San Francisco, "everyone's favorite city." Along the way on the highway, we pass huge agricultural areas and the most enormous windmill farm in the galaxy (I feel like I am in a Sci-Fi movie). The city is everything it was billed to be. Great sourdough bread, wonderful transit system (we ride trolleys, cable cars, electric and diesel buses), mind-boggling numbers of brightly painted and elaborate Victorian homes, very rich culture (we browse about 20 bookstores), and excellent restaurants. We ride our bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge (Opened in 1937. What a rush! What a view!) We visit the famous Haight-Asbury district and the Castro district (both were bustling with street activity-so typical of a healthy city). On one night, I am delighted to see the monthly "Friday Night Skate," where hundreds of people skate through the city streets on rollerblades in a group large enough to allow them to take over the street. Their destination is always a nightclub, where they go dancing (on this particular night, it was Club DV8). Another monthly event in the city, which we are not lucky enough to witness, is the "Critical Mass Bike Ride," where other hundreds take over the streets in the name of a sane form of transportation.

We find that even in the summer, the wind, rain, and cold can make the city quite blustery. But overall, the climate is mild. Sprawl is reined in by the ocean to the west, the Golden Gate to the north, and the vast bay to the east. The city was established in 1776 with the beginning of a mission dedicated to St. Francis. In 1945, the United Nations was founded here. It is the second busiest port on the west coast. The city is considered the king of cuisine in the U.S., with 4,000 restaurants and internationally known shopping districts. In 1990, 1,603,700 people lived here.

About California

Contains the largest population of any state in the U.S. (1994 population was 31,431,000). Ski areas and brutally hot deserts are found here. The state has 1,264 miles of coastline and is 350 miles wide. Nearly every crop in the U.S. is grown here (at one point, we drove through what seemed like hundreds of miles of farmland). The state is a major breadbasket for the U.S., leading the nation in the production of over 35 fruits and vegetables. In 1848, gold was discovered and touched off a mass migration. Statehood came in 1850.