Been through the Desert in a Car with No Name
Thu, Sep 15, 2005
by Geoff Young
Ever since I’ve been able to read a map ― or, really, since I’ve been able to gaze out a car window ― I’ve been fascinated by roads and where they go. In that spirit, and with the Gorman fire still not contained from our previous day’s journey, we decided to hang a left onto SR-58 at Bakersfield. Not only would this route steer us clear of the fire and LA traffic, it would take us along a stretch of California that I’d never seen.
At various points of the Bakersfield-to-Barstow corridor, SR-58 is known as “Rosa Parks Highway,” “Kern County Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway,” and ― with less color but greater utility ― “Bakersfield - Tehachapi Highway” and “Mojave - Barstow Highway.” It also connects several dots to form a vague picture of “The Middle of Nowhere.”
Just east of Bakersfield, you climb a large hill. The land here is mostly dry grass and boulders, with a few trees further from the road. You drive through or past towns such as Keene, Woodford, Tehachapi, Monolith. Several peaks line the corridor, including Red Mountain, Eagle Peak, and the charmingly named Nellie’s Nipple, which lies some 7-8 miles north of the highway.
Also, there are windmills. Hundreds of them. Like the ones you see along I-580 near Livermore on the way, say, from Stockton to Oakland.
Eventually, after the dry grass and boulders, the windmills, Nellie’s Nipple, a few mines (boron? mercury?), and NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center (on the northern edge of Edwards AFB), you reach US-395. Not much here: A truck stop or two, knick-knack shop, and decisions to make.
Turn left, you’re headed to Ridgecrest. Straight, you’re on your way to Barstow. After a quick stop for gas and chips, we take the third option and drive south toward Adelanto, home of the High Desert Mavericks. This year’s trip doesn’t include a stop at High Desert Stadium. Like last year, we somehow manage to miss the town of Adelanto again. Some dust may have gotten in my eye and I blinked a little too long.
Back to familiar teritorry on I-15, past Rancho Cucamonga and San Bernardino. Blimps overhead covering some NASCAR event in Fontana won by a chap named Busch. Amusement at the thought of referring to a NASCAR driver as a “chap.” And finally into Elsinore.
We’ve made much better time than anticipated and the stadium hasn’t opened. On a road trip, when in doubt, stop for coffee. We hit the local Starbucks and renew our buzz.
I’m a little shaky from caffeine at this point, so we head over to the park for hot dogs and the game. The dogs are good, but I don’t recall much about the game. I know the Storm won; I think the score was 7-1, but beyond that, the details are a little fuzzy.
What I do remember are the Navy SEALS skydiving into the stadium before the game. And the Storm celebrating the birthday of mascot Thunder with a bunch of other mascots (including Hamlet, Thunder’s predecessor in Elsinore, who received a warm round of applause). And, as always, good conversation with Syntax of Things Jeff.
After the final pitch, the season is over and nobody knows where (or if) these kids will be playing next year. The only thing I’m certain of is that there is no place other than a ballpark that I would rather be.
Except maybe on the road that takes me there.
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
September 15, 2005 at 7:51 am
Adalante is a terrible stretch of lights and stops signs and cops waiting to hand out tickets too. Coming down from Mammath, a beautiful drive in itself, always turns tedicous when traveling through that stretch of Adalante, a town, like you point out, that is hard to see. And you forgot to mention all the trucks on 58 and the cat and mouse game of passing. But maybe for a later post.
September 15, 2005 at 9:08 am
You know, we must’ve gotten real lucky. I’ve heard that about 58, but we never had to slow down at all.
September 15, 2005 at 11:34 am
MLB is looking to get its hands on blogging.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...../index.jsp
September 15, 2005 at 1:02 pm
Ever pulled off 99 and visited Sequoia/Kings Canyon Nat’l Parks? If not, you MUST do so. Absolutely magnificent. Yosemite without the crowds. Probably even prettier than Adalante! Not so sure about Nellie’s Nipple though…
September 15, 2005 at 1:07 pm
This is FUN/FANTASTIC … http://baseballanalysts.com/ar.....it_a_1.php … MUST READ!
September 15, 2005 at 1:07 pm
Thanks for the tip, Brian. I haven’t been to Sequoia/Kings Canyon since I was a kid. An uncle of mine used to work as a park ranger up there.
September 15, 2005 at 1:32 pm
***RantON****
I have four blogs, all with blogger, and don’t pay a red cent to voice my opinions. MLB charging to blog, what’s next, charging watch games on TV, which we already pay for. If earn money with your blog, then its right to pay, but MLB is charging just to use a padre template. I’m waiting for them to start charging for GameDay. Of course, the NYtimes.com starts charging next Monday. They will have free stuff, interesting to see what it is. CNN charged for premium material, but now has removed fees. MLB makes enough money, what is the over head on a couple of webserves and ddisk space, other then initial cost? Nothing.
Goff, are you paying for Ducksnorts or whats the angle there?
September 15, 2005 at 2:11 pm
From NC Times …
Padres ace Jake Peavy reported no pain from a 30-pitch bullpen session and pronounced himself ready to return to starting duty on Friday against Washington.
“It was so good to get on the mound and feel like I did today,” Peavy said. “I didn’t have all my strength, but that’s normal.”
Peavy hadn’t thrown from the mound since Sept. 4, when sharp pain in the back of his right shoulder forced him to leave a game at Milwaukee after five innings. The Padres scratched Peavy from his start Saturday in Los Angeles, using rookie Clay Hensley in the 3-1 loss.
Following Peavy in the rotation will be Pedro Astacio, who was activated from the disabled list Tuesday. Bochy hasn’t selected a Sunday starter, but he wouldn’t say if that means Chan Ho Park is out of the rotation. Park, who lasted only 1 1/3 innings in his last outing, can fill in if anything happens to Peavy or Astacio, Bochy said.
… sounds like good news … but I’ll be happy if he doesn’t throw >80ish pitches!
September 15, 2005 at 2:18 pm
Ouch:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/ne.....;type=lgns
PM: No, I do not pay to publish Ducksnorts.
September 15, 2005 at 2:29 pm
In case you missed this bizzare event, Gabe Kapler ruptured his left Achilles’ tendon while rounding second base on Tony Graffanino’s fifth-inning homer … http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250914114 …
This situation is covered by rule 5.10(c)(1) … http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/.....reword.jsp … says … (1) If an accident to a runner is such as to prevent him from proceeding to a base to which he is entitled, as on a home run hit out of the playing field, or an award of one or more bases, a substitute runner shall be permitted to complete the play.
September 15, 2005 at 3:09 pm
Here’s an interesting Q&A from BP …
DrLivy ((Charleston, WV)): Do the Padres have any chance of winning a first-round series against the Braves or Cardinals?
Christina Kahrl: Actually, I think they could beat the Cardinals, if their rotation does well; the Cardinals lineup isn’t last year’s murderer’s row, and as good as their rotation is for 162 games, it can be beaten in a short series. That plus a bit of LaRussian overmanagement, versus Bochy’s more sensible in-game tactics, and I could see an upset. I wouldn’t bet on it, but it’s possible. Similarly, the Braves have so many questions about their rotation and their pitching depth that I guess they’re pretty vincible. That’s what I like about both league’s postseasons: nobody’s overpowering, although if I had to bet, I’d probably pick the Angels to take it all.
September 15, 2005 at 3:17 pm
That assumes the Angels hold off the A’s…
September 15, 2005 at 4:17 pm
Cleveland Indians all the way!
September 15, 2005 at 4:33 pm
LM: Good stuff. Remember that the Pads went 5-1 against the Braves this year, and 4-3 against the Cardinals.
Didi: I am really pulling for the Indians. That is an organization that the Padres really should be watching for ideas of how to succeed on a budget. We’ll be talking about this more over the winter, but what those guys have done is just amazing.