California, Here We Come! - March 2015

California State Line at Sunset

March 17 - 18

October 2014 - St. Louis Airport

  Well, it's been since last October that we saw our son Aaron when we took him to St. Louis Airport to go west and start a new life for himself. Pretty brave for a kid who was bounced around from one foster family to another the first 16 years of his life, and yet maybe that made it a bit easier for him to start over once more on his own. He is now in Claremont, CA and  driving for LYFT, one of those new companies that make getting a ride as simple as opening an app on your phone. Things sure do change, don't they? It was an uneasy feeling seeing him just fly off to who knows where with little if any arrangements made on the other end, but that was his wish.

Kathy, Red, Aaron, Ron - Claremont, CA

     Finally we have a chance to stop in and check on him and see how he's doing. It will be a short visit because of his work schedule, but at least we can see him for a bit. Currently he's rooming with a friend; actually a very nice gentleman who took it upon himself to let Aaron stay until he could get on his feet. Seemed like a strange situation when he first told us about it, but after meeting Ron we feel very comfortable and in fact a little envious of his setup. Ron lives in a very nice area, close to everything. Now it will be Aaron's turn to come visit when we get to Washington, and I'm sure he will. 

Mar 18 - 21

     Leaving the LA area we opt to leave I-5 and take the high road North. Just adding a  little variety to the ride by getting off the interstate for a bit. Heading up RT 14 we  settle in at Sonoro RV Park, in the tiny town of Inyokern. Not alot here, but just down the road from the somewhat larger community of Ridgecrest. Surrounded by desert, the town is next to China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center. Pretty desolate area, but probably a good place to test bombs, drones, ect. Didn't go to their museum, and probably will later wish we had. One thing we keep needing to remind ourselves; stop and see what you can...you may not be coming back this way again.

     
    It's March and it's hot up here in the high desert.  But that's ok, because I think it may still be pretty cool when we get to Washington. That's about another week away, so we will enjoy the sunshine and warm temps.

Traveling north on  RT-14 we continue to be in awe by the scenery. Approaching Lone Pine, it feels like we are driving through an old western movie set. Then I realize, that we actually are! Parallel to Lone Pine are the Alabama Hills, an area of boulders and hills that were the setting more many western movies and TV shows, like" Maverick", "High Sierra", "Gunga Din", and "Rawhide".

Lone Pine

Boulders in Movie Flats area.

    Farther North along an extremely barren desert landscape we come upon the site of Manzanar, a WWII relocation camp for Japanese Americans. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese Citizens were forced to live in 10 relocation centers spread across the country.  Begun in March of 1942, this relocation center was completed within six weeks. On March 21 the first 82 Japanese Americans made the 220-mile trip by bus from Los Angeles. By July Manzanar's population was nearly 10,000. Over 90 percent of the evacuees were from the Los Angeles area. Manzanar is now a National Historic site; what remains of the 500+ acre encampment are sparse ruins of barracks, victory gardens and memorials. There is a driving tour which directs you to the various areas of the camp, and a visitors center which houses a museum of artifacts, relics, pictures and stories of those whose lives were interrupted when their own country imprisoned them out of fear. 

Entrance to Manzanar Relocation Camp

Manzanar Memorial

 

 

 

  The Bee-gals,

    Kathy and Kathy (Red)