Got to Monterey just in time to see the Sunset. This is John Steinbeck country — remember he not only wrote Grapes of Wrath, but also Cannery Row and many other wonderful novels.

…Monterey, but with a stop in San Jose?

But first – all about the heartland. A quick breakfast at the hotel. Still worrying about those eggs. But my, oh my, the fruit in this area is enough for any meal. We saw orchards of cherries driving in, And watermelon–all kinds of melons–raspberries, sweet oranges.

Driving from Santa Rosa, to Sacramento, to Stockton has a middle-earth feel. You’re leaving the foggy coastlands, mountainous terrain for the heart of the state, the flatland center where drama is left behind.

Goodbye Napa – hello Sonoma! Found two good independent bookstores in the town of Sonoma. Sonoma is a picturesque town with a slower pace than Napa. Harmony reigns. And it’s unusual to find two really great independent stores in a town of this size. In my view, independent bookstores have a special charm–different personalities, like people.