Whitney Pyramid Tomb

By Pleasant Grove Creek in the city of Rocklin, surrounded by houses and a golf course green and Monument Park, is a granite pyramid containing the bodies of Joel Whitney and members of his family. The tomb has a perimeter of 40 feet and is 15 feet tall. Its construction date is unknown. It was situated on Whitney's large Spring Valley Ranch. Whitney, who arrived in the Gold Rush and died in 1913 at age 78, was the first occupant of the pyramid. The Whitney descendants sold ranch parcels and the family mansion, keeping the one acre fenced plot with the pyramid. Being very accessible to the public, the pyramid gets many visitors.

Next to the pyramid is the top of a granite pluton with bedrock mortars deepened over centuries by Nisenan women grinding acorns into meal. Plutons form deep underground, meaning a mountain once stood here. The mountain stood next to the ocean. Over time it wore down to almost sea level, its remnants filling the present-day Sacramento Valley.

Truckee Trail - Overland Emigrant Trail

Today I drove to Nevada County where I visited portions the Truckee Trail, part of the Overland Emigrant Trail network. The Truckee Trail opened in 1845. Those arriving to the Sacramento Valley via the Truckee Trail added to the American population in California, so the trail played a small part in the United States wresting control of California from Mexico in 1847. Three cheers for the Truckee Trail! The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad led to a steep reduction in trail traffic. I have no idea when the last wagon passed over this route..

Conestoga Road off of Highway 49 follows directly over a section of the Trail.

The Trail crosses modern sections of road in many spots. Using the Truckee Trail and Nevada City Road Driving Guide from Trails West, Inc., I drove to two Trails West markers along the Trail.

These parts of the Sierra foothills are rural and privately owned. No Trespassing signs abound. I greatly prefer poking around the National Forests, where I can get out and stretch my legs and not see a single other person.

Kennedy Assassination

I saw no mention in the press today of this being the anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination. Then again, I have not been online much today. But I do remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news. I was in the second grade, playing marbles with my classmates during recess, when a student walked up to tell us the president had been shot. When we returned to the classroom, our teacher told us the same thing. That is all I remember of that day. It was long ago and I was very young.

Ham Radio Contact

Today I made a 20 meter SSB contact with an operator in Massachusetts. We discussed the usual boring things, what radios we had and the weather conditions, and then I commented that today was the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord. (I had happened to read this earlier on the History.com website.) The other party said he wasn't aware of this, he didn't follow history. He lives some 30 miles from Lexington. Hopefully his comment was just about not knowing the date of the battles. I live about 25 miles as the crow flies from Coloma, and while I know that James Marshall discovered gold there in January 1848, I can never remember the exact day, the 24th. Living where I do means I should know about James Marshall and the mill site and most importantly the impact of the find. And someone from the Boston area should be familiar with the words Lexington and Concord. We Americans should have a basic understanding of our history.