We are home! 08-05-19

It was a 490 mile day, leaving from Mary's in San Juan Bautista at 9:15am and arriving at our house at 7:11pm.  I had some things from Mabel to deliver to her daughter in Tehachapi in the high desert, which is a loop east from I-5.  I trusted the GPS and didn't go where I intended to go, so Karen, Mabel's daughter, met me in Mojave and we transferred from our car to hers.  It was 106F and I found the sole spot of shade from a skinny tree in the McDonald's parking lot.  Too hot for KoKo to walk on the asphalt so he had to wait until I found another shady spot for him.  Then we headed east on highway 58 to where it meets I-15 just south of Barstow.  Had a pit stop at Lenwood, which is all fast food places, gas stations, an outlet mall, and a few motels.  We used to stop there on our way to Lake Havasu City when I took care of Corky, the Poodle Prince.  It has grown a lot and now spreads on both sides of the highway.  It was 108F there.  South in heavy traffic on I-15 to the 91 Freeway and then just two miles home.  KoKo had to immediately take a walk.  Poor guy being cooped up in the car all day with just a few rest areas to have a little walk and a piddle.  I don't think he really enjoyed the road trip.  Now he is passed out in his chair and I am about to pass out in my chair.  Emptied the ice chest and brought in the necessary things for both of us, but the car is still packed - all that workshop stuff and clothes (mostly clean since Mabel let me do a load at her house) and my Featherweight which Mabel serviced for me and taught me how to do it, and...  well, the stuff I seem to take on a road trip.  Tomorrow, or even Wednesday, is soon enough to unpack.  

I'll have some more pictures from the road, but too tired tonight.

KoKo observing the people parking at McDonald's.

 This scrawy tree cast the only shade in the parking lot.  I parked on the line, taking up two parking spots, but KoKo deserved it!!

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Road Trip - Almonds 05-03-13

I am home after a rather long day of driving.  Starting out in SJBautista this morning I stopped several times along the way - once to have a little nap!   I do much better on a Road Trip if I stop every two hours or so to walk around, do some stretches, focus my brain on something different.  There was a bit of a detour in my regular route down I-5.  I turned east on Hwy 58, drove through Bakersfield and up into the mountains to Tehachapi where Mabel's daughter lives.  Mabel had collected quite a stack of things for Karen and there has not been a decision about Mabel and Mac driving down for their youngest g'son's high school graduation.  I offered to take everything with me and swing through Tehachapi and pass them on to Karen.  It was a snap and I recognized a lot of changes since the last time I drove that way.  Many more wind turbines, new buildings, and how dry everything is with the low rainfall.  While I was traveling today two brush fires broke out - one near Newbury Park near the coast and one in Glendale - I could smell that one as I drove through the area, but was not anywhere near the actual fire.  The smoke in the air makes a gorgeous sunset, but  there was too much traffic for me to take pictures. 


I pulled off the roadway to take some pictures of almonds. On the south side of the highway there is a tall berm, I don't know what is beyond the berm, but it extends for more than a mile.  
 

On the other side of the road are miles of almond orchards.  Remember when I drove up for Empty Spools I posted pictures of almond trees in full bloom. 
http://www.delquilts.blogspot.com/2013/03/driving-home-from-empty-spools-03-07-13.html
Now the actual almonds are growing fat on the trees, giving them a sort of fuzzy look as they stick out in all directions.
 

The trees are heavy with leaves and almonds.
 

 
I think they are so lovely at this stage of growth - sort of like all white Jordan Almonds.
 

 
Inside the soft outer husk is the familiar hard shell with little pits.

Not much of a post tonight, but I am ready for bed.  Sooo tired.  Sooo glad to be home.