For a good description of what California's geography was/is really like, a good read is "Two Years before the mast" by Richard Henry Dana Jr.

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

Wow ~ I read that in about 1963, it made a big impression on me at the time .

Also, 'Master And Commander' .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Not only that, you have to pump it all uphill. Water from the mountains is all gravity delivered.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

For those that have not read the book. The exploits of a man in the age of sail. I doubt few of us today could go through what he did. I have no ideal of the year I read it. He was a good descriptive writer of his time.

I read about what Magellan and crew had to eat during the long doldrum spells in the Pacific.

Them there were some people who were determined to survive.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K