Spring Time In California

Spring comes early to California. In the San Francisco Bay Area March storms blowing down from Alaska will occasionally be cold enough to dust the surrounding coastal mountains with snow.  Such was the case in March of 1983 when Southern Pacific 4450 and 4451 prepared to stop at the Lawrence commuter station in Sunnyvale in SP's former commute territory. That's Mt. Hamilton in the background, the summit playing host to the Lick Observatory and a dusting of snow deep enough to cause the locals to drive the winding road to the top in search of the white stuff to play in. 

By the middle of April California's state flower begins to show it's blooms; it's easy to see why the California Golden Poppy is dear to Californians - it's simply beautiful.  In the town of Hughson, a gaggle of poppies grows along the BNSF right-of-way as evidenced in this May 8, 2006 photo. 

(Click on poppy image to see photo #3)  In the Central Valley, the second week of February finds the first wave of orchard blossoms taking place. With tens of thousands of almond trees in the northern San Joaquin Valley one can smell the flowery scent of blossoms by just going outside. Accelerating fresh from a meet at the tiny town of Ballico on March 2, 2004, BNSF 4126 West pays little heed to the sea of almond blossoms that mark the way to Stockton.