We went for a little drive last weekend to check out a nearby area we hadn’t explored before. Between Foresthill, California and Colfax, California is a small un-maintained Placer County Road called Yankee Jims Road. (Turns out Yankee Jim was a hellraiser, bandit, gold minor, horse thief, and all around bandit. Why not name a town and road after him?)
Expecting to just see a road I had never driven on before I was pleasantly surprised with multiple flowing waterfalls, a pretty fun 4×4 trail, and a ton of lovely wildflowers.
I continue to be surprised by things in my own Northern California backyard.
When was the last time you explored a road you had never driven on just because?

Foresthill Vista

NEWSFLASH: Water is still flowing in California!

This little beauty is literally just off of the side of the road

This is a shot from my backyard. Just kidding. I wish it was my back yard.

California Poppies and Lupines showing off
Cee has challenged us to post photos from a dirt road! Check out more here!
I love all of these shots. OK, some more than others but what a group! And why not name a road and town after Yankee Jim? Would you rather live in a town named after one of our politicians? My wife and I often take weekend trips exploring exits off the freeways around here. We’ve discover quite a few little known treasures.
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Awesome, glad to talk to another intrepid local explorer. It seems one could spend their life doing good things in order to get a road names after them. I have had it wrong all this time. I need to start stealing cattle and staking mine claims if I want a road names after me!
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That’s the spirit. And that gives me an idea to research towns and roads that were named after bad guys. Like Billy The Kid Lane or Al Capone Way. 🙂
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Now you’re talkin.
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That is a beautiful spot to hike! Great photos, love the river captures!
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Thank you! It was a nice day to be out and about and it is still wonderful to see all the water.
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Such amazing wildflowers! Gorgeous vistas.
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Thank you! It was a lovely cool day. I am hoping those waterfalls will keep running all summer long. 🙂
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What a lovely area to go wandering! The wild flowers are exquisite, as are the waterfalls. 🙂
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Thanks! It was a joy to find so close to home.
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Lovely pictures, it looks like spring has sprung with you, we’re still waiting for it across the Atlantic.
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It sure has. In fact it almost feels like Spring is almost over for us if you can believe that. Next stop 100+ degree weather! Woah.
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Gorgeous pictures!! Those were some amazing waterfalls and wildflowers!!
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Thanks! This is the time of year that’s the best! Just before it starts getting HOT HOT HOT.
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Pretty pretty pretty!
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Thanks! It was great to get out in it. Good to hear from you.
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Beautiful! I would love to go to northern California one day. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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You would love it!
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Beautiful photos… That was definitely a detour worth taking! I don’t drive, but I love exploring the backstreets of Dublin when I’m out and about 😀
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Certainly the same concept for sure. 🙂
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Lovely, lovely photos. I really like the one with the purple flowers flowing downhill, trees in the background…just very cool. I used to get in my car and just go. See if I could get lost. Usually I could, and always found my way back. These days, I just don’t do that any more. Unless I’m in a foreign country.
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I was gonna say it looks like you did a pretty good job of getting lost with your most recent trip!
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Ha! Lost indeed!!
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Such beautiful photography. 😀
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Thanks, I wish I took the photos with my good camera and not my iPhone but they are ok. 🙂
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I love the colors of the Dudleya. It’s great to see the water flowing so well; especially the big waterfall. Thanks for sharing.
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Which one is a Dudleya?
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Its the yellow flowers with the red buds. They are a succulent that cling to rock faces all over California. I find them hard to photograph because there are usually a lot of dried flowers among those in their prime. Your photo is perfect.
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Thanks! I have one with the base of the flower in view too but I liked this one better.
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Looks like a lovely place to go for a hike.
Now in this city, you stumble on new streets all the time. They seem to pop up at night…
(20 million inhabitants…)
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How has the air been these days? I hear it has been terrible.
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Thank you for asking. It is terrible. I look like an albino rabbit: white hair and red, blood-shot eyes. PLus, every car has to “go off” the street once a week. My wife is p.o.ed. 😦
(Me, I gave my car away to our daughter, and only “Uber” around) 😉
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Seems like a nice way to get around. I heard on the news that taxis and Ubers are upset because it takes them off of the road once a week. Are they doing anything about it?
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