Landscape Across America

Connie Arizona, California, Iowa, Road Trips, Texas December 19, 2015amboy crater, channel islands national park, elephane seals in san simeon, elephant seals in california, Great Salt Lake, Iowa, Iowa loess hills, Loess Hills, mammoth lakes, Monterey, Monterey CA, Monterey California, oatman arizona, oatman az, road trip, salinas valley, Salinas Valley Ca, Salinas Valley California, san simeon, san simeon ca, san simeon california, santa monica, santa monica ca, santa monica california, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Sonora Pass, texas, utah, wyoming 1 Comment

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain

–Katharine Lee Bates

During our twenty-day road trip from Chicago to Monterey, California, down to Santa Monica and back across Route 66, my favorite patriotic song, America the Beautiful, came to mind. The topography constantly changed. From mountains, some still with snow, to lush valleys, to the hot, dry desert and ocean views, the landscape painted a beautiful backdrop for our trip. We’re sharing some of the scenic areas that we drove through in this video.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in U.S. Long Cuts. We are merging U.S. Long Cuts with Midwest Wanderer, adding a “Beyond the Midwest” menu option.

Ag Venture Tours: See America’s Salad Bowl

Connie Attractions & Events, California December 8, 2015September 1, 2016ag venture tours, salinas valley 0 Comment

After you’ve toured the California coast along Monterey Bay, visited the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium, shopped along Cannery Row and dined on Fisherman’s Wharf, take a drive inland a few miles to the Salinas Valley. Salinas Valley stretches a hundred miles north to south, sandwiched between the Santa Lucia and Gabilan mountain ranges. Fields of lettuce lay before you—neat rows of romaine, red leaf, green leaf and iceberg. Bright red, luscious strawberries dot other fields, or you may see celery, spinach or asparagus. You’re also bound to come across farm workers hand picking the produce and packing it right in the field. You’ve entered America’s “salad bowl,” where farmers grow over 40 vegetables and fruits, including over 80 percent of America’s lettuce. The best way to see the valley and to learn about how America’s produce is grown is on an agricultural tour with Ag Venture Tours.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in U.S. Long Cuts. We are merging U.S. Long Cuts with Midwest Wanderer, adding a “Beyond the Midwest” menu option.