Moved to Three Rivers, California

We left Twentynine Palms yesterday, earlier than we normally do, because we had a long travel day ahead of us.  Typically we pull out around 9am but we managed to drug up Buddy by 7:30 and had everything put away and just decided to get going.  Hooking up the car to the RV was a dream - everything worked fine and off we went.  Came along the north side of Joshua Tree National Park, and continued on until we came to Yucca Valley and then headed north and west.  Very desolate roads, nothing much around but an occasional house.  Lots of Joshua Trees.

Twentynine Palms has over 30 murials on buildings 

Artist is amazing - looks like a photo! 

Big lizard!

We wondered where the boating was (Emerson Lake - near Joshua Tree)

Goodby San Gorgonia Mountain

Landed in Victorville and again took a route due north for about 40 miles, then picked up a route heading west into Bakersfield.  But, we had to drive up and over the Tehachapi Mountains - I am so glad I wasn't driving, Dave said last night that his arms hurt from steering (the winds had picked up going through the passes of the mountains).  Fortunately the truck's engine held us back when we dropped down into the valley that is known for its fruit and vegetable growing.  And do I mean groves!!!  Grove after grove after grove - lemons, oranges, limes.  Amazing.

Victorville on original Route 66 

Thought this was a lake - was solar panels.

Growing lots of wind mills

Crawled along north once we got into Bakersfield on Route 99 into Tulare where we picked up route 198 and began creeping up into the Sierra Nevada mountains.  Pulled into our campground at 3:45pm,  exhausted.

Not only steep grades but was slammed by the winds

Dropped down into lush valley by Bakersfield

Buddy did okay until we stopped in Tulare to tank up the truck (RV) when he must have gotten sick and barfed all over the back floor.  Fortunately we put down plastic and paper towels to catch his accidents.  I had decided to give him the full amount of tranquilizer that morning because we knew we would be on the road for over 7 hours.  Dave drove 328 miles, one of our longest drives ever done.  But it's behind us now.  After we leave here our next stop will be about 2 hours going north - will be heading towards Yosemite National Park.

Passed Woodlake - not far from Three Rivers

Launch area right a campground

Oh so pretty!

We will visit Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park while here at Three Rivers.  We have seen the redwoods in Muir Woods near San Fransisco and while the redwoods are taller (can be as tall as 379 feet and has a base of 22 feet), the sequoia has a more massive trunk and is heavier (height as tall as 311 feet and base as wide as 40 feet).  Huge.  The sequoia is considered the earth's largest tree.

This - is a sequoia! Notice car at bottom of tree?