Audiotur Interstate 80 from Rocklin to Truckee

Interstate 80 is a major transcontinental corridor connecting California and New York City. From the city of San Francisco to a few miles west of the Hudson River in northern new Jersey. Interstate 80 traverses various terrain and states over nearly 3000 miles. Its highest point is located at Sherman Hills Summit in Wyoming, between Laramie and Cheyenne, at an elevation of 8640ft.

In California, Interstate 80 is a primary route over the Sierra Nevada for nearly 100 miles. This roadway transects the range. This on-the-road series will examine the locations from Rocklin to Truckee, which represents most of the route the Sierra Nevada.

Interstate 80 is located on or closely parallels historic road systems, including emigrant trails from the 19th century, the transcontinental Lincoln Highway of the early 20th century, and U.S. highway 40, which was utilized from the 1920s until the 1950s.

You've been listening to Gary Noy. He has been a Sierra College history teacher for 38 years, as of 2025. He is also the author of seven California history books. At the end of the tour, you will be able to find a PDF with live links to Gary's website and where he sells his books.

Several things I enjoy about Gary's books are that you can read them in small snippets. They're always meticulously researched and he never shies away from the good, the bad, and the ugly of history. His sense of humor comes through in the stories he highlights and how he tells them.

A little bit about your tour producers. My name is Rose Murphy, and I'm a biographer for the Grass Valley Museum. I am Lisa Redfern. I am on the board of Sierra College Press. (Gary Noy is also on the board. Gary Noy was the first editor in chief of Sierra College Press.)

Rose and I are both members of the Nevada County Historical Society, and we are both historical fiction authors.

Before starting all of our tours, we recommend downloading it at home first or in a place with good internet. For this tour, you will need at least two people to operate it, unless you're driving a self-driving car. Two people - one for driving and paying attention to the road and two, to watch the tour map and hit play every time you get close to a location. While the walking tours are geo-fenced which will automatically play the audio when you walk into the zone, we're moving a little too fast in the car for that to work. You just have to do it manually.

And while each tour stop includes a transcript and pictures, when you're driving, just keep your eyes on the road. Listen only and look at the other parts when it's safe to do so.

On the final tour stop, check out the PDF that provides links to resources, articles, books, videos, and more.