Day 4 - Ridgecrest

Some pretty rocks in the Mojave Desert
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I have to share something with you… Today I bought a drink called ‘Vitamin Water’. Sounded good. However, the first ingredient in it was ‘vapor distilled, deionised and/or reverse osmosis water’ whatever that may be. Also, written on the side of it was ‘ah, orange juice commercials, funny stuff. Mom cheerily prepares some huge breakfast while the rest of the family sleeps. Sure, this could happen, but every morning? Please. Maybe if mom were heavily medicated, in which case, we wouldn’t condone operating a stove or any electrical appliance. For those of us who don’t live in an orange juice commercial, there’s still a way to get your morning nutrition. This product has calcium and vitamin C, so you can get your day started right, minus the whole stepford mom thing.’ Okey dokey. Sorry, had to share. Anyway… Today I travelled to Ridgecrest from Fresno. The countryside for the first 100 miles was pretty much agricultural flats – raisins, oranges, a few vineyards etc etc. Nothing particularly exciting to be honest. However I got quite diverted by some of the roadside adverts on billboards down the highway. Today’s pick was one for funeral urns which it stated could be used for both people and animals and would provide a ‘lasting memento of a loved one’. Lasting, yes. Memento??? After reaching Bakersfield I headed east and quickly reached the mountains. These were pretty cool I have to say and I spent about 45 minutes just climbing up and up. I passed lots of freight trains with their reeeally long loads. Then I hit the Mojave desert. And it’s quite desert-like. I could see quite a few isolated thunderstorms in the distance with lots of lightening but wherever I was it was still baking hot. It made quite a change from the flat agricultural land I have spent most of my time so far driving through. However, there is absolutely nothing there. Nothing. A bit eerie really. I turned to the radio for some company. After yesterday’s Christian overload I had been listening to my iPod but thought I should give the radio another go. This time every third station was Mexican, which I have now discovered involves lots of accordions and guitars. Otherwise it was pretty much country all the way. Today’s favourite tune was ‘Boot Scoot Boogie’ which I grooved on down to quite successfully. I had no problem finding Ridgecrest as it is the only town larger than 900 people for a LONG way. However, the SatNav does not appear to like the desert very much. It kept trying to send me down small dirt roads, which I’m sure would have got me to my destination, but I thought that it was a little soon in the trip for some off-roading in 40+ degree heat in the middle of nowhere. So I ignored it and got to Ridgecrest fine – although it did redeem itself in finding my motel once in the town. Ridgecrest itself is a bit weird – the main point of economy is an army weapons centre – need I say more? Tomorrow I head through Death Valley to Nevada. I have bought 3 gallons of water so I think I should be fine!

Thelma in the desert
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Distance travelled today – 227 miles.

Distance travelled today - 227 miles

Bearwatch – 0 – definitely too hot for their furry coats here!