Blogs from Ridgecrest, California, United States, North America

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North America » United States » California » Ridgecrest February 20th 2018

Up early for a run along the Monterey coastal trail. A surreal experience, as it’s one of the virtual routes on the treadmill at my gym. So I’ve run it before on a rainy day in Boscombe, looking out over the A338. In reality, it is next to an even busier road. It’s also way colder than I’d anticipated so I pull the sleeves of my fleece over my hands. Passing runners feel the need to ‘high 5’ which means pulling my hands out of my nice warm sleeves. I watch the sun rising over the Pacific as I run. Not a bad way to start a day. After what passes for breakfast at a Days Inn, we set off. Today, neither the route nor the destination are of great interest but will bring us close ... read more
Monterey coastal trail
Monterey coastal trail
El Estero Park

North America » United States » California » Ridgecrest June 16th 2016

Anyone recognize the Trona Pinnacles in the new RAV4 commercials? Check out our blog from 22 April.... read more

North America » United States » California » Ridgecrest April 22nd 2016

Six miles of dusty washboard dirt road takes you from the two lane highway to another world. You may not recognize the Trona Pinnacles but you have all seen them many times. Planet of the Apes, Star Wars, The Lost World, Jurassic Park, and many other films were shot here using these unusual geologic wonders as a background to create the illusion that they were filming on another planet. The pinnacles were formed underwater in Searles Lake and left to stand alone when the lake dried up some 10,000 years ago. They truly are majestic and when you are close you do get the feeling you are surrounded by something unearthly. Many folks blow right past this place on their way to Death Valley never even suspecting that they exist. We made a day trip to ... read more
What a wonderful and diverse country this is...we have seen so much already
You're a little too close...just take one step back
One bowling pin left standing...or a petrified bottle of wine


We had an ambitious day ahead of us today, planning on riding through Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park, and the Sequoia National Forest, and with a couple of delays along the way and the decision to cut the day short and head for the hotel, in the end we did it all anyway. It's been a long day, so here are the highlights and some photos, but I'm going to try and make this entry quick (it'll probably be long anyway). We took some great roads through California farmland again to get to Kings Canyon/Sequoia. Of course, this meant passing another farm stand with peaches, nectarines and apricots today. We stopped and chatted a bit, and picked up some fruit. It turns out the picking season for this fruit started yesterday, so it truly ... read more
Driving through
Dad relaxing in a tree
Does this tree make me look small?

North America » United States » California » Ridgecrest March 13th 2012

Day 3! I’ll start by closing out last night’s log…. We made it to our campgrounds where there was a little diner opened for us to grab a quick bite. I got a bacon cheeseburger and the best tasting beer I’ve had in quite some time. It was just a Sierra Nevada, but after a long day in the field it tasted like nectar of the gods. The best part of it all was I was able to get 3G at the exact moment the Sabres were headed into a shootout vs. Ottawa. When Ennis netted the game winner, I cheered in solitude and raised my glass! Weeeeeeeee (are currently driving on a bumpy road, so I ‘m leaving the typo for effect) got back to set up camp. My tent is in kind of rough ... read more
Day 3
Day 3
Day 3




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