Steinbeck Country-Autumn

      The Mayor and his staff drove back to the Bay Area on the way to Tahoma Monday morning- a glorious day, the 3rd day of record setting high temperatures for early November.  Driving Highway 101 without lots of traffic is a pleasure; a real treat, really.  Like the old days(?).  With Highway 5 taking the majority of north and south bound traffic, 101 is almost for locals.
     After leaving Paso Robles, the driver makes his way north until he reaches the headwaters/drainage area of the Salinas River.  Mostly dry now, but out in the middle, water flows north.  In the southern end, on both sides of the valley, grapes/vineyards have taken over, with more vines going in.   These are large parcels, not the postage stamp holdings of Napa and Sonoma counties.  The vines stretch from river to foothills, neatly laid out in measured rows.   Very few structures interrupt the landscape, indicating sizable commercial investment.
      By the time one reaches King City, or half way, the land gives over to row crops.  Yellow onions were laid out, drying a little before being bagged for shipping all over the USA.   Late season greens of several types were being harvested, with field hands, the the aid of mechanical conveyors, were ste about their work in the hot sun.   Most of the fields had been disked, leveled, and put to rows and beds, waiting for planting.
     Between King City and Salinas, the valley broadens and the river widens, until one crosses the last wide bridge at Salinas and the river traverses the last few miles to the coast and Monterey Bay.  One cannot cross this valley without thinking of SteinbecK and his "Grapes of Wrath"; or "East of Eden"; or  "The Red Pony".  I always do, and I enjoy the thought(s).   I should read him again.  I do have a recent publication of his letters.
     One of his last efforts was a stint as a war correspondent in Vietnam in 1967-68.  He actually went with his wife and spent several months writing columns for a Long Island newspaper.   His columns were not meant to be political, but records of his observations and opinions.   He died shortly after his return from Southeast Asia in 1968.   Interesting final chapter to a life well lived.

Mayor Reelected
   No, not the Mayor of Tahoma.  He's mayor for life, part of the charter.  Some mayors, somewhere were elected, lots of governors, senators(33), representatives(30+), state representatives, etc.  Now, it's back to business.
Hope your candidate won, again.