We began our trip to the Alpine desert rallies with a stop in Pismo Beach for a few days. It seemed fitting, therefore, that on our way back north to wet and chilly Washington we ought to complete the circle by heading back to Pismo again. Here, back in civilization, with full hookups and good Wi-Fi, we could re-group, re-energize, catch up on blog posts, and take the opportunity to clean the Sonoran Desert dust that has coated both the inside and outside of the coach. And we could once again enjoy our daily beach walks.
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| Pismo to overnight in Riverside; to Quartzsite; to Earp; to Parker; to Lake Havasu City; overnight in Tehachapi; and back to Pismo |
Once Winter Blast ended and we said our adieus to everyone, we headed westward, making our way to Tehachapi the first night, a distance of 298 miles. From the rodeo grounds at Lake Havasu City, the route took us north on 95, connected to Interstate 40 across the Colorado River into California, and all the way to Barstow where we connected with route 58 across the Mojave Desert to Tehachapi. We have traveled through this desolate wilderness corner before. I now recognize the wilderness recreation areas and dune sections as well as certain landmarks like the lava flows and ancient volcanic mounds. The sparsely inhabited region is also the training ground for the navy, army, and marine corps.
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| Interstate 40, approaching the Colorado River |
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| crossing the Colorado |
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| back in California |
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| desert wilderness and long trains |
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volcanic remnants and historic Route 66 remnants
that can be seen along some stretches of the highway |
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| just a long straight road through the desert wilderness |
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| on and on for miles |
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| another section of Route 66 running parallel to the highway |
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| lava beds |
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| driving through the Mojave Desert |
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out of the blue, close to Boron, Joshua trees began to appear - they typically grow
at elevations above 1,800 feet up to about 6,000 feet |
We know we are getting close to our destination when we are in view of the Tehachapi Mountains and the wind turbines.
Thankfully we were spared the gale-force wind gusts that side-swiped us on our maiden trip in Alpine from Virginia back in October 2014. Back then the wind was whipping so fiercely the morning we drove this stretch that it started to unfurl the awning and sheared off the refrigerator and bathroom vents.
A short distance beyond Tehachapi Summit (elevation 4,064 feet), we arrived at our destination. Our overnight accommodations were most definitely the best we have ever experienced, with an exceptional view and friendly, welcoming Alpine hosts, our friends Katie & Paul Lisec. And considering that they themselves had just arrived back home a couple of hours earlier from the Winter Blast rally, they are more than accommodating.
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perched high above the valley floor at the Lisecs' mansion... with 30 amp electric
AND
in the morning we had four-footed visitors checking us out curiously..
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The next morning,we said our goodbyes to Katie and Paul, and were off on the last leg towards Pismo Beach, only 204 miles further. We took route 58 west to Bakersfield, then route 99 north, connecting to route 46 to Paso Robles, and eventually to 101 and our exit.
It was another good travel day, sunny and clear, the road a familiar one again. Ginny (our GPS lady) is becoming redundant along this section, for we are beginning to know it well. The drive from Tehachapi to Bakersfield winds through the Sierra Nevadas and is one of my favorites. It takes you between velvety hills, high above pretty valleys, as you twist between the folds to the other side.
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| the orange on the hillsides, I believe, are the wild poppies in bloom |
Approaching Bakersfield, we began to see mile after mile of orange groves. The orange trees were heavily laden, and on this trip we have indulged in California sweet oranges. Our favorites are the scarlet red blood oranges.
The scenery was pretty, particularly because the trees were in bloom. The leg along route 99 and through Wasco along route 46 looked like an explosion of pinks and whites to the horizon, a completely different picture compared to a few weeks back when the trees looked stark and skeletal in their winter garb.
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| the pink and white corridor along Rt 99 |
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| California oranges in transit |
As pretty as the drive was through the section with the orchards in bloom, the resulting bug splats were not. It was unpleasant hearing the loud squelches, and troubling to know that we contributed to the demise of the busy little bees and other hardworking insects without which there would be no fruits. It was difficult to find a clear area on the windshield to take photos too. And of course the other consequence is that once we arrived in Pismo, the first chore was to clean the splats before they harmed the paint on Alpine. Leaving any insect debris for too long, as I learned in one of the seminars, damages the paint finish.
There is one section that pops up surprisingly in the middle of this farming region. For a few miles through the San Joachin Valley, we passed oil derricks and a refinery. It looks completely alien and out of place among the orchards bedecked in their pastel blossoms.There are oil fields close to Lost Hills, and there is more about them here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Hills_Oil_Field
Were these the inspiration for Star Wars creatures, I wonder...
Next, we passed a solar farm, a sign of the times where our increasing need for energy and the abundant sunshine in this region merge successfully.
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| this one's for you Gold Coast Jan! |
We drove through almond country further along route 46. I happen to love almonds, particularly the ones coated with dark chocolate. I wonder if there is a Trader Joe's close to Pismo Beach... that's where we buy ours.
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pretty scenery, lush green fields, almond trees heavy with blossoms and the
Diablos in the distance |
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| happy California cows munching sweet California grass |
Closer to Paso Robles, the vineyards started to appear.
The best part of the trip is the steep descent into San Louis Obispo because we are only a few miles from our destination now. A couple of miles later the Pacific pops into view and we take the exit to our favorite beach town. We have finally arrived, completing the circle of our beach-to-desert-and-back-again trip.
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| Pacific Ocean in view again (pardon the glare on the windshield on this sunny day) |
We know we are getting close to our destination when we are in view of the Tehachapi Mountains and the wind turbines. 
It was another good travel day, sunny and clear, the road a familiar one again. Ginny (our GPS lady) is becoming redundant along this section, for we are beginning to know it well. The drive from Tehachapi to Bakersfield winds through the Sierra Nevadas and is one of my favorites. It takes you between velvety hills, high above pretty valleys, as you twist between the folds to the other side.
The scenery was pretty, particularly because the trees were in bloom. The leg along route 99 and through Wasco along route 46 looked like an explosion of pinks and whites to the horizon, a completely different picture compared to a few weeks back when the trees looked stark and skeletal in their winter garb.
