Published on Sunday, August 17, 2008
By SEAN NEALON
A drive along Highway 74 as it slices through Riverside County's western half provides an unmatched view of the region's variety.
It tells the story of its varied geography. From the desert to the mountains to the valleys to the mountains. From palm trees to cactuses to oaks to pines. From a manmade lake to a dry riverbed to a natural lake.
It tells the story of its varied people. A restaurant manager in Palm Desert who traded her SUV for the bus. A Hemet grandmother who watches "The Price is Right" at the neighborhood bar. A Lake Elsinore business owner who changed her hours to avoid commuter traffic.
It tells the story of its varied history. A Garner Valley cattle company that's been around more than 100 years. A vacant agricultural stand outside Hemet. The former Lake Elsinore home of a famed 1920s evangelist.
