Sacramento, California: A very boring day driving north on Highway 99 with all the truckers. Traffic wasn't too bad through most of the San Joaquin Valley, but we were going to need fuel. This stoopid, ridiculously expensive Mercedes Sprinter chassis requires diesel #2, and diesel #2 only. Occasionally, one can use fuel with 5% bio-diesel, but it isn't advised. (Readers may remember us having so much trouble in eastern Oregon last summer finding old-school diesel.) We pulled-off the highway THREE times before finding #2, and then it was one of those pumps that takes about five minutes to pump one gallon. I could have knitted a scarf while waiting. DT was outside a suffering from an old Hispanic man filling-up and washing his windows - with all his van doors open - blasting some gawd-awful rap music from his speakers for everyone in the fueling lanes to enjoy. Nothing in this scenario was making sense.
By now it was well past lunch time and I was hankering for some Mexican food (without rap music) and knew of a tacos birria place in Chowchilla. It was a seven mile diversion from Highway 99, but the experience and the food was worth the miles for me. Q'hubole! (means something like what a mess) was inside a grocery store. Not what I was expecting. No website, but I found the address and our fancy GPS took us there (23519 Robertson Blvd, Chowchilla, CA 93610).
The restaurant takes-up about a quarter of a little grocer in an area outside downtown Chowchilla between Highway 99 and Interstate 5. It is a place we would normally never stop for groceries, but we parked right in front and went in to find we must have missed the lunch crowd and only three customers were inside. Today, they were offering a 3 birria taco special for $12.99, so we ordered that and split the tacos. Birria are tacos made with beef that has been stewed in a savory broth. The meat is shredded and served in tortillas, and the savory broth is served on the side as a dip for the tacos. It is really a taste sensation, and since I know this dish can be achieved in a crockpot, maybe I will get myself on it soon?
Funny thing, the place wasn't a mess at all. Neat and tidy. Friendly hostess and chef. Good food at decent prices. However, if you wanted a drink, it needed to be purchased in the grocery part of the building (water, soda, beer, etc), so that was different... especially since the server told us the two business were not related.
The shredded beef was stuffed inside a double layer of tortilla with onions, cilantro and melty Mexican white cheese. Heaven. The sauce was equally delicious - rich, and not too salty. It was a great lunch for $12.99!
After an hour back on Highway 99, traffic became slow. Road work. Landscape work. Trucker traffic. As we snail-paced towards Sacramento, we decided to call it a night and checked-into our usual place - Cal Expo RV Park - so we could get a good rest and arrived to Brother Steve & Gina's ranch tomorrow with empty holding tanks for our planned 3-night (free of charge) dry-camping campsite.
Because of our late lunch, I only made an (unphotographed) appetizer platter with veggies, cheese, and bread, etc., while we watched the Ducks in Women's World Series v UCLA in Oklahoma (sorry, game not over as I post this tonight - weather delay). It is amazing how sitting all day can make someone so tired.
NOTE: We listened to most of Rick Steve's On the Hippie Trail on Audible today (through the Mercedes sound-system). Like DT and myself, Steve's was born in 1955. He headed off to Istanbul - heading to India - with a friend after graduating college. He says his journal was put away until recently when he gathered up his photos and put his writings into a book. Listening to his 47-ish old thoughts kills the time while bumping down the rutted highway, but is also an interesting story from a traveler we already enjoy.
Until my next update, I remain, your "family tomorrow" correspondent.
Campground Information: Cal-Expo RV Park - This campground is on the California State Fairgrounds. Sites are full-service, but some are not level (double-check when you book). Easy to get a site usually, as it is large, but during the fair or horse racing/shows, sites are tight. Laundry, bathhouse, etc. Next to bike/walking trails along the Sacramento River and close to restaurants, a huge mall and a great grocer. We paid $60 tonight.