Michael On the fourth of July, the American national holiday, it's well-known that Americans flock to public parks in droves, to fire up the barbeque. This year, July 4th also happened to fall on a Saturday, so Friday was declared a holiday as well. On these days, the leisurely traveler must avoid public parks and campgrounds like the plague, so we settled into a cozy cottage in "Gold Country." This is the area in California where the Gold Rush took place in 1849, but nowadays it serves more touristy purposes with lovingly renovated Wild West buildings.
As we rolled in with our rocket (the Integra), a weekly market was taking place and local youth were gathering for a rendezvous. Some vintage car enthusiasts were also present, showcasing their meticulously polished collector's items. The pumpkin-shaped white peaches ("white Peach") tasted excellent.
In the area, you can hike around the Yuba River; however, the sun was blazing down intensely, and after just one and a half miles, we descended to the Yuba River, put on our bathing suits, and plunged into the water. The river flows gently in the summer, but you have to be careful not to crash into the rocks at the narrow sections.
Every few hundred meters, there are deeper sections, about 1.5m to 2.5m deep, where you can actually swim. The river temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius, while the outside temperature in the scorching sun is an estimated 40 degrees. We even shot a funny video of Angelika in the Yuba River!