Pine Mountain Lake and Airport

To move up to Pine Mountain Lake (PML) full time, we needed to check on the availability of essential items at our new home.  These included a well-stocked grocery store, health care (for humans and kitties), reliable Internet service, along with several other items.

The Main Street Market in Groveland is very well stocked and a five minute drive from our house.  Since we expected to go into the Bay Area at least one time per week we could stop by Trader Joe’s, Safeway or Costco as needed.  In addition to the market, there is a weekly Farmer’s Market and also multiple CSAs which offer fresh eggs, milk, honey, and seasonal produce.  We currently get all of our meat from local farms.

The area does have some very good restaurants (Groveland Hotel, Charolette’s, Priest Station, The Grill) however, there is not nearly the same diversity and choice that we have in the Bay Area.  This has encouraged us to cook more with the added benefit of saving money and huge benefit to our health:-)

Groveland has limited health care options.  However, this has encouraged us to explore Oler Chiropractic.  We will discuss this topic more in future blog postings.  As a preview, interactions with the Oler’s has had (and will have) a significant impact on our lives (in particular our health).

As far as our pets go, Groveland does have a vet clinic with an on-site vet one day a week and technicians available the rest of the time.  Their main office is down in Sonora, which is a 40 minute drive and has a more extensive infrastructure (including emergency care for both humans and pets).

Internet service in Groveland is worth of a whole separate posting, but the options have improved greatly in the last year.  We have three choices now, two of which we actively use.  DSL service is available from AT&T (or provides like sonic.net and Motherlode Internet) if you live close enough to the main entrance. Cable service, which now includes an Internet option, is provided by Sierra Nevada Communications. And there is also wireless service available from Sonnet Wireless.

Though we’ve made some compromises to live in our dream location, the new location definitely encourages a healthier life style. Since there are limited restaurants, we have learned to cook with a wide range of mostly fresh ingredients.  At this elevation, the air is clean and clear.  Where ever we go, there are steep slopes to walk and a good workout for the heart.  I see the benefits in the residents who often appear to be ten or fifteen years younger than their age.

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