Roadtrip Across America (Idylwild, CA)- 06/21/2011

Fresno is more of a pit stop on our way across the country. The drive from Fresno to Idylwild, CA on the other hand has a lot to be said.

Never taken highway 99 before while heading south, I was surprised at the lush greenery and agriculture that surrounded the highway. The plethora of agriculture companies, ones that I had never heard of, with their combination of fruit and vegetables available, was a bit perplexing that I had never come across them in my local grocery store. Products like Foxy broccoli or even Naples Apples and Pears, were both companies that I had never seen. Such a broad diversity that I never knew existed in my own backyard slightly threw me off guard. This also brought the beginning of the reading the billboards as we drove onward.

Smart ad campaigning on billboards done by beer, soda, and fast food joints try to lure the tired, bored, and unsuspecting drivers from the freeways and into the cool- air conditioned units of sugar and carbohydrate plastic covered goodies lining the marts walls in temptation. It is quite ingenious because of the simplicity that there is nothing else to look at besides the landscape and the every changing billboards. You begin to pass the time by citing, "In only 15 miles... in the next 2 exits..." This exposure not only makes your mind wander, but makes your mouth parched.

Every few hours, we stop for ice. Not water, ICE. Ice is cool, clear, and it will melt in a few minutes and provide cold drinking water. If you purchase a cold water or other beverage, it will grow humid and hot within a few minutes time. Also, between the sweat dripping down your back and legs (even with the air conditioning on full blast) it is important to roll down the windows to merely dry off a bit. Dehydrated, I drank at least 1 gallon of water a day for the rest of our excursion across the country through a hundred plus degree temperatures. Drinking not only out of the necessity to cool off, but of your growing thirst not being used to such a dramatic change from the bay area climate. This dusty dry desert brushed landscape continues as we neared our campsite for the evening.

The wind starts to pick up and brushes against our trailer. This trailer is being pulled by Jon's Ford Ranger. He veers ever so slightly, but this will be a constant as we travel from California to Oklahoma. The wind blowing the trailer around that is.

San Bernadino sitting on the ridge view looking at on the scenery below from 7,000 in elevation one begins to wonder. I know the view is beautiful but why anyone would want to live at the top of this god forsaken place out in a National Park where you are covered in horseflies, mosquito’s, I don't know. It took Jon and I over half an hour just to get to the top of the ridge that was at an uphill incline of about 40 degrees.

Once we finally arrived at our destination for the evening, Thousand Trails. The ranger, a good nature man with a full potbelly warned us, as we crept into our campsite around ten that evening, "Watch out for those rattlesnakes cus they are ornery critters and we have spotted quite a few the last few days. They are just hatching and try to find someplace warm to snuggle up next to." Like my sleeping bag!!! UGH! Nine more days to go until we would make it to Massachusetts.