Across California
This state is so big that it takes me a day just to get across it. Actually I didn't drive across the state I took a diagonal route from the Silicon Valley to Needles, California. The day started a bit late because of a very dense fog where I live. I finally was on the road at about 10 o'clock.

The drive though the Santa Clara Valley was uneventful with wisps of fog hanging between the hills giving the landscape somewhat of an eerie appearance. However, it was a scene that I've seen in paintings of the masters.

This was the first time I've seen the new fly-over structure at the junction of the highway 152 and the road to Hollister. It is a very nice improvement on this route often used by people in the South Bay to get to I-5 and points south. When the scenery opened up out over the valley where Casa de Fruta is located the wispy fog was there as well as a general haze in the sky. The hills had a lot of oak trees spread across the landscape. The trees had a lacy appearance from many small branches minus their leaves.

In one field I saw a small group of cattle grazing on the freshly sprouted grass covering the valley floor. The cows looked unusual to me because the head, shoulders and the rear of the cows were black with the body between front and back being white.

Two cows among several with interesting color pattern

Soon the roadway began climbing again toward San Luis Reservoir where the haze was hanging over most everything in sight. It was very clear that the water level in the reservoir is very low. There is a lot of bare dirt that is normally covered with water. Once past the reservoir, the downhill ride took me to I-5 where I turned south to find my way to highway 46 which would take me to US 99 and on to Bakersfield.

But first I had to ride awhile on I-5 to get to 46. Each time I come down I-5 it seems as if there are evermore vineyards and orchards. Actually the barren fields of years past are now covered with grape-vines and trees making for a more attractive scene while driving the long, mostly straight highway. Soon highway 46 appeared where I turned east toward the town of Wasco and US-99.

It appears as if yet another vineyard has been planted where cattle used to graze

Once on Highway 99 it was only a short distance until my first refueling stop appeared at the Flying J Travel Plaza that is a few miles north of Bakersfield. One thing that was nice about beginning my trek on Saturday was the light traffic encountered. However, even though I experienced light traffic the radio traffic reporter insisted on telling his audience that the traffic was heavy due to people heading to Las Vegas and Laughlin to watch and bet on the Super Bowl. Even though I heard just how heavy the traffic was at the very spot I was driving, I didn't see any heavy traffic. Maybe that was because I was actually on the scene while the traffic reporter was in a radio studio somewhere.

The drive up to Tehachepi was easy with the scenery covered with the ever present haze. As I passed the Tehachapi Loop there was one very long train up on the hill where it wrapped completely around the hill. As I passed by the uphill side of the loop I saw another long train waiting on a siding. I can understand why this place is a favorite of rail-fans.

Heading for Tehachapi a thin fog could be seen in the distance

It was a short distance to the town of Tehachapi where I'm always impressed with just how many new wind-powered generators have been planted on the nearby mountains. When I arrived the sun was coming from behind me lighting up the rotating blades of the generators in a way that really emphasized the tremendous number of rotating blades that were cutting through the air. They all appeared to be the bird-friendly versions.

More wind-powered generators have been installed

Somewhere near the towns of Desert Lake and Boron there is a rocket engine test center out in the Mojave Desert. Many years ago when my wife, son and I were returning to our home in California a rocket test scared the daylights out of us. We had made our first long-distance road trip back to our home town in Kansas in April of 1963; but that's another story.

A rocket engine test sight — It once scarred the daylights out of us.

I was fortunate to get all the way to Barstow by sundown, so I was able to drive most of my trip in daylight. This allowed me to see an intersection where I had a close call on my trip this way back in November. It is a lot easier to see how the crossroads work in the daytime, but I can see how confusing it could be after dark.

Night fell as I found my way onto I-40 and followed the directional signs to Needles, California. The drive into the night was routine and was actually a bit boring. The radio stations were dropping in and out with at one-minute, hard-rock music assaulting my ears to suddenly hearing one of Kay's favorite country songs playing. Then there was the empty co-pilot seat that kept haunting me during my first day out. It will take a long time for me to get used to the emptiness.

I arrived at the Needles KOA where I've stayed many times and decided to call it a day. I pulled into my campsite a few minutes after 9 o'clock. It was good to be off of the road I would try to get an earlier start in the morning.

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