Adventures Inwards The Far North...Of California: Redding, Purpose 1

We haven't fifty-fifty left the nation but, alongside a halt inwards San Jose to evaluate a novel locomote wheelchair, it's taken us 2 days in addition to 560 miles to larn to our latest destination, Redding, California but an threescore minutes due south of the Oregon border.

Our hotel for this trip is Oxford Suites. We've had wonderful stays at this small, W coast chain of hotels at their Pismo Beach in addition to Chico locations.  This i is non quite on par alongside those two.

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After a breakfast at the crowded hotel dining room, nosotros caput downwards the route a fleck to Turtle Bay Exploration Park. We honor that Turtle Bay is but a pocket-size component subdivision of a bigger commons that is anchored past times a pretty stunning pedestrian span across the Sacramento River.

That would hold upward the Sundial Bridge (note, you lot create non receive got to pay admission to Turtle Bay to access the bridge), a functional slice of fine art spanning the river alongside a drinking glass deck, suspended past times cables attached to a tall spire that is an actual sundial.

We receive got a irksome stroll across the bridge, stopping to admire the persuasion in addition to to lookout adult man a few rafters drift underneath. There was a race hither before for kayakers that started at the span in addition to ended upward inwards Chico, a hundred miles away. Our path is much shorter, peradventure some other hundred yards.

There's music at the other goal of the bridge, sounds real live, but no band inwards sight. I justice they but receive got a slap-up stereo organization in addition to speakers.

I show Tim the large arc of fourth dimension points in addition to tell him how the sundial works. It's configured to hold upward right on the hateful solar daytime of the summertime solstice.

We wander a petty fleck on some of the trails. We've been hither before, years ago, when nosotros came to take in Lassen Volcanic National Park but much of this expanse was undeveloped. There's a pocket-size span over a nearby creek, shaded past times stands of oak in addition to sycamore.

The principal trail continues on to the banks of the river in addition to doubles dorsum nether the bridge. An accessible platform at that topographic point allows wheelchairs to larn right to the border of the water.

A band is playing nether the bridge, taking wages of the acoustics it offers. So that's where the music was coming from.

I enquire a lady playing alongside them if it's okay if I receive got some video of them playing. She tells me it's okay in addition to that they're having a 45 twelvemonth reunion of a grouping that used to but larn together hither in addition to play i time a week.

She asks where we're from in addition to I tell Los Angeles. She used to alive at that topographic point in addition to knows that's a real generic term thus she asks specifically where. I tell her the San Gabriel Valley.

"Oh, really? I used to learn schoolhouse inwards South El Monte," she tells me.

"I grew upward inwards South El Monte," I respond.

"I taught at Dean Shively School."

"I went to Dean Shively School."

"Do you lot retrieve a Mrs. Salazar?"

"Yes, she was i of my teachers."

"I used to hold upward Mrs. Salazar."

Fate had brought us dorsum together 45 years later. Just a fluke plow in addition to an involvement inwards their music led to a reunion alongside my simple schoolhouse teacher.

We spent the adjacent few minutes catching upward alongside each other's lives. She divorced, moved to Redding, met in addition to married her electrical flow husband, in addition to then moved upward to the Seattle area.

Just past times chance, she was hither this weekend to receive got that reunion alongside her bandmates. It actually is a pocket-size the world sometimes.

After that impromptu reunion, nosotros caput dorsum across the span to take in Turtle Bay. Part zoo, component subdivision museum, component subdivision educational center, component subdivision aquarium, component subdivision garden, this is Redding's biggest attraction right now.

Inside, nosotros larn through a fake cave meant to evoke Shasta Caverns to the north. This is the alone wheelchair accessible agency to 'visit' Shasta Caverns, past times the way. At the other goal of the cave is an aquarium meant to correspond the Sacramento River alongside examples of the dissimilar species of fish in addition to animals that telephone outcry upward it home.

Trout, salmon, ducks, in addition to fifty-fifty a less than eager beaver are inwards this display.

Outside, an elevated in addition to accessible boardwalk takes us over to the zoo where nosotros come across an brute show.

We are warned strictly to receive got a topographic point in addition to create non movement during the entirety of the presentation because these are nevertheless wildlife in addition to nosotros create non desire to spook or distract them.

The demo goes on alongside a pair of trainers in addition to a menagerie of critters such every bit foxes, porcupines, in addition to skunks along alongside some hawks, a vulture, in addition to a raven.

After a hateful solar daytime of wandering to a greater extent than or less the river, nosotros caput over to downtown in addition to receive got a squeamish luncheon at Mary's Pizza Shack before ending upward dorsum at the hotel where field waiting an threescore minutes for the puddle elevator to hold upward fixed, the tranquillity swimming expanse became a pocket-size puddle populated past times a large swarm of noisy kids.

Oh well, we'll but telephone outcry upward it a hateful solar daytime at that indicate in addition to alternative upward where nosotros left off tomorrow.

Darryl
Copyright 2016 - Darryl Musick
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Photos Copyright 2016 - Letty Musick
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