Pixley California….Not Far From Petty Coat Junction.

Some of you will get the humor in that title….First off I want to say that this is about to be a dual blog where two blogs come together,just like those TV shows where the characters from one show take part in the story line on another show.(This can only be done today or it will be out of sync.)

Please go to this link-- Travels With The Bayfield Bunch …and my days story starts there as I prepare to leave Borrego Springs yesterday morning.Shhhhh! Al doesn't know that he’s helping me with my blog today.If the link for any reason doesn't work,you will find it on my side bar.

So now that you have seen my departure,we will carry on….With an early start I was able to pass through the Palm Springs area fairly early with the 8AM temps reaching a pleasant 70 degrees….All photo’s with windshield bugs included,are free today.

 

You can see all the windmills at the valley entrance.

Its been a few years since I’ve taken this route as I usually go north through the back roads onto the Mojave Desert,as I dislike all the traffic around San Bernardino.Actually the 215 through the outskirts of San B. has improved since last time and I quickly found myself connecting to I-15 (the LA-to-Vegas highway.) I call it “Going up the hill to Victorville”.You can see the other lanes of traffic coming down,off in the distance

  

Its quite a climb that goes to 4000ft in a short but smooth run.Then finally we are up onto the Mojave desert.It was nice to see no big temperature change this time and gratefully no wind today as it can get pretty violent at times.The second shot below is looking down toward Kramer Junction where we pick up highway 58 west to Bakersfield.

I noticed that the popular rest area at Boron is still closed after more than a year now.At first I thought they were do renovations but it looks like a budget cut situation.Too bad for travelers because it was a popular short or overnight stop in the past.

The next quick out the window shot is of the Mojave airport with all the passenger aircraft doing some storage duty.You can see more wind generators in the distance as we are getting ready to climb out of the Mojave desert and go through Tehachapi Pass saying goodbye to the desert southwest for another year.

Here is the pass and a final look at the desert.

Now we are in a changing landscape as we approach the town of Tehachapi,and prepare to drop down 4000ft into California’s big central valley at Bakersfield.You start to notice the green hills with the oak and pine trees.

I stopped for a lunch break at the bottom of the hill,and looked back from “whence I’d come.” And this is it,looking back toward Tehachapi,high in those hills.

Early PM and a quick run through “Buck Owensville”better known as Bakersfield and I was on bumpy,sometimes broken up,highway 99 heading north.This is usually where I jog over a few miles to my favorite State park,(Col. Allensworth) but because of budget cuts its only open for vehicles on the weekends,so I must search out an alternative.

About 40 miles north and getting tired,I spotted a sign for the Pixley RV Resort and decided that at 1:30 Pm,I’ve had enough driving for one day and I had reached my necessary distance quota for the day.

I got in before the hoard of northbound snowbirds arrived to surround me.At $25. for full hookups,this will do fine as there will be a couple of free nights coming up at the Casinos before this trip is over…..And hey! The temperature is still in the 70’s.Note blossoms on the trees.

Finally I want to again thank Al and Kelly of  “The Bayfield Bunch”for putting up with me for a day and a half.It was an enjoyable visit.Its strange how you can know people that you have never met,just by reading their blog,and I had you guys pegged pretty well except Al you are not that gruff character you like to portray.You are a big old pussycat.And Kelly,I found you even more open and friendly then I expected.It was a pleasure spending time with you guys,thanks again.