Maggie's Farm

I just finished three days grueling hiking in Kings and Sequoia National Parks, before moving on to more hiking in Yosemite and Gold Country for another six days. Visalia is in the heart of the central San Joaquin Valley, population 135 thousand, economy agriculture.

Thanks to Google Maps I took two routes fir the fastest hour to the entrances to the parks, off main roads zigging and zagging through side roads of field crops, orchards, and cattle grazing. Sets the mind at ease to see before and after hiking (hiking will be another post). Visalia is clean as a whistle, wide well paved streets, well kept houses, and downtown steps out of the 1930s without a single chain store besides one Starbucks over ten blocks, surrounded by gorgeous large public buildings and fine old homes from that same time. Visalia is a refreshing vision of America. No wonder the population has grown from 75 thousand in 1990, around the last time I was here.