Edwards AFB Stop


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North America » United States » California » Lancaster
February 24th 2018
Published: March 1st 2018
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The lake has water!The lake has water!The lake has water!

We were surprised to see the blue water in the desert.
Driving through Lancaster on Saturday we passed an ancient lake bed and were surprised to see it wasn't dry...the bright sun shone upon the lake with the surrounding mountains reflecting on the water. However, as we passed the lake an old Bugs Bunny cartoon came to mind..."It's a miragee...I knew I shoulda made that left turn in Albuquerque". We've often read how pioneers crossing the vast North American deserts would head way off course to reach a mirage of cool blue water...I assumed they were probably suffering heat stroke. However, if you happen upon a mirage, it's easy to be convinced that water is just on the horizon...we were convinced.

A few minutes later we approached the gate at Edwards AFB on our way to stay a couple nights in the military campground. It was a nice, but unremarkable campground full of sticker bushes and blowing sand, but overall a well maintained campground. After settling in, we drove over to the Air Park and Test Flight museum, but were disappointed to find the museum closed. So we took some pictures around the aircraft displays and read the history plaques of the unique test planes. We always enjoy seeing the retired
SR 71 BlackbirdSR 71 BlackbirdSR 71 Blackbird

Formally, a highly classified cold-war spy plane. Still holds all the speed records!
SR-71 Blackbird; it was a highly classified plane while we were stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England in 1983. We used to watch, hear and feel it take off to locations unknown during the cold war, it was a sight to behold and it was loud!

Most of the weekend we just relaxed around the RV and watched the rabbits and other small animals wander among the stickers...I mentioned to Mi Hyon that there were so many of them because of a lack of predators on base. A few minutes later, she directs my attention to a large cat sitting a hundred feet or so from us. I rush inside to get our 30X camera, thinking finally a good opportunity for the zoom! I get back and the cat is still sitting perfect, zoom in for the perfect shot, and the camera shuts down w/ a recharge battery message...Mi Hyon takes some pictures with her trusty iPhone and I recharge my battery ;-) It was a very large well fed Bobcat, so much for my theory on lack of predators...Monday we head off to Los Banos for an overnight stay on the way to San Francisco.


Additional photos below
Photos: 13, Displayed: 13


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F-101B VoodooF-101B Voodoo
F-101B Voodoo

Retired from the 132 Fighter Intercept Squadron in Bangor Maine. The Maniacs.
F-4D Target F-4D Target
F-4D Target

Plane dragged a pilot pod for other planes to engage with live fire weapons. I imagine the pilot sure hoped they shoot well.
A-10A-10
A-10

Check out the gatling gun cannon!
Big CatBig Cat
Big Cat

If I had paid attention to my battery...you'd see the beautiful markings on this cat.


2nd March 2018

Nice cat
That was surprising that the bobcat was so visible
2nd March 2018

Nice cat
Yea, the cat was used to people. He would have stayed longer, but a neighbors 2 German shepherds went nuts and chased it away.

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