Calico and then Visalia, California – March 14
I started off the day with a ghost town sized breakfast at the Calico House Restaurant. There are hundreds of peanut shells on the floors, and a pretty grey cat makes it stand out from an ordinary code following restaurant, but the grub was good. I thought I had a pretty good appetite but I watched a couple beside me order the bacon and eggs and top it off with two lumberjack sized pancakes so I felt kind of diminutive in size and had no guilt in cleaning my plate.
The $2.00 a ride train went by on its eight minute route around the
mine site. The buildings are pretty interesting, both on the site and down
below at the end of the first parking lot. There are several gift stores as
well. One of the shopkeepers came out with a leather saddle for Baloo. I asked
him if he didn’t think I was a little too big to ride on his back. He laughed
and said No Ma’am, it’s all for show, and it will only set you back $60.00. As
I walked away I heard him say to his buddy sitting in the rocking chair on the
deck, “Well I tried.”
Before coming into Bakersfield there were some steep hills with cattle grazing on them. And then the valley spread out and it would have been beautiful except for the heavy brown haze that obscured the view. I stopped in at a park after an hour to stretch my legs and when I got out the grass was being cut. I haven't smelled fresh grass for at least 6 months. I felt like rolling in it!
A family was having a picnic in the park and a little boy who was too shy to pat Baloo came over and gave me a can of coke. His sister came over also and although Baloo did his best in sitting, laying, rolling over, and shaking a paw, she managed to give him just one lightning pat.
Tonight I pulled into a KOA because it came up on my GPS and is a couple miles off the highway, perfect I thought until I saw the price - $37.00. That's sucks big time, but I was too tired to continue so I am sitting at the picnic table enjoying the warmth - 85' and the electricity, and plan for a nice hot shower. I also washed my truck and trailer (possibly illegal), but that must have saved me a few bucks. I went for a ride on my bike but the first two vehicles really cruised by close to me, and that kind of shook me up - I watched them to see if they were together, but one turned off, and the other continued down the road. I guess they don't like bikers, either that or their brains match their driving skills.
Before coming into Bakersfield there were some steep hills with cattle grazing on them. And then the valley spread out and it would have been beautiful except for the heavy brown haze that obscured the view. I stopped in at a park after an hour to stretch my legs and when I got out the grass was being cut. I haven't smelled fresh grass for at least 6 months. I felt like rolling in it!
A family was having a picnic in the park and a little boy who was too shy to pat Baloo came over and gave me a can of coke. His sister came over also and although Baloo did his best in sitting, laying, rolling over, and shaking a paw, she managed to give him just one lightning pat.
Tonight I pulled into a KOA because it came up on my GPS and is a couple miles off the highway, perfect I thought until I saw the price - $37.00. That's sucks big time, but I was too tired to continue so I am sitting at the picnic table enjoying the warmth - 85' and the electricity, and plan for a nice hot shower. I also washed my truck and trailer (possibly illegal), but that must have saved me a few bucks. I went for a ride on my bike but the first two vehicles really cruised by close to me, and that kind of shook me up - I watched them to see if they were together, but one turned off, and the other continued down the road. I guess they don't like bikers, either that or their brains match their driving skills.
Tomorrow I think I will have to
go on I-5 because the road surface is better - horrors! I think I have about 15
more hours to reach the border. And looking at the map I don't see many options
for finding nice state parks to stay at in California.
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