California!

It’s Saturday June 21, 2008 and I am in Bakersfield CA at an Ihop. After having a Cliff bar and an apple for dinner last night I felt like I needed something substantial this morning!

After leaving my campsite Friday morning I drove to Henderson NV and found a public gym so I could work out and shower. Then I drove across the Hoover Dam. It’s a major tourist attraction; people everywhere! Since the temperature at that point was 107 degrees I didn’t do a lot of walking around. I just took some quick pictures and hit the road. What was really amazing is the road under construction to bypass the dam. Much needed I’m sure because traffic just crawls across the dam itself. There’s also a beautiful lake nearby~ Lake Mead. I drove along the lake for a while and then circled back to the main highway. Because of Laurie giving me a hard time, I decided to drive into Las Vegas just to see the strip. The pictures are all taken from my car, most of them through the windshield. There was no parking on the street so I couldn’t get out and walk around. I guess you have to pick a hotel to stay at and then hit the strip from there. It was neat to see, but I had no desire to stay!

Instead I headed further west. I was really excited to finally reach California, but egads~ the landscape was dreary. It was a really long, hot (see picture of my car thermometer~ 117 degrees!!!) drive through Death Valley, where I saw the lowest place in North America. It’s -282 feet. Yes, that’s negative 282 feet! I got to see the sunset there and then continued to drive to Lone Pine where I paid $4.83 a gallon for gas and found a place to camp for the night. I didn’t sleep well and so when I was wide awake at 4:30 am I got up and hit the road again. Now, here I am in Bakersfield. I’m heading to Sequoia National Park. I hope to find a campsite early then take a look around and get to sleep early tonight. The day has just begun and I’m exhausted!