on California’s State Route 45
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State Route 45 provides a welcome
alternative to I-5 when traveling the valley north of Woodland. Coursing through farm lands, orchards
and tiny bergs, the two-lane carries us back in time a bit.
Along the way it tempts us with occasional views from the
west side of the Sacramento River.
Although many lanes lead to the leveed banks of the Sacramento, few
provide an alternate to Route 45.
Most of these little avenues offer access to farmers and fisher-people
simply dead-ending at the river.
The run south from Hamilton City is
straight and smooth. Once past the
Tehema-Colusa Canal levee, undeveloped land allows for nice views of the Coast
Range off to the west and riparian stands of oak and black walnut nearer the
river.
Within a few miles, almond orchards present row upon row of,
on this day, delicately blossomed trees.
Their fragrance is high on my list of favorites: a virtual tie with my
local cigar guy’s humidor.
The highway passes through bergs that, before interstates,
served as mercantile hubs farmers and ranchers.
An equipment repair shop may or may not stay open along with
taverns, small, whitewashed churches and tiny country stores. I stop for bottled water and an apple,
not because I need the water or the apple, but because, I figure, they need the
business.
Route 45 intersects 162. I cross the river here to visit Butte City and see what’s
going on. Not much…
…except for this pleasant reflection of peach blossoms.
Area kids go to school in Princeton with those making it
through the twelfth grade legitimately called “Princeton Grads.”
In the 50s, the Princeton High School Band made regular treks
to South Bend, Indiana to perform at Notre Dame football games. No longer. No money. Heck,
there may not even be a band any more.
Where’s Harold Hill when you need
him?
Out this way, the almond orchards have yielded more to
English walnuts. These black-stumped,
silver-barked trees are spaciously organized into cool groves that might invite
a nap on a hot summer day. Cautiously
wondering how the landowner might react, I don’t do this.
Colusa provides a respite from the
saddle. Once among the largest
wheat transshipment points in the country, the town nestles the west bank of
the Sacramento about half way through a sojourn along state route 45. Devoid of big box stores, the main
street seems to be weathering some less-than-the-best economic times.
A stroll through the neighborhood backing the business
district, one finds a nice collection of Victorian and craftsman style homes on
spacious lots along tree-lined streets.
125 years ago, the state powers-that-be strongly considered
Colusa for the location of the northern Normal School, an institution for
training teachers. Fifty miles distant and home to US Senator John Bidwell,
Chico won the bid for this school.
One can only imagine the flip-flop of town fortunes had the decision
gone the other direction.
Beyond Colusa, the valley has become
more of a sink, a low land in which water may collect for weeks at a time in
winter. Rice is now king as are
wintering fowl.
Heading south from a junction with SR 20, highway 45 slips
through glens of standing oaks, then veers onto the tilled valley bottomland.
Soon, it curves back riverward at Grimes. Another country store and little church
make this a community. From here,
the highway appears to follow straight lines, making ninety-degree turns at,
perhaps, historic property lines.
A nice alternative is Wilson Bend Road.
This little gem wanders through a few more fields and
orchards and offers few more miles of levee top views of the river.
The pavement isn’t great, but I’m not in a hurry or I’d be
over on I-5.
The final stretch is a pleasant jaunt through the Great
Valley, although I always get to Knight’s Landing wishing there were a few more
miles of state route 45 to enjoy.
o0o
Today’s Route: I-5 to Orland or State Route 99 to
Chico; SR 32 to Hamilton City (Glenn County). From Hamilton City, south on SR 45 through Ord Bend (what’s
left of it), Glenn (ditto) to Four Corners. Here, consider a side trip over to Butte City just to check
things out across the river.
Continue south of SR 45 through Princeton (find the old ferry pulled up
on the bank in the shadow of a warehouse; but watch out for the little yip-yip dog who guards it!) to Colusa. SR 45 joins SR 20 through town splitting about five miles
south of town. Bear right, through
Grimes, Grand Island and on to Knight’s Landing. Alternate south of Grand Island: left on Wilson Bend for a
few miles of levee riding. From
Knight’s Landing SR 113 leads to Woodland or Yuba City; county road E-10 hooks
up with I-5 at Zamora.
o0o
In Colusa, I pulled
onto a side street, visited the nicely maintained city park and then hoofed
over to a newly opened tacqueria occupying once-vacant and dusty
storefront. The carnitas tacos
were subtly smoked and gently spiced.
They came with homemade refrieds and well-seasoned rice. The proprietor, who may or may not have
been born on this side of that new fence folks seem to be so excited about,
made chipper conversation with customers, asking me about what I was riding and
where I might be headed. He was
equally deft engaging a Hispanic gent who’d parked a working copy of a Chevy truck
out front. As I departed, the
young restaurateur bid me “safe travels.”
I left feeling gastronomically satisfied. I couldn’t help but reflect on the opportunity this young
man had sighted and seized.
© 2013
Church of the Open Road Press
Nice capture of 45 and spring time in nor cal.
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