It's that special time of the year to visit a special place

It's mid-October, so that can only mean one thing in this part of our country.

It's that special time of the year to visit that special place known as Apple Hill.

What in the heck is Apple Hill?

Well, to begin with, Apple Hill is not a hill. It is actually the name of a large geographic area in nearby California.

That area contains about 54 different farms featuring all types of fall fruit and vegetable products.

Apple Hill is approximately 15 miles east of Placerville, about a two-hour drive west of the Carson City.

Apple Hill is easy to reach. Just drive west on U.S. 50 toward Sacramento until you reach the Carson Exit, just before Placerville. An easy way to get there is to just remember to drive on U.S. 50 from Carson to Carson.

When you do go, do as I do. Knowing that it is an two-hour drive to reach my destination, I take the time to stop for a leisurely breakfast somewhere in the South Lake Tahoe area to break up that trip. It makes for a great start for a very special, fun-filled day.

As you have probably already guessed by now, Apple Hill's main attraction is apples, apples and more apples.

And, boy, do they ever have apples!

They have a bewildering variety of apples and apple products.

If you like apples, you will "die and go to heaven." You won't be disappointed.

You can buy individual apples, by the bag, by the box or on some of the farms, you can even pick your own apples, right off the trees.

The various farms have green, yellow, red or even black-colored apples.

You can select from a wide variety of different types including Rome beauty, Arkansas black, Braeburn, golden delicious, red delicious, Fuji, gala, Rhode Island greening, Jonagold, Jonathan, pippin, Paula red, Granny Smith, winesaps and Stayman winesap.

In addition, if you have a sweet tooth, you can purchase all kinds of tasty apple products such as cake, cider, doughnuts, fritters, juice, muffins, baked pies, unbaked pies, strudel, turnovers, etc.

My personal, all-time favorite Apple Hill product is their unbelievably thick, uncooked, apple pie. Pick one out, buy it, take it home in a cooler and pop the pie into your freezer. Then on some late fall, early winter frosty evening, take that apple pie out of the freezer, put it in your oven and in a short time, you will be enjoying an unforgettable, tasty dessert.

If you are interested in buying other fall season fruits or vegetables, you can pick and choose from selections of blackberries, blueberries, Indian corn, dried fruit, grapes, honey, jams, jellies, assorted nuts, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, pumpkins, raspberries, etc.

And while at Apple Hill, you will also find many different arts and crafts shops, cider mills, a rainbow trout fishing pond, a winery, Christmas tree farms, picnic areas, pumpkin patches, etc.

As a matter of interest, I have seen some truly impressive trout caught from that trout pond. However, I suspect that the lucky angler also paid very handsomely for that catch, either by the ounce or by the inch.

Apple Hill, Calif., is a great place to spend an enjoyable day outdoors with the entire family.

However, when you go there, there is a word to the wise based on my own personal experience. Be advised that the Apple Hill area is a very, very popular destination for thousands of visitors at this time of the year. They come in mind-boggling numbers in cars, pickup trucks, motorhomes and even in tour buses.

So, go prepared to encounter huge crowds of people, especially on Saturdays and Sundays.

If you do not like crowds, you may not want to visit Apple Hill on a weekend.

In addition, once you're there, you can experience a problem (as I have done in the past) in finding a place to park at some of the more popular farms. Their parking lots are normally jammed-packed by late morning or mid-day. So be advised to plan to arrive early in the morning or you might have to walk a short distance due to lack of parking at the particular farm you wish to visit.

Also, remember that while driving in that general area, you can encounter momentary gridlock in the mid-afternoons on some of the major back roads or at some of the major intersections. I have, on more than one occasion.

So, don't be in a rush if you plan to visit the Apple Hill area on a weekend.

Relax and take time to enjoy a truly special place at a special time of the year.

Most importantly, once you're there, enjoy all that Apple Hill has to offer.

Why not plan to do it this weekend.

And don't forget to bring an uncooked apple pie back with you to enjoy at a later date.

You won't go wrong!

For a brochure, send $1 postage to Apple Hill Grower's Association, Apple Hill, P.O. Box 494, Camino, Calif. 95709.

For information, call the Apple Hill Grower's Association at (530) 644-7692.

- Bet Your Favorite Pigeon

Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't tell you what other apple product is also one of my personal favorites.

When he grins and says, "Little Donnie Q is hooked on fresh squeezed apple juice," he could have been on one of my past visits to Apple Hill and you lose.