Havn't updated this blog in so long - I will try to catch up.
Not even sure of the date these notes were written
Driving thru the Mojave desert. An unforgiving, harsh, alien mountains. Lunar landscape so empty and arid. There was a green valley surrounding the Colorado river but otherwise the desert has its own stark beauty. I always thought the desert would be flat but it is very mountainous. Also passed the Mojave river (not a drop in it).
Drove through Barstow, California which looks like a funky town. There is a McDonalds in three old railcars in Barstow Station. Barstow is the end of Route 40, so we have traveled almost the whole length of America's main street from Warsaw, North Carolina to Barstow, California.
Passed the Boron capital of the world - apparently Boron is the main ingredient in Borax - 20 mule team is still active, i guess.
Passing Edwards Air Force Base where Chuck Yaeger was the first one to break the sound barrier and where some of the space shuttles landed.
Huge windmill farm where the flat desert rises to mountains. The windmills stretch from a slight rise all the way along the crests of the mountains - must be several hundred. Sorry to go on and on about windmills but for some reasom they facinate me. In the museum we visited in Texas they explained how the central and western part of the states would not have been able to be settled without windmills to pump the water from underground aquefers since surface water was so scarce. SO, windmills are what really won the West.
Climbing up and down mountains on the way to Bakersfield. Coming up over a rise and the air is hazy. Reminds me of a line in a Jimmy Buffet song "I spent 4 lonely days in a brown LA haze." Don't tell me this is smog from LA. But it is nice to see some green again.
Amazing how the terrain changes. We started the day in the dry, rocky Mojave desert, climbed through mountain ranges and are now in a green, fertile valley and it is only 10 o'clock!
The USA has such an abundance of beauty. I keep running out of superlatives to describe what we're driving through, so forgive me if I repeat myself.
On another note, I am enjoying my Nook (electronic book reader), especially since I figured out how to download books from the library. Actually, i havn't needed much as most of the
campgrounds have trading libraries. Have read about 8 books so far.
Just passed a church in Bakersfield called "The Soul Factory."
A billboard - Pest Control - zero return on infestment.
Driving through miles and miles of grape vines and nut trees. This area must feed the whole country.
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