in an article published in NY Times CA Guide uses tip from Rails, Tales & Trails;

 

Today’s tip comes from Bill George, who recommends a drive from Sacramento to Truckee:

“My favorite trip is traveling I-80, following the route of the Central Pacific Railroad built in the 1860s, over the Sierra Nevada. It’s a 72-mile trip from Sacramento to Truckee. The road rises from 25 feet above sea level to the Sierra crest at Donner Summit, more than 7,000 feet high. A necklace of gold rush towns hugs the highway. Newcastle, Auburn, Dutch Flat, Gold Run, Cisco, and Truckee offer glimpses into California history. You can walk through granite tunnels. Chinese workers dug through 150 years ago and touch history. Check out the Red Frog bar in Colfax and squeeze into the Cape Room overlooking a huge mountainside called Cape Horn. In good weather, you can make the round trip in a long day. But you’ll want to visit again.

 

Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We’ll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter.