Nevada bound ...

Well, we regret having to leave the beautiful Sierra Nevada range but it's time to begin preparing for our return to reality. This morning we head West to Visalia and turn South toward Bakersfield. There we'll turn back East and travel toward Barstow. When we get there we hope to find a section of "Route 66" we can travel for 'nostalgia's sake.'. This is our first "mobile" post and we're on CA-99 as we speak. And .... I'm going to try taking a picture as we travel. Here goes.......






...whoa ... I got it!!!! (not without a lot of whining from the "photo subjects".) We'll be back soon.....


The drive down from Three Rivers to Bakersfield is a vivid reminder that not only the topography and altitude but also the temperature can change dramatically in a very short time. Stopping for breakfast at "Apple Annie's" we find vivid reminders of the "Space Legacy" of this area. Right outside of town we turned to the Southeast on CA 58 toward Edwards Air force Base, landing site for the Space Shuttles. The community prides itself on being the "Home of Space Ship #1". Surrounded by he Mojave Desert, Edwards projects an almost "lunar" quality that is somehow very fitting.





Nearby, on "Twenty Mule Team Road" a massive Borax mine reminds us of the early days here and the tough, creative people who settled and developed the country.






Mile after mile of vast spaces roll by and we see continuous reminders of the dynamic nature of California and the never-ending changes taking place. We saw one of the enormous "wind farms" harnessing the energy of the wind for power generation.

...... We're still truckin' down the road to Nevada ...



























Our journey is winding down but before we pitch the tent for the night we have one more obligation to fulfill. We feel compelled to pay a visit to the bridge that memorializes Pat Tillman, the former NFL star who gave his life for his country in Afghanistan. The bridge is a true miracle of engineering and overlooks the mighty Hoover Dam.























...... So as the sun slowly descends in the Western sky, we prepare to head for Vegas and our last night in the West.


..... But, we've still got lots of traveling to do so, come on back now, y'hear...

Posted from iPad by SCTravelersX3








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