One of the "thrills" of riding a train on the SN mainline at the Western Railway Museum'ws first day operation to Bird's Landing, will be a possible visit to Shirley's Bar ......

One thing that hasn't changed much is Shirley's bar at Bird's Landing. Bird's Landing is the central metropolis of the Hills, a town with about a dozen homes, one fire station, a gun club and Shirley's place. Mildly tolerant of fools and tourists, Shirley Paolini is 84 years old and still going strong, jokingly describing herself as "a wench offering cold libations."
Her little tavern on the corner is an informal meeting place for hunters, farmers, Harley bikers, and the occasional Danish technical worker who installs the turbines that dot the landscape. The bar's floor is covered with peanut shells, its walls with old photos — photos of Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, and long-deceased residents of the area.

Miss Shirley serves beer, wine, soda, Gatorade and licorice. She grew up across the street, behind the store that has been closed for years. The tavern itself is a library that holds the town's history. Black and white photographs hang on the walls, including a snapshot of John Bird, who founded Birds Landing in 1874. Paolini's daughter-in-law's homemade jams are available for sale. Her crossword puzzle lay in the folded newspaper on the table. It seems more like a living room than a tavern.
Her guests are few, but regular. A quiet man sits at the bar, over a pile of broken peanut shells laying on the floor. Without saying anything to him, Paolini goes into the back room, pops off the top of a beer bottle and pours it into a glass. Another customer comes in, and he and Paolini half-heartedly joke about buying windmills, making a fortune and moving far away.

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Don't miss out on this exciting adventure and look back in time. JUNE 30, 2012.

BIRD's LANDING & SHIRLEY's TAVERN ----------- via the Sacramento Northern Railway !!!!
(Who would've thunk it possible in 2012 ??)

KRK