{"id":637,"date":"2009-10-19T16:01:44","date_gmt":"2009-10-19T23:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lastgreatroadtrip.net\/?p=637"},"modified":"2009-10-24T17:02:50","modified_gmt":"2009-10-25T00:02:50","slug":"picks-and-pans-nevada-city-and-north-san-juan-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lastgreatroadtrip.net\/?p=637","title":{"rendered":"Picks and Pans – Nevada City and North San Juan, CA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Going to Sean’s hometown, after so many years, now makes me feel like I’m returning home too. This is mostly due to the fact that Sean’s family and friends have welcomed me with open arms and open hearts since my first visit. And, also, being a Montana girl, I’ll always feel at home in the mountains. So, thanks all you Nevada City folk for sharing your time, your laughs and your loving and creative inspiration. We’ll be back as soon as we can.<\/p>\n

PICKS:<\/strong>
\nIndependence Trail <\/a>to Hoyt’s Crossing on the Yuba River<\/p>\n

Spending time with the Yuba River is a requirement of any trip to Nevada City, and luckily we got to see our old friend several times on this visit. Sean’s mom spent a whole afternoon hiking with us on Independence Trail and we all were happily surprised when our conversation was interrupted by our arrival at Hoyt’s Crossing on the Yuba. We basked in the fall sunlight and Sean made his requisite dip into the river before we headed back towards the trailhead.<\/div>\n

Open Studios Tour<\/a><\/p>\n

There is a sufficient concentration of artist in the Nevada City\/Grass Valley area to support a large open studios tour event every fall and we happened to be in town to take part in the action. Sean, his mom, Janet, and I were able to check out a few of the studios on a Sunday afternoon. Our first stop was As If Studios<\/a> in Grass Valley, where we particularly liked the works of Eileen Blodgett<\/a> and Amanda Paoletti<\/a>. Next up were a couple of ceramicists — Andrew Sellery, who graciously explained to us his glazing and woodfiring processes and Carmen Lang<\/a>, whose painterly use of glazes on her intimately emotional figurative sculptures was visually seductive. Our last stop was another joint exhibit by woodworker Patrick McCauley, who used the natural colors of exotic woods to create beautiful pieces of art and Yvon Dockter, a painter, ceramicist and metal artist.<\/div>\n

Ridge Stop Cafe, North San Juan, CA<\/p>\n

North San Juan exists because there are just some things that you can’t do by yourself, no matter how much you may want to. Whether you’re a self sufficient hippie living off the fat of the land or a self sufficient redneck living your libertarian lifestyle, you occasionally need a gas station, a post office, a bar or just some plain ol’ human contact. And thus the town of North San Juan was born. Ridge Stop Cafe supplies the coffee, wi-fi and some of the social needs of the hippie contingency of North San Juan and they also serve some pretty good sandwiches.<\/div>\n

Mother Truckers<\/a>, North San Juan, CA<\/p>\n

To the untrained eye, Mother Truckers looks like the kind of place you could stock up on Budweiser, fishing line and Copenhagen. Those in the know, however, stop in for all their organic food, herbal remedy and local produce needs.<\/div>\n