California Foothill Country, Sonoma.
As the motor car rolled on through this section, those in the car were silent, enjoying the splendors of the country, and inhaling the sweet incense of the buckeye trees, which were in bloom.
When approaching Petaluma, the great hennery of the State, a touch of bygone days was seen when, as the motor car turned a curve and came in sight of a stream, a dozen small urchins sprang out only to be lost sight of the next second as they dove into the creek. The call of youth was heard, and there was a longing to stop and be boys again.
Once past Petaluma, the road led across the Sonoma Valley to the easterly side, thence along the foothills to Santa Rosa. When near the latter place a home was passed that brought to the mind the “House of Seven Gables,” only this dwelling had eleven gables.
Santa Rosa, the county seat of Sonoma County, if noted for nothing else will hold its place in history as the home of the wizard, Luther Burbank. Over the well kept fence of his grounds were seen the spineless cactus and many flowering plants.
The road from Santa Rosa led on through Windsor to Healdsburg. As the latter town was neared the flowers and grain fields gave way to the hop vines for which this section is noted.
A stop was made at Healdsburg for luncheon, after which the journey continued on to Cloverdale, past the roads leading to Skaggs and Lytton, through Geyserville and Asti.
The latter town, the home of the Italian–Swiss colony, is one of the greatest wine-producing sections in the State. The roads in this vicinity are unusually fine.
From Cloverdale the course runs on to “Pop” McCray’s. A narrative of a journey through this part of Sonoma County would be incomplete without mention of a stop to enjoy the hospitality of “Pop” McCray.
Leaving this popular place and passing over the covered bridge the road turns to the right, as the road to the left continues on to Ukiah or over the Pieta grade into Lake County.
A mile or two of good road brought us to the highway that led up the creek to the Geysers.
As we proceeded, we climbed higher and higher, along the mountain side. It was an exciting ride, the road in many places being so narrow that there was not room enough for a motor car and a pedestrian. On the left was the mountain into which the road was cut, while on the right, sheer down from 100 to 200 feet, or even more in places, lay the creek bed, strewn with huge boulders and ragged rocks, warning of the terrible fate that would result from the slightest misjudgment in driving.
The whole eighteen miles is practically over this kind of a road. There are stretches of it that are not so bad.
After crossing a bridge to the right bank of the creek, we came on to an opening in the mountain side which proved to be the entrance to a quicksilver mine, then in making another turn an old abandoned mine was passed which, it was said, produced considerable free silver in its day.
Finally, signs of habitation commenced to appear and shortly the gates of the Geysers were in view.
The Geysers are a study and a freak of nature most interesting. Springs of boiling water are side by side with springs whose temperature is much cooler than the atmosphere. The steam and mineral springs oozing up out of the ground turn it into mud, the properties of which contain healing qualities that are unexplainable. Those who live there the year in and out tell some strange tales of these waters that trickle down from the springs. They say that in the winter time, or at seasons when but few visit the springs, the wild animals, among which are deer and even bear, have been seen coining down into the creek bottom to bathe.
This in itself might not be unusual were it not for the fact that these animals have not been seen to do likewise in the other creeks in close proximity. It is evident that nature has taught them the value of these life-giving waters.
As one ponders over the greatness of the whole situation, he cannot but think of what a world-renowned spot this would be if it were located in any other place in the world except California, where so many great things abound that this one particular spot does not attract unusual attention.
The return was made over the new bou-
