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I started out at about 9:15, first stop was Morgan Hill for gas.
Then continued to Salinas (B) and (C) above.
There are two targets here, the HD dealer and the Monterey County offices.
I have been to this dealership many times and did not even bother to go in.
After I got my Monterey County photo, I tried to get back to the highway.
There was a local street fair going on which I would have liked to check out if I hadn't such a long ways yet to go.
That closed off a couple blocks of downtown.
To make matters worse, there was road construction also closing several streets.
I got lost and found myself heading northwest, oposite of what I wanted.
I finally found the highway, but lost time and ended up one exit back from where I got off.
Continuing down US-101 just past King City then East on CA-198.
This is a very rural road over the coastal ranges and into the valley.
Previously, I had enjoyed this road earlier in the seasons.
It was pretty with fields of wild flowers. This time of year, it is sere.
Nothing much was growing. About 20 miles in, there is the Fresno County line.
This is on the east side of a place called Priest Valley.
I have taken this for my "F" county letter previously in 2004, 2006, and 2010.
Looking back west and then forward east.
Next stop was Hanford (D) for Kings County offices.
Visalia HD is not really in Visalia, but is on US-99 east of the city (E).
My GPS took me through rural roads to get there the back way.
It was nice and worked perfectly.
Inside, something completely different.
The owner must be a model train enthusiast. There is a "G" scale traion layout
larger than my living room. Several trains were running. I am envious.
While there, I picked up a t-shirt, a dealer pin, and some chips.
Last scheduled stop is the Fresno HD dealership (F). I had never been there.
It is an unremarkable dealership, but I'm glad I visited.
From there, I headed home, 150 miles to go.
The Google map says 425 miles, but the odometer said quite a bit more
So I am officially declaring this trip to have been 444 miles (a nice, friendly number)