A General View of Santa Rosa From the Rt101 Overpass Bridge
“ …. [We pass through Asti and Santa Rosa, and Petaluma and Novato], on the freeway that grows wider and fuller now, swelling with cars and trucks and busses full of people, …. “
Where Rt116 crosses Rt101, Santa Rosa, CA. If you have been watching the elevation numbers you will have noticed a gradual drop in altitude from Ukiah, CA (0545ft) to here at Santa Rosa, CA(0116ft). This is the general drop of elevation as we come down the Russian River Valley that we have been following. The river itself cuts through the mountain range to the West about 11 miles back. But this valley apparently continues, albeit uphill, from here South for at least another 25 miles. Ahead you will see the elevations for Petaluma, CA (0185ft) and Novato (0415ft). The whole trip, the ZMM Narrator has used the poetics of his words, to expand the force and meaning of his narrative. In fact, there are reasons to believe, that the real existence (“Good old reality”) of certain town names (or special scenery, or weather), helped Author Robert Pirsig, to set up the ordering of his chapters and corresponding topics. Notice in the captions of this series of Panoramas, how Pirsig works-in the poetics of Town Names: Hopland (Says to me “Hope-land”), Cloverdale (Says a Rich, Moist, Fertile, Full Of Clover Meadow), Petaluma (Says Luminous, Full of Light), Novato (Says New, Novel) and Santa Rosa (Says Beauty & fragrance of Roses) etc. To me, the literary effect of these these names raise aspirations for light, sunshine, optimism, and much hope for the future. Which is clearly the mood intended in Pirsig’s final paragraphs. These are the paragraphs, in which these real town names, in this very area California help contribute, in just 4 words, a delightful , but factual, closure to Mr, Pirsig’s book!!
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Upload Date	:	Wed 18 Mar 2009 12:58:48 PM EDT
Capture Date	:	Mon 08 Jul 2002 02:37:24 PM EDT
Image Size	:	640 x 93 (23k)