Salinas is a town that's best known for its agricultural bounty. Located close to the Monterey Peninsula, an area famous for beautiful golf courses and high property values, Salinas is occasionally perceived as being a bedroom community for the many workers of the more famous and well-known peninsula. But it would be a mistake to fly on by Salinas, since even a short visit will reveal that this town is diverse and appealing in its own right.
Salinas is at the center of a $2 billion-a-year agricultural region. The Salinas Valley is known as the "Salad Bowl of the World," since more than 80 percent of the nation's lettuce and most of the artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, strawberries, peppers, squash, carrots, and flowers are grown in this valley.
Many aviators don't spend too much time thinking about agriculture, unless they're mentally running through an emergency-landing checklist. Then the sight of miles and miles of agricultural fields below is comforting, unless the fields are framed by eucalyptus trees, or consist of wire-supported grapevines. Those who take the time to look past the prosaic fields will discover that Salinas has a lot more for the visiting pilot than the chance to load up his baggage compartment with fresh fruit and vegetables.
Located 100 miles south of the Bay Area, Salinas has good year round flying weather, a very clean and well-kept airport and terminal, a well-preserved historic Old Town section of downtown, a great summer airshow, one of the biggest rodeos in the state, and a newly built museum dedicated to a Nobel Prize-winning novelist. The Salinas Chamber of Commerce Web site ( www.salinaschamber.com) offers a complete rundown of local attractions and events. This list should provide enough activity for either the day-tripper or the weekend visitor.
The airport and the restaurant
Salinas Municipal Airport is 10 nautical miles from the Pacific Ocean at Monterey Bay and has a field elevation of 84 feet. During the summer months, morning fog is common but usually burns off by 9:30 or 10 a.m. The airport has full IFR capabilities, with GPS, LOC/DME, and ILS approaches to Run-way 31, and VOR and GPS approaches to Runway 13.
The eastern edge of the Monterey Peninsula Airport Class C airspace is directly to the west of the Salinas airport. As long as Salinas pilots stay over or to the east of Highway 101, the major north-south highway that is slightly to the west of the Salinas airport, they will be clear of the airspace. Contact Monterey Approach on 133.0 MHz before entering the Monterey Class C airspace.
Since October, the airport restaurant has been closed, but the facility is available for lease, and the airport has been looking for a new tenant. Call the airport manager's office at 831/758-7214 for information; according to the locals, any restaurateur who loves airplanes and cooking with the freshest produce in the world is more than welcome.
Aerobatic, E-PAT, and helicopter instruction
Sean D. Tucker, a highly regarded airshow performer, has an aerobatic school based at Salinas. The curriculum is listed on his Web site ( www.poweraerobatics.com). A 10-hour aerobatic course can be tailored to fit any pilot with experience levels from beginner to those seeking to polish Unlimited competition maneuvers. The Executive Pilot Awareness Training course (E-PAT) was designed by Tucker to help pilots recognize unsafe flight envelopes and increase the pilot's capabilities in all phases of flight by raising awareness through aerobatic training maneuvers.
Verticare Helicopters is the home of the Showcopters Robinson-equipped helicopter airshow team. It also has a thriving helicopter flight school on the field. Visit the Web site ( www.showcopters.com) for more information.
According to the tower, there isn't an aerobatics training box in the area, but aerobatic training is usually done seven to eight miles to the southeast of the airport, and helicopter training is normally done three miles north of the field. Keep your eyes peeled.
The California International Airshow
The twenty-first edition of the California International Airshow in Salinas will take place during the long weekend of September 14, 15, and 16. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will be the featured headliners. Warbirds, antiques, homebuilts, and airshow performers drew more than 100,000 attendees in 2000. In addition to keeping the wonder and diversity of aviation alive and thriving in the Salinas area, more than $300,000 was raised for local charities and nonprofit organizations last year.
An extra treat this year will be a car show by the Salinas Valley Street Rodders in Old Town Salinas on the same weekend.
Steinbeck country
In 1998 the National Steinbeck Center was opened at One Main Street near Old Town Salinas. This interactive center highlights the life of one of Salinas' most famous sons, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Born in Salinas on February 27, 1902, Steinbeck drew on his experiences in the Salinas Valley and the Monterey area to frame many of his novels, such as Tortilla Flat, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, and eventually East of Eden.
His family home, at 132 Central Avenue a few blocks west of the Steinbeck Center, has been refurbished and preserved. The Valley Guild, a nonprofit volunteer organization, maintains the home and serves lunches Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Best Cellar Gift Shop, located in the basement, is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The John Steinbeck Library is located three blocks to the south of the Steinbeck House at the intersection of Church and West San Luis streets. There you'll find an extensive collection of the author's writings.
The Twentieth Annual Steinbeck Festival will be held at the center from August 2 through 5. Visit the center's Web site ( www.steinbeck.org) for further details and more information about the center.
Road racing and rodeo
Auto racing fans will want to visit nearby Laguna Seca Raceway for the Monterey Nascar Challenge on May 19 and 20. Other Laguna Seca race days are September 7 through 9 for the Monterey Sports Car Championships American LeMans series and the Honda Grand Prix CART-FedEx Championships on October 12 through 14.
Big Week, which features a week full of cowboy fun such as the Big Hat BBQ, the Kiddie Kapers Parade, daily horse parades, and ends with the California Rodeo will begin with a chili cook-off, fireworks, and a salsa taste-off on July 11. Visit the Big Week Web site ( www.carodeo.com) for a schedule of all the events, including the cowboy poetry reading and the cowboy shootout golf tournament. Space is limited, and this rodeo is celebrating its ninety-first consecutive year, so don't wait too long to make your reservations if you want to get in on one of the best weeks of rodeo in California.
Once your airplane is tied down at the transient parking area in front of the sparkly clean terminal, you can obtain ground transportation via rental cars by calling ahead to reserve a car, or by walking down the ramp to the Verticare hangar and the Air Trails counter. Taxicab companies and local accommodations are listed in the terminal and on AOPA's Airport Directory Online ( www.aopa.org/members/airports/).
It's not practical to walk into town from the airport, but if you're only dropping in for a round of golf, take the short walk from the transient aircraft parking area to Salinas Fairways golf course.
Don't be surprised by your pleasant stay in Salinas. And don't miss the air- show or rodeo, unless you just want to see a well-preserved downtown area, meet friendly people, and learn more about one of America's great writers.
Links to additional information about Salinas may be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links/2001/links0102.shtml). E-mail the author at [email protected].
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