Loleta Cheese Factory | Loleta, California

Thursday | 1 March 2007 | Arcata, California: After a rainy night in the out-of-the-way-KOA, we headed down the hill and onto US 101. Just a few miles north of the wine country, we found snow everywhere (except on the roads). Our plan to avoid the Siskiyou Pass snow worked out well, but just barely. The temperature never dipped into the 30's, but we had a very careful and beautiful drive through the snowy Redwoods. Today we stopped in Ukiah for fuel ($243), at a rest stop and at a cheese factory in Loleta. Not that we didn't have any excitement.

Out of the snow - Our Intrigue on US 101

DT and I kept hearing voices. Yes, it is true - we have been in the bus for over two months and we may be going a bit mad. Still, we kept hearing noises and it sounded like a radio was playing. After several checks, we found the satellite radio was not on, the bedside clock radio was not on, televisions were off, the iPod was stowed, CB radio off, walkie-talkie off, our cell phones were under control. Still, some one was talking in our bus. It was driving us nuts. Later, we discovered Homer Simpson was talking to us from the cutlery drawer. DT has a bottle opener that "talks" every time it opens a bottle top. When a bottle top is snapped, Homer Simpson says: Ummm, Beeeer, hee hee hee...yes, oh, yes, wooo hoooo. Somehow, this bottle opener was touching something metal in the drawer and every time our coach went over a bump, Homer spouted his beer mantra. Mystery Solved.

Bet you wished your life was as exciting as ours.

The Loleta Cheese Factory in Loleta, California is an interesting stop along 101. The owner keeps two dairies - one is organic - to supply his cheese business. Most of the cheese is Monterey Jack and Cheddar - and flavored cheeses are the thing at Loleta. The most popular item is (as usual) the cheese curds, but we loved the interesting flavors of the organic jack cheeses - especially the green chili and super-spicy jalapeno. Our tour guide (dark shirt, lbottom photo) was just starting his new job at Loleta, but was "sharp" (get it?) and knew his cheddar. The Loleta Cheese Factory also has a nice gift shop with local goods for sale. If you are a horror film fan - a bit of trivia: Halloween III (Season of the Witch, 1982) was filmed across the street from the Loleta Cheese Factory in the Familiar Foods, Inc. building. Now you know.

 
The Loleta Cheese Factory in Loleta, California


Today they were making cheddar cheese


Our guide explaining products to customers at Loleta Cheese

After trudging through the snow and sampling cheese, I had only one goal - to be parked and have the satellite dish pointed towards the heavens so I could lock-on to George Washington University v. Charlotte on ESPN2. We checked-into the Mad River Rapids RV Park in Arcata, California. Of course, My Colonials won - even though they were away - and secured a bye for the A-10 tourney. I prepared a lovely meal of roasted chicken breasts over a bed of green peppers and onions and a yummy tossed salad. Tonight we had a taste of a most extraordinary item: butter. Not just butter, mind you, but butter made from goat milk. Such a taste I hope you can all discover - this is a treat not to be missed.

RV Park: Mad River Rapids RV Park