The adventures of Pioneer Girl travelling with enthusiastic Camper Barn Owl Guy

Started as a blog about my trip from Pittsburgh to California in a Ford Pickup, hauling a 30' refurbed trailer/camper. Ah, California Dreaming, 'n all that. Found that adventures can be long distance or in your own neighborhood... I look for my own twist on local sites, don't take the known for granted...and always find something new. It's easy, just open your eyes..

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Cowabunga California


Good Morning, all Pioneers!  October 29, 2010 -  WE MADE IT!  GPS coordinates track us…uh huh…in, NewBerry Springs California!  Sitting at the camper kitchen table blogging and looking out at desert, traffic, trains, and blue skies and a pond with one duck splashing around.  California dreaming has become a reality.  
BTW, I hope Willa Cather didn’t mind my using her book, O Pioneers, as my opening greeting for my travel blog.  I think she won’t.  Great classic book by the way, in fact it’s on my reading list after I finally finish The Girl Who Kicked Hornets Nests.
Today, we are heading towards Bakersfield, where we plan to stop to do some hiking in Kern Canyon. 

Best made plans?  Nixed Kern Canyon,  and headed north on Route 15 to Calico Mining Ghost Town in Yermo, California.  It was an old silver mining town that was prosperous for a while in it’s time but was abandoned in 1904.  Built in the absolutely most beautiful area, nestled in amongst the brown and tan hills.  Personally as a Pioneer Girl, I loved it.  Some of it was schmaltzy but looking past that you can see how the folks lived their lives, and a lot of it was in the silver mines.  Barn Owl Camper Guy got kinda restless after a while…not his thing, but I was having so much fun.  BOCG guy said that when I am having fun, I’m kinda wagging my tail.  I thought that was pretty funny.
Took 58 West towards Barstow, passing Edwards Air Force Base, passing arms of reaching Joshua Tree Cactus and low creosote bushes.  There is an old creosote bush in Lucerne Valley, CA that is 11,700 years old!
Bakersfield was a disaster for us, our first big squabble.  California is not so great with highway signs, and long story short, I had him jig instead of jag.  I ended up having a bit of a breakdown, high tension and emotional uncertainty once we finally reached California and our trip/adventure was almost over.  Guess I am a sensitive pioneer afterall.
Here we are in Pixley, California, having some margarita’s, steaks, and zucchini.  You know, I think there is pioneer spirit in all of us at times, and I’m so happy that I got to be a pioneer girl for a while.  I used to be an Annie Oakley girl, but that’s a whole  ‘nother story.
Until tomorrow…guess who, Pioneer Girl  xoxo




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  1. NtrlRedhead53October 31, 2010 at 12:23 PM

    Confined in close quarters can tax anyone. But apparently things have turned around, and steaks, zucchini and ritas can fix anything. There...all better. Just another part of the journey.

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