Anxious to get on the road early, and tackle the predictable heat awaiting me in the desert, I left Paso Robles at 5am. I took the first picture as I was cruisin eastbound on Hwy 46, about half way to Bakersfield. I actually took 3 pictures of the sunrise, but keeping the camera steady at 70 mph is not exactly the easiest thing to do, and this is the only one that is worth posting.
This self portrait was taken on Hwy 58 between Mojave and Barstow, and it was about mid-morning. If you're following the chronology of the pictures, you'll notice that there are no photos of the ride through the southern San Joaquin Valley. This was my 2nd crossing of the valley in successive days, and my thoughts about riding in the valley were once again strongly reinforced. Not a whole lot to take pictures of, and Oh my gosh, the smells!
While riding my Harley, there are many things happening simultaneously, all of which make the experience much more heightened to the senses. Certainly at the top of the list is the different fragrances that one encounters while on the road. Being out in the open, the nose picks up even the most insignificant aromas, that you often don't even detect inside a car. In the last few days, I had cruised through the high desert, with the distinct smell of blooming sagebrush. While crossing the Sierras, the fragrance of the pine forest and bear clover were at times almost overpowering. Along the coast highway, the odoriferous ocean smell is unmistakable, and even in the dark, you would know exactly where you were.
Then, there is the Central Valley of California. Once again, if you could close your eyes, after only traveling a few miles, the conspicuous odors would be a dead giveaway as to your location. The only problem with most of those fragrances, is that they are not very pleasant. On this valley crossing, I first encountered the oil fields, then miles and miles of agricultural land in different stages of production. Without going into a lot of details, lets just say that I was glad to be out of the valley, and crossing the Tehachipi mountains on Hwy 58.
While riding my Harley, there are many things happening simultaneously, all of which make the experience much more heightened to the senses. Certainly at the top of the list is the different fragrances that one encounters while on the road. Being out in the open, the nose picks up even the most insignificant aromas, that you often don't even detect inside a car. In the last few days, I had cruised through the high desert, with the distinct smell of blooming sagebrush. While crossing the Sierras, the fragrance of the pine forest and bear clover were at times almost overpowering. Along the coast highway, the odoriferous ocean smell is unmistakable, and even in the dark, you would know exactly where you were.
Then, there is the Central Valley of California. Once again, if you could close your eyes, after only traveling a few miles, the conspicuous odors would be a dead giveaway as to your location. The only problem with most of those fragrances, is that they are not very pleasant. On this valley crossing, I first encountered the oil fields, then miles and miles of agricultural land in different stages of production. Without going into a lot of details, lets just say that I was glad to be out of the valley, and crossing the Tehachipi mountains on Hwy 58.
By the time I was on old Route 66 in the Mojave Desert, the temps had climbed to well above 100 degreesWith one last gas stop in Ludlow out of the way, I detoured off I40, and took old Route 66 eastbound toward Needles. This section of the old mother road is often my choice of travel when traveling across the Mojave Desert, and is a welcome relief from the monotony of the super slab.
As I approached Amboy, I was surprised to see that one of the past icons of the desert, Roy's, was once again open for business. In years past, this was truly an oasis in the desert, and for the adventurous new entrepreneurs , I hope the renewed interest in Route 66, brings them enough business to pay the bills.
As I approached Amboy, I was surprised to see that one of the past icons of the desert, Roy's, was once again open for business. In years past, this was truly an oasis in the desert, and for the adventurous new entrepreneurs , I hope the renewed interest in Route 66, brings them enough business to pay the bills.
This last picture is a reminder of the many businesses along Route 66 that didn't make it. The death of most of these old roadhouses was the construction of the Interstate Highway system. This old gas station/cafe is in the small community of Essex, whose claim to fame is now a Cal-Trans maintenance yard.I was pulling into the garage by mid afternoon, glad to be out of the heat, and glad to be home after a 4 day ride of a little over 1,200 miles. Lots of stuff to do in the next few days, in preparation for our Golden Spike RV Rally in Carson City. We'll be leaving on Sunday, and back in the motor home for a couple of weeks.
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