Lee Foster (fostertravel.com)

Ray Riegert's Hawaii Book

Recently I flew out to Hawaii with an old friend to look at an island new to me, Molokai.

The friend was Ray Riegert.  He was not actually on the plane, except in spirit.  I looked over the Molokai chapter in his book Hidden Hawaii as the plane headed towards the islands.

I was perusing the remarkable 25th-year edition, the 13th edition, of Ray's well-received book. It is amazing to realize that this volume has been around since 1979.

I found what I had hoped for in Ray's Molokai chapter.

As a fellow practitioner in the guidebook world, what first stands out for me is the thoroughness of the research.  It seemed as if Ray and his associates had been to every little beach and hiked every trail a dozen times.

From this breadth of experience a reader could appreciate the qualitative comments, such as Ray saying, "I love to wander the windswept beach at the edge of Halawa Valley, or hike deep into the valley, which has been inhabited by Hawaiians for 1,300 years."

Every traveler wants to make the best choices about what are the high points to consider.  Ray is clear on this in Molokai.  A visit to the former leper colony is at the top of the list, though there are no roads to get there. One could fly there, hike there, or take a mule ride in.   Ray has firm opinions, "As far as I'm concerned, the mule ride is the only way to go."

I had already planned to do that on my visit to Molokai.

Detailed coverage and firm, guiding opinions--that's what Ray Riegert has given his readers now for the last 25 years.  It is a notable record of author-reader continuity.

Sacramento Revisited

I have returned to a familiar area, Sacramento and the Delta, to peruse it again, and I find it better than ever.  I will update my article at some point.

I have done books that include this CA region.  It is good to know that this element of my coverage is more vital than ever.

Here is what I learned:

-I paid rack rate at the Hilton Garden Inn in North Sacramento, near Old Sacramento, and found the experience excellent.  A nice, clean room with free Internet, an agreeable morning buffet, and a pool that I would have enjoyed if I had had more time.  It is interesting to see the way the chains are establishing these small properties, easy in and out, no fuss, self-service.

-Old Sacramento is as vital as ever.  I paused to look again at the Pony Express statue, the western terminus of the Pony Express.  Then I walked over to the river and gazed at the Delta King, the authentic remnant of the riverboat era.  Finally, I was pleased to see that the great Railroad Museum continues to be well managed and staffed.  Many, many volunteer rail buffs are there to guide people through the museum.  To see some of the restored locomotives is to understand how these huge "iron horses" were both work horses and gaudy artifacts of their day, true objects of both beauty and power.

-Finally, the restaurant scene in Sacramento has matured in a pleasing manner.  I enjoyed Rio City Cafe in Old Sacramento, the glorious Biba's Italian restaurant near Sutter's Fort on the eastern edge of the city, and, finally, the most happily mature restaurant of all, Waterboy, in central Sacramento, with its emphasis on a pure California identity.  These three eateries were joys to experience for me and my special group of comrades.

Then I ventured into the Delta, and made two major discoveries, which are worthy subjects in and of themselves in future weeks.  As a tease, there will be reports coming up on Jeff Hart's Delta Ecotours out of Grand Island.  These are open to the public for a couple of boat outings each month.  No one knows the history and natural history better than Jeff Hart, who is a passionate participant in the future of the Delta.  Secondly, one new awareness for me is that the most valuable crop in the Delta may be the wind.  The Solano wind generator field out of Rio Vista is the "greenest" back country drive in California.

Anticipating Sacramento

Anticipation is an important aspect of travel as we look again at a destination we have known.

This weekend I will look again at Sacramento, California, and the Delta.

I will, of course, update my website coverage on Sacramento, CA.  I will be attentive to what has changed, partly for updates on my book titled NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HISTORY WEEKENDS (Globe Pequot).

Will the world-class California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento have new exhibits since my last visit?  This is the best site for any traveler who wants to understand the sociological impact of the railroad on the development of the American West. 

When I walk around Old Sacramento and look again at the statue to the Pony Express Rider, I will have a new awareness.  I have been living in an era of rapid technological change, with many people displaced by tech innovations.  Old Sacramento was the western terminus of the Pony Express, which began in St. Louis, and ended here.  Think of the shock as the Pony Express riders became aware that a telegraph line could replace them, and then a railroad line would render transport of written information by horse totally irrelevant.  The railroad was called the iron horse, wasn't it?

The dining scene in Sacramento has matured since my last visit.   I will sample Biba's, a highly recommended Italian fine dining venue.  I will also go to a fresh California cuisine site, Waterboy.

When going to Sacramento, I always want to emerge with a better understanding of the Delta, one of the magical places in California, with its thousand miles of inland waterways.  I will do a Delta Ecotour with biologist Jeff Hart and probably learn much.

My anticipation builds.  I will report in next week on the results.  May all our travels be infused with wondrous anticipation, and may our travel experiences be rewarding.