July 21, 2010

the Central Coast of California


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photo by Donald Kinney

I've always remembered seeing these humorous and wonderful plywood cutouts at a roadside artichoke stand in Castroville, California; so I'm guessing the signs are slightly older than me -- I'm going to be 63 soon. Ouch...





click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Our family passed through Castroville several times a year on our way back and forth to Grandma's house. That would be my Mom, complaining that she just didn't have a pot big enough!!! A big sign in Castroville proclaims the small town "ARTICHOKE CAPITOL OF THE WORLD"



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Highway One now skirts the burg of Watsonville these days, but for years we had to drive across the streets of this busy farm town -- an interesting multi-cultural experience, every time.

Huge quantities of strawberries are grown near Watsonville -- if they don't call themselves the "STRAWBERRY CAPITOL OF THE WORLD", they should.

For this photo I stopped in the break-down-lane on the narrow and elevated freeway. The workers quickly figured out I was snapping their photo and didn't seem to mind -- taking just a second to do a bit of clowning for us.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

If you've driven north of Santa Cruz you've undoubtedly seen this fine old truck with the King Kong sized strawberry.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Going south in the morning it was sunny, but coming home in the afternoon the fog started to come in and I had to rely on all the usual navigational aids -- oh you know -- lighthouses, fog horns, curb feelers, radar, etc...


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2 comments:

photowannabe said...

Love the trip to artichoke land. I'm so glad they keep the old signs up. What character and charm.
Terrific pictures and good for you using all the usual navigational devices around...
There were many times I wished I had curb feelers.

Brad said...

Those signs are great. Very artistic and expressive. My wife grew up on a strawberry farm in Watsonville. I enjoy going through there; so different than around here...

Very cool shot of the workers in the field, too...

 
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