18 November 2014

Across the U.S., Day 43 - Barstow (CA) to Sunnyvale (CA)

Exactly six weeks ago I had started this very special journey and on the agenda today was simply "get the last 400 miles back home".



On my way to Bakersfield I noticed some lonesome houses that had become the target for someone's creative urge.



Otherwise, I did not stop very often. Just here and there to capture the open landscape along US-58 and through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.




My route brought me through Bakersfield, which is also known as "Nashville West" or "California's Country Music Capital". Due to the severe dust storms in the 1930s settlers from the Great Plains migrated into California and brought their Country Music also to Bakersfield (see blog entry from Oct 15th).

There are some fairly ugly areas around Bakersfield. Years ago, I had met someone from there and she used to tell people that she was from LA, did not want to admit her real home town. I kind of understand why. The closer I got to the city, the more the sky darkened and it felt really depressive. Maybe it was due to a lot of smog or just because of some rainy weather in the forecast?


I briefly stopped for lunch at a little town called Lindsay (near Fresno), surrounded by citrus orchards. My dear friend and former co-worker Virgie grew up there and I drove by the Sacred Heart Church where she got married.

And then finally, after some nerve-wrecking driving on busy highways 101 and 85, and precisely 8,366 miles (13,464 km) and countless extraordinary impressions later, there I was back home. Safe and sound and happy to be with Guido again!

Would I do such trip again? Yes, absolutely! But certainly not tomorrow! :-)

8 comments:

  1. Aber nicht aus Gewohnheit wieder weiterfahren, morgen ;-)

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    1. Konnte mich so grade noch zurückhalten. ;-)

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    2. Genieße dein Zuhause! Wir wünschen dir viel Erfolg für alle deine anstehenden Vorhaben!

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    3. Danke! So langsam sollte ich ja auch mal wieder in den 'job search' mode gehen.

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  2. Thank you for all the wonderful posts. It makes me want to take a cross country road trip.

    Nice of you to let us tag along!

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    1. Thanks to all who have joined me virtually! Will see on your blog when you start your next cross country trip. :-)

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  3. Way too soon for my taste ;-)
    Thanks for all those lovely tales from the road. I hope that you found what you were looking for...

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    1. In terms of "found what I was looking for", ... will give it some more thoughts and will prepare a synopsis within the next few days.

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