Day One: San Diego to Barstow
I left Lakeside at 9am, driving in the rain that I hoped would not be happening in the Riverside/San Bernardino area. I stopped at the AM/PM in Lake Elsinore as I always do when driving up the 15- potty break and diet coke. I always get sleepy about 90 minutes into any road trip and need the caffeine to perk me up. The skies were relatively clear as I headed towards Corona to look for some landmarks I have looked for before and been unable to find. Well, I found 1 of the 5 I was looking for- # 638, Old Temescal Road; of course the plaque was missing but I still took pictures to prove I was there. Numbers 187, Carved Indian Rock, 224, site of third Serrano adobe, 188, Butterfield Stage Station site, and 185, Serrano Boulder, were still unfindable. Next time...
After finding #638, I began to punch the address of the next place into my Garmin when the screen died. This happened on the last trip but the screen started working again and was working until this point on this trip. I messed with the plug but no luck so I detoured to Best Buy and plunked down $161 for a new Garmin Nuvi. I know you will ask- why not use a GPS app on my new iPhone? Well, I don't want to use up my Gs and I need a GPS that mounts on my windshield. Both my Nuvis have been invaluable on these trips. I need the audible directions to get me where I want to go. My next stop was CHL # 1019, the Kimberly Crest Mansion. I paid $10 for the tour of this late 1800s house that was owned by Mr. Kimberly of the Kimberly-Clark company (Kleenex, Huggies). It is a great house, with Tiffany lamps, priceless paintings, and fabulous Victorian furniture. By this time, it had started raining, and I headed off to find a few more places before I headed to Barstow.
I spent a couple hours driving around Redlands, Colton, San Bernardino, and Loma Linda: I found CHL #s: 95- Guachama Mission Station, 44- Old Mormon Fort site, 977- The Arrowhead. Agua Mansa, # 121, was closed but I got some pix through the fence. I could not find Fort Benson, # 617. I did find the former home (not a CHL) of Virgil Earp, Wyatt's brother and the Redland's fire station #1. Whoopee!! I could tell at this point that the rain was not going to let up and I still needed to drive over the Cajon Pass. It was windy, rainy, and I think it even snowed a little bit! I drove S L O W and made it over the hill. The snow in the mountains up high with the Mormon rocks in the foreground is a beautiful sight. I glanced to my left at one point and saw a train carrying tanks! I made it to Barstow around dinner time, got a room at Motel 6, and headed to IHOP for dinner and route planning for the next day. It was on to the Mojave desert...
Day 2 tomorrow.
PS- DO NOT order IHOP's Grilled Basalmic Glazed chicken breast. The chicken "breast" was nasty- looked like "parts is parts" and very gristley. Gross.
PPS- one of my favorite things to do when I spend the night in a motel is to watch Adult Swim while I take a bath (if they have a tub)! I know, I am weird.
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ReplyDeleteYou went to IHOP and had dinner?? Don't you know, you should never order anything other than breakfast at IHOP! ;)
ReplyDeleteThe first day sounds like a great time - wish I'd been there with you.
(this is Karen - grrr...my user name on Blogger isn't working right now.)