Monday, February 11, 2019
Today, we hiked the Tahquitz Canyon trail, one of the most
beautiful and culturally sensitive areas of the Agua Caliente Indian
Reservation. The trail is a steep, rocky, climb on irregular surfaces, but well
worth the exertion. The ancient Cahuilla Indians lived off this land and
remnants of the early Agua Caliente society, such as rock art, house pits,
foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, and food preparation areas
still exist in the canyons. The main attraction is a spectacular waterfall at
the head of the canyon. With so many observations, we were careful to closely
discern our surroundings. We saw Honey Mesquite, Beavertail Cactus, Desert
Lavender, Ferns, Mountain Mahogany, Brittlebush, Chuparosa, Yerba Santa, Cholla,
Creosote Bush, Costa Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, and Cactus Wren. The most
impressive tree was a grove of shady, Western Sycamore. We have seen Sycamore
around the country and they vary in size, leaf shape, and structure, but always
have that common trunk and bark appearance.
We finished off our outing in Palm Springs, with lunch at
Castaneda’s Mexican Grill. A fine, sunny day in the canyons!
Friday, March 8, 2019
Day to day has led to week to week, so a month has slipped
past. We have enjoyed nice Spring at La Quinta and it has brought some
fantastic days, and also some unusual rain and wind. Numerous Pacific storms
have passed through causing record flooding in Palm Springs and leaving major
damage. Our main issue has been cold, blustery winds as the storms have moved
east. We have experienced wind damage in the park and fortunately escaped any
personal loss. These same storms have continued east across the continent to
bring record weather conditions across the country. Many we have seen reported
on National television.
I had another Birthday and Terry made sure it was special.
We worked that day but we had a fantastic home-dinner with king-crab and all
the trimmings. Oh so good!
We had another dazzling Sunday at the Empire Polo Club with
friends. We relished brunch at the “Tack Room” and then joined the fun and
festivities at the Polo field.
My next activity was laboring on the computer, for hours at
a time, doing our taxes. Glad for digital forms and software but still a
daunting task!
Yesterday, I met a lady from CH who has been
world-traveling for two-plus years. I was enchanted in a conversation with her
concerning her travels and experiences. When I first saw her enter the park in
her travel-van, I immediately noticed the CH International decal on the vehicle
and knew from experience that it came from Switzerland. (“CH”, Switzerland’s
country code, stands for “Confoederatio Helvetica”.) In our conversation, she related that she had
her vehicle shipped to South America and has traveled extensively (solo) all
over the Americas. Upon further conversation, I discovered that I have been to
her home town in Switzerland and remember it well.
From the Old Rhine Bridge at Constance, cousin Buddy George
and I swam in the cold, swift Rhine River, something a couple of beer-imbibing
country boys from Mississippi could not pass up. Fortunately, we surveyed the
downstream riverbank prior to our swim, selecting an exit point that was much
applauded. She liked that story and confirmed that the local Swiss know it
well! I’m never surprised to discover common associations in talking to people!
In discussing California attractions, I reminded her that
the “Founder of American California”, was a Swiss named John A. Sutter, from
Burgdorf, Switzerland. Arriving in Alta California during the Mexican period,
Sutter received permission from Mexican Governor Jaun Alvarado, to found New
Helvetica, on the Sacramento River. Lucky Sutter’s Mill stared the Gold rush
but he didn’t prevail because the Americans had different ideas. Starting with
the American period, Sutter suffered major loss of power and property, even
being jailed by John C. Fremont. Sutter died in Washington DC, fighting for his
California claims, another victim of “manifest destiny”!
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Well, it’s getting warmer and our winter at Coachella
Valley is nearing our end-of-March departure. It has been another fantastic
winter and the activities memorable. This month also ends the Empire Polo Club
season and the annual BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament.
Sunday Polo games have been a blast. Sunday brunch with
friends, at the Tack Room, followed by polo has been loads of fun. Following
brunch, (today I had a big breakfast burrito) just walk outside and you are on
the sidelines of a gorgeous polo field. An amusing commentary of the game is
provided by the press box commentator. Today, we enjoyed a special flyover of
vintage WWII airplanes from the Palm Spring Air Museum. The horses and players are
beautiful to watch and they come by you close enough to see their strength and
power. At halftime, the divot stomp gets one a champagne reward! Great fun!
Considered Southern California’s ultimate tennis center,
the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is home to the annual BNP Paribas Open, one of
the premier professional tournaments in the world, which takes place annually
in March. The final weekend of the BNP Paribas Open is sure to be full of
entertainment, both on and off the court. Indian Wells, as the tournament is
called by players and fans, has the most alluring atmosphere of any tennis
event, with beautiful facilities and landscaping. I admire the geometry of the
landmark Date Palm trees which surround the facility and highlight its views of
the west valley and snowcapped San Jacinto Mountains. As usual, all of the top
75 ranked singles players on the WTA and ATP Tour have joined the competition.
Bleacher Report says; “The finals at the Indian Wells
Tennis Gardens, 2019 BNP Paribas Open each crowned first-time winners. One was
a man who entered among the favorites to take home the trophy but was facing a
living legend. The other was a woman who had to qualify to get into the event.”
The young flat-bellies Dominic Thiem and Bianca Andreescu overcame the odds to
win at Indian Wells.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Following farewells at Lake Cahuilla, we departed La Quinta
and headed to Bakersfield, in the San Joaquin Valley. We decided to take US 395
and Ca 58 as our route to Bakersfield. Along the way, we shopped and walked the
Cabazon Outlet Mall and had lunch before leaving. It was cold and windy at
Cabazon.
We crossed Cajon Summit (4259’), the mountain pass between
the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains, created by the San
Andreas Fault. We saw Mormon Rocks, visual evidence of the San Andreas Fault
beneath the surface.
Descending to the Victor Valley, we headed north to
Adelanto and a campsite at Adelanto RV Park. Adelanto, at 3400’ elevation, is
situated on the western edge of the high Mojave Desert, and known as the
northern region of the Inland Empire. Along this leg, we drove unknowingly
through a roadway diesel-spill(big puddle), and later reassured that we did not
have a diesel leak on our rig. After I determined that we were not leaking,
Terry did a good job washing the fuel off our rig.
A nice distraction was the Joshua Trees of the area, in
bloom with their creamy white flower stalks, on the tip of each branch. Joshua trees
have a unique story and it is a special treat to see them bloom.
Friday, March 29, 2019
After a nice cool morning, we continued north to CA 58,
then headed west. At Boron, we saw the Rio Tinto Minerals mine, which is the
world’s largest Borax mine, and is California’s largest open-pit mine. It all
started with twenty-mule teams hauling the colemanite ore from the mines but
now, with giant machinery, and technology, they’re literally moving mountains.
Next, we climbed up to Tehachapi Pass, which marks the
northeast end of the Tehachapi Mountains and the south end of the Sierra Nevada
range. We observed hundreds of windmills which make up the Tehachapi Pass Wind
Farm. We had lunch at Tehachapi and then saw the “Tehachapi Loop”, one of the
engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built by Southern Pacific Railroad
to ease the grade over Tehachapi Pass. Any train more than 4,000 feet long
passes over itself going around the loop and with present-day long trains that
happens about 40 times daily. We admired the beautiful, rolling, green hills on
the western slope of the Pass.
On the narrow road to the Tehachapi Loop we saw Cesar
Chavez National Monument. Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader
in the United States during the twentieth century, César E. Chávez led farm
workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's first permanent
agricultural union. Not sure how the Monument came to be established in this
remote location.
Down the slope, we took Bear Mountain road for a panorama
view of the emerald-green San Joaquin Valley below. We took our one-week
campsite at Bear Mountain RV Park, to visit the Three-C Ranch and Terry’s
kinfolks.
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Merle Haggards “ Kern River” lyrics come to mind when you
view the San Joaquin Valley from Bear Mountain
Oh, I'll never swim Kern River again
It was there that I met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind
I may drown in the still water
But I'll never swim Kern River again
I grew up in an oil town
But my gusher never came in
And the river was a boundary
Where my darlin' and I used to swim
One night in the moonlight
The swiftness swept her life away
And now I live on Lake Shasta
And Lake Shasta is where I will stay
There's the great San Joaquin
Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found
And there's a place called Mount Whitney
From where the mighty Kern River comes down
But now it's not deep nor wide
But it's a mean piece of water, my friend
And I may cross on the highway
But I'll never swim Kern River again
Oh, I'll never swim Kern River again
It was there that I met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind
And I may drown in still water
But I'll never swim Kern River again
The good news is, “he could get a new girlfriend at Buck
Owens Crystal Palace” next weekend!
This morning, Kern County is in full bloom and crops are
growing. I recall the peach, plum, and pear trees blooming in our Pike County
garden and how that always signaled spring. It staggers the imagination to see
this vast valley in bloom! This morning, I can see a projected 2019 crop value
of $7.2 billion over 8100 square miles. An amazing sight!
We enjoy riding the farm roads to see the crops, this is
Kern County’s 2019 top 20, ranked from top to bottom:
Grapes
Almonds
Citrus
Milk (these dairies each milk thousands of cows)
Cattle (grazing but mostly feedlots)
Carrots
Pistachios
Pomegranates
Hay
Silage
Honey
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Nursery trees
Eggs
Onions
Cotton
Peppers
Cherries
Garlic
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
On this visit, we have explored Bakersfield and Kern County
with much greater profundity. For me, appreciating a community is better consummated
with exploring its history. We learned about the original San Joaquin Valley
inhabitants, pioneer history and culture, the oil industry, and the
“Bakersfield sound”, by visiting the Kern County Museum. Additionally, we have
made several driving tours of Bakersfield and Kern County, visiting historical
and contemporary attractions.
I plan to read more about:
Father Francisco Garces, a Franciscan missionary who was
the first European to visit the area.
Elisha Stephens, who came over Donner Pass, and the
first permanent settler.
Thomas Baker, settled and made a large agricultural field,
allowing travelers to graze their animals, and thus the name “Bakers Field”.
Edward Kern, accompanied explorer Captain John C. Frémont
on his Third Expedition into Mexican Alta California and named the Kern River,
later the county espoused his name.
Buck Owens, and the “Bakersfield sound”
We saw Merle Haggards boyhood home
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Today, we did a driving-tour (tuned in to the Bakersfield
sound) to the Tule Elk State Reserve and
the Carrizo Plain, west of Bakersfield. It was a beautiful day and the valley was
green and growing.
At the Elk Reserve, we read the following, amazing story:
“Tule Elk State Reserve protects a herd of Tule elk, once
in danger of extinction. In the 1880s, vast herds of Tule elk were greatly
reduced in number by hunting and loss of habitat. Cattleman Henry Miller began
a 50-year effort to save them in 1874. At that time, few elk remained. In 1932,
the herd was given permanent protection on the park property, now known as Tule
Elk State Reserve. Elk from the reserve have been successfully transplanted to
other areas in California where free-roaming herds of Tule elk can be found
today. The elk are most active from late summer through early autumn. Visitors
are encouraged to bring binoculars for better viewing. The park has picnic
areas and interpretive exhibits.”
Taking CA58 west to Carrizo Plain, through the Temblor
Mountain Range, is like riding a winding, undulating, breathtaking
roller-coaster. The reward was the most stunning display of wildflowers on the
unbounded, steep slopes. Our entertainment was the “sweet, silver song” of the
Meadow Lark, an ambling Jack Rabbit, and the awesome power of plate tectonics. Arriving
at California Valley, Soda Lake and a virtual blanket of wildflowers, left us astounded.
The Park Visitor Center says:
“Three hundred years ago, California’s Central Valley was a
vast grassland where antelope and elk grazed and wildflowers swept the spring
landscape. Today, amid urban and agriculture development, a remnant remains in
the Carrizo Plain National Monument.
Carrizo Plain National Monument is one of the best kept
secrets in California. Only a few hours
from Los Angeles, the Carrizo Plain offers visitors a rare chance to be alone
with nature. Some visitors say you can
"hear the silence." The plain
is home to diverse communities of wildlife and plant species including several
listed as threatened or endangered and is an area culturally important to
Native Americans.
This remote monument, traversed by the San Andreas Fault
which has carved valleys, created and moved mountains, and yet up close, is
seen in subtle alignment of ridges, ravines and normally dry ponds. Prominent features on the monument include
the white alkali flats of Soda Lake, Painted Rock, vast open grasslands, and a
broad plain rimmed by mountains. When
conditions are right, numerous wildflowers can carpet the valley floor;
although short lived it can be breathtaking. (And it was indeed!)
Soda Lake, normally a dry lake bed, is one of the dominant
geographic features of the Carrizo Plain.
It is the largest remaining natural alkali wetland in southern
California and the only closed basin within the coastal mountains. As its name suggests,
Soda Lake concentrates salts as water evaporates, leaving white deposits of
sulfates and carbonates that look like baking soda.”
On our return trip, driving the McKittrick Valley, we
passed anticlines of one of the richest petroleum regions in the nation. It’s
colossal and still producing.
Back at the ranch, we had a marvelous visit with Terry’s
kinfolks. They came by at random intervals and we had delicious meals and quality
“porch time” together. Really fine, hard-working people who are fun to visit!
Friday, April 5, 2019
After breakfast, we headed north on CA 99 to Hensley Lake,
for a three-day stay. Traveling CA 99, through the San Joaquin Valley, we saw abundant
orchards and crops, all green and blooming. What a sight! Near the lake, we
passed a vast fig orchard of several hundred acres. I remember, as a youth,
picking the figs of the few trees at our Pike County family-farm and cannot
imagine how they manage this enormous orchard.
World Atlas says: “Edible figs were introduced to
California by Spanish missionaries in the 1760s and were cultivated in missions
up and down the California coast. During the Gold Rush of the 1850s, many other
fig varieties were introduced by emigrants from Europe, Asia, and African
countries. It soon became apparent that central California had an ideal climate
for fig cultivation. Now there are more than 7,000 acres dedicated to fig
growing in the state, particularly along the 38 degree latitude line, which
extends through both central California and the Mediterranean basin.”
In Tulare County, the largest dairy-producing county in the
nation, we saw and smelled numerous dairy farms. The average herd size for
Tulare County dairies is 1200 cows.
Lake Hensley is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, flood
control project, on the Fresno River. With California’s plentiful winter rains,
the lake is full and the fishermen are busy, even at night, with the lake
dotted with twinkling lights from the night-fishermen’s boats.
At the lake, we did lots of bird-watching, walks, cooking,
reading, and travel research. It was very quiet and restful at Lake Hensley.
Monday, April 8, 2019
From Lake Hensley, we decided to drive California 49
(traces the old stagecoach mine road) through the old “gold country. We like to
look past the tourist attractions and see the real history of a place. It’s
like going back in time! California Highway 49 was named in honor of the “gold
rush” period. It’s quite curvy, with some sections especially twisty, hiding
impressive and a bit intimidating steep drop-offs to the river canyons below.
California Tourism Description: “Gold was discovered in
California in 1848 at Sutters Creek near Sacramento and the “Gold Rush” began.
Thousands of gold fever would-be miners left their lives in the east to seek
their fortunes in the hills of California where it was said you could just
reach down and pick up gold in the shallows of the rivers and creeks which
coursed through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The gold seekers
soon discovered the gold was harder and harder to find and the discoveries of
new untapped mining areas spread south along the ridge of mountains. With the
discovery of gold at Woods Creek near Sonora, the Mother Lode became the place
to go, then further south, Mariposa. To supply the miners, a stage coach road
wound its way along through the small camps and towns, like a string of pearls.
By the time the gold was mostly gone “played out” the stage coach road has
become a highway and one of California’s most familiar scenic drives.
California 49 state highway route, also known as the
“Forty-Niner Highway” starts in the south about 40 minutes from Fresno at
Oakhurst and ends at Jackson at the north end 15 minutes from Sutter’s Creek.
Many visitors to California think of going to Yosemite National Park and must
cross or follow part of the 49er highway to get there, but often don’t consider
exploring this great historic road. Along the State 49 Highway can be found
some of the best California wine tasting, haunted hotels, steam railroads, gold
panning and gold rush history still alive after 140 years, along with, hiking,
boating, camping, fishing and skiing in the winter.”
Tonight, we took a campsite at the Mother Lode Fairground
and RV Park, in Sonora, at 1825’ elevation. We had an interesting visit with
the camp hosts and learned some fascinating facts about the area. Sonora is the
county seat of Tuolumne County. Founded by Mexican miners—reminiscent of the
state of Sonora, Mexico—during the California Gold Rush, Sonora was once a
booming center of industry and trade. Now, it’s trying to get- by with tourism,
mining, and timber. The city also benefits from its proximity to the “Railtown
1897 State Historic Park”.
This “floating” movement of the earth’s crust in the Sierra
foothills, is a stunning study of “plate tectonics” or “continental drift”,
along with volcanic activity. This whole area is simply geologically
astounding! Even the lush, admirable, green hills can’t disguise the rocky
granite outcroppings, basalt columns, and limestone fins of the terrain. A very
popular marble is found around Columbia and it’s commonly seen as curious yard ornaments
throughout the area.
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Following a quiet, restful night at Sonora, we continued
north on California Hwy 49, through the “gold country” of the Sierra-Nevada
foothills. All of the old gold camp towns sprang up during the gold rush
period. Now, they’re mostly dependent on tourism but we like to look past the commercial
distractions and appreciate the history, buildings, and stories of the real
people that built the towns.
Some internet descriptions:
Tuttletown is registered as a California Historical
Landmark. The community was originally known as Mormon Gulch, because of a
company of Mormons who began mining gold there in 1848. Toward the end of the
summer, however, Judge A. A. H. Tuttle settled at the place and built a log
cabin. His tavern became the focal point of the village that became Tuttletown.
Angels Camp (1851) had a number of aliases. Mark Twain
based his short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras
County" on a story he claimed he heard at the Angels Hotel in 1865.
San Andreas, settled by Mexican gold miners in 1848 and
named after the Catholic parish St. Andrew.
Mokelumne Hill (1848) was an old Miwok Indian village,
which became a very rich gold strike, so rich that claims were initially
restricted to 60 square feet. People of many nationalities came to search for
gold and the family names still reflect that diversity.
Like many old camps, Jackson had several aliases. It was an
Indian village that became a rich gold area. An attractive old town!
Sutter Creek, named for John Sutter, whose 1848 gold-find
started the “gold rush”. A historic Main street with a fascinating story.
OK, too many little mining towns to describe! We love the
Spring bloom on the hills, the towns all have curious, historic buildings, and
each place has an interesting story.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Next, we crossed the Sierra Nevada Range, through South
Lake Tahoe. We encountered rain, sleet, snow, and ice, the product of a recent
California coastal storm. As usual the lake was stunning, but the snow drifts
were piled to the roofline on the cabins and taller than our rig on the
snow-tunnel-like roadsides. We’re glad
to be in sunny Carson City today.
