Memories: The Mammoth Orange My grandparents on my mother’s side resided in Tracy, California. We would make the journey up Highway 99 three to four times each year. To avoid the scorching summer heat and prevent the car from overheating, we would depart early in the morning. Therefore, around noon we were around Fresno and would stop at several “Big Oranges” along the way. The most famous was “The Mammoth Orange”.
The “Mammoth Orange” and its counterpart, the “Whoa Boy Giant Orange,” were iconic landmarks located on Highway 99 in Fairmead. These structures served travelers for over 50 years. The Whoa Boy was constructed in 1941 on the west side of Highway 99 near Road 19. However, it fell into disrepair and eventually burned down in the 1980s. It was finally demolished in 1999.
In the past, we would pause during the hottest part of the day to observe the process of making a refreshing orange juice with crushed ice. It was a worthwhile experience. However, after my grandparents’ passing in the late 90s, I began to visit my cousin using I-5, a direct route with only a handful of gas stations.
I have a yearning for the Mammoth Orange and its smaller version, the Big Lemon.
As we began our journey up the Grapevine, I shared with Mary that during the 1950s, people would wait until later in the day to travel back home as it was much cooler then. Driving up the Grapevine back then was quite an adventure. If you were fortunate enough to have an air conditioner, it had to be turned off, and it was highly recommended to carry a few water bags along.
The older I get, the more memories I have, which is to be expected. This photo really brought back the days of stacks of “components” to a stereo system. Now, we can replace all this stuff with one tiny box and an iPhone!
We had originally intended to depart at 7:00 am, but due to another night spent at La Fondue, we didn’t end up leaving until 9:00 am. The previous evening had left us with unsettling thoughts of “The Wild Thing” and the delectable chocolate fondue.
Once we arrived in Gilroy, we made a pit stop to purchase some fresh produce from a roadside stand. We indulged in twenty ears of corn, as well as peaches, apricots, berries, and other delightful treats.
Throw out the anchor; time to stop!
We did not see twenty avocados for a dollar, but that was fine; we have Fred down the street! His tree is loaded, and we have been invited to pick all we want.
I tried to make guacamole with an unripe avocado once. It was pit-iful.
Munchies on the way home!
After arriving home at around 3:30 pm, we took a short nap and then drove to an Irish Pub to bid farewell to the kids who will be leaving California for Arizona this Thursday. The weather there is scorching hot!
Bye Bye; See you soon, we hope!
We went to the barn, had a small glass of wine, and then crashed. It has been a full day.
