As I was pulling into the last few of the 5,500+ miles of my trip from Marina to North Carolina and back with our new Mobile Game Theater, my GPS had me take a route I hadn’t used before. Instead of coming up 101 and getting off at the Monterey Peninsula exit, Google Maps had me get off in Chualar and get on River Road which, as you probably know, eventually connects to Reservation Road and gets you to Marina.

Honestly, I was a little concerned. This way was unfamiliar to me, and I was worried about getting stuck in an area that would be difficult to maneuver out of (mind you, despite the cross-country trip, I’m still getting used to driving with a 32′ trailer behind me!)

What a treat it was! I caught a nice glimpse of Chualar, a town I never had been to before (other than passing through on 101), and after going past some farms, got treated to the Las Palmas neighborhood before going under Highway 68 and the home stretch to Marina. The weather was beautiful, so it was a nice (and new) way to come home. My family and I have lived in either Monterey, Seaside or Marina in our 10+ years here, so any time we can learn something new about the great area in which we live, it’s a good thing!

Those of us who live along Highway 1 don’t tend to have the towns in the southern part of the Salinas Valley foremost in our thoughts, but each one has a unique identity. Soledad, King City, Greenfield and yes, Chualar are integral members of our Central Coast community! We look forward to serving these great communities along with those on the Monterey Peninsula as well as Salinas and southern Santa Cruz County.

And no, I had no issues with driving the trailer while going this route. Once I got to where we keep our trailer…well, that’s a different story for another time. 🙂