James Dean and Cholame

Jill's Journal: In the middle of nowhere, on a highway with minimal traffic by California standards, is what is surely one of the most famous intersections of the last century. It was here that legendary actor James Dean, at the tender age of 24, collided with an even-younger college student in 1955. The blazing sun over the hills at the end of the day is blinding and while Dean’s last words to his surviving passenger were something to the effect of, “That guy’s got to see us,” the other driver, in a sturdy American car, did not. He supposedly turned right in front of Dean and his little Porsche Spyder. Dean was dead on arrival at the hospital in Paso Robles, a good 30 minutes away on modern roads.

The intersection was reshaped in the immediate years after the gruesome accident, with the harsh curve straightened out to avoid similar incidents. Today, on a barbed wire fence closest to the spot where Dean’s car came to rest, is a makeshift memorial with all sorts of interesting items ranging from cigarettes to old beer bottles and cans to 1950s-style sunglasses. There’s a plaque from Dean’s high school in Indiana and pictures of the accident scene, plus a number of coins and wilted bouquets.





About 900 yards west of the accident's location is a small parking lot with a memorial to Dean around a large “tree of heaven.” It's all located in a tiny town called Cholame, which consists of one beaten-down restaurant and a few scattered ranches. It’s hard to imagine anyone taking much notice of this town --then or now-- without its macabre day of 55 years ago, but it made for an interesting afternoon all these years later.

Morro Bay

Jill's Journal: What a perfectly splendid way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The little, two-lane highway Kristi and Adam live on practically dead-ends at the ocean about 25 minutes down the road. After some delectable fish tacos for lunch while outdoors in sight of the ocean, the beach at Morro Bay was beckoning.


Erika met an owl named “Gooch” on the way.

This really, really big rock looks deceptively small in this photo, but see the vehicles in the bottom right corner? Yes, it’s a reeeeeally big rock. First named by explorer Juan Cabrillo in 1542, Morro Rock was a sacred place for Indians long before that. It’s sometimes called the “Gibraltar of the Pacific.”

A fun family shot.

Madelyn was like a little mountain goat bounding over the rocks on the way to the jetty. She was even more sure-footed than the dog!

And speaking of the dog, Meisje was so eager to hit the beach…far more eager than Adam, who cracked me up by worrying about his white legs in this photo. I believe he stopped worrying when I rolled up my pants and he saw how white mine are. Hey, we've been in cold weather since Labor Day!

Meisje soon became a wet, sandy dog, but a very happy one. I imagine she’ll be getting hosed down or at least toweled down tonight.

Not everyone is lucky enough to have dipped their toes in both the Atlantic and the Pacific in their lifetimes, much less in the span of a few months. We are so blessed. No matter how much we say it, the girls don’t quite comprehend yet how fortunate we are to be on this journey; I hope they’ll understand someday.

Victoria dove into the chilly water a little more than any of us expected! Luckily, Daddy’s sweatshirt was almost a perfect fit…almost.

Meisje

Jill's Journal: This big black dog is no ordinary dog. She’s part human. She’s also the closest thing to a cousin my girls have for the time being. They absolutely, positively, completely ADORE Meisje, even if the love isn’t entirely mutual (although Meisje sure is patient with these little girls and I’m forever grateful to her for it).

Her name means “little girl” in a dialect of Dutch and is pronounced “may-she.” She was born the same year as Erika, so none of the girls have known Aunt Kristi without her. Meisje was the ring bearer to my girls' roles as flower girls at Kristi and Adam's wedding.

Mesije even gets to ride in our car, much to three little girls’ great amusement.

Templeton, CA

Jill's Journal: We went from this…



…to this.


It’s no secret Bakersfield is not exactly the most desirable place in the country. In fact, it’s often called the “armpit of California.” How sad is that?? But as you can see from our Bakersfield campground in the first picture, there was no charm even there; it was just a parking lot with hook-ups. Literally. We’ve never stayed in a campground quite like it! Thank goodness. Even so, we had a great time with our friends, Chris and Julie, and got a ton of errands done, so it was well worthwhile.

Yesterday, we made the long drive west, past a slew of oil fields (snapshot below), and on to Templeton, shown in the second picture. This is truly a lovely part of California called the Central Coast. It’s just a short drive to the Pacific, the weather is sensational (we finally found that sunshine we were looking for!), the hills are rolling and afford beautiful views, and the towns are positively charming.


The pictures below were taken at my sister and brother-in-law’s place out in the Templeton countryside. It may not be green at this time of year, but with 60-70 degree days, who cares? We are happily ensconced on their driveway, where they even have RV hook-ups! Oh my. We’re going to be very happy here while we explore the area and spend time with the girls' very beloved aunt and uncle.




Kristi and Adam greeted us with sushi night…



…and margaritas. Is it any wonder these are some of our most favorite people in the whole world?

Bakersfield, CA

Jill's Journal: We’ve been in Bakersfield for the last couple of days, catching up on errands and some RV fixes since the last time we were staying near a bigger city with stores like Camping World was quite a few months ago. But the big draw for us with Bakersfield was not so much the shopping…it was the friends. (And good thing too, as when I was online researching things to see here, the first thing that popped up was, “Things to Do in Bakersfield Besides Meth.” Yes, Bakersfield is not exactly known for its charms!)

In Kentucky, playdates for the girls were very much a regular part of our weekly schedule. On the road…well, not so much. We just haven’t met many people with children yet, unfortunately. And so, it is a special treat for us adults when we get some grown-up time and for the girls when they get to enjoy an entire day of playing with friends.

Last night, Rob spent a very fun evening of live poker with former Kentuckians Chris and Stu. And today, the girls and I got a full day of play with Julie and her trio in some beautiful sunshine.

Five little girls, ages 6, 5, 5, 4, and 3…

Hungry geese…

One cute-as-a-button, shoeless little dude…

An adorable Christmas kitten named Dasher…

And two happy Mommies! What a fun day – thanks so much, Julie! Wish we could do it all the time. :)

Goodbye, Grandparents…sniff, sniff

Jill's Journal: My Dad riding off into the sunset…or at least back to his peaceful, quiet life. :)

Yesterday we bid farewell to my Mom and Dad after six weeks (!) of slumming it on their yard. What a precious time that was and one we’re always going to look back on with joyous memories. The girls really got to know their Grandpa and Beppy, which is an incredible gift in itself, and spent hours upon hours upon hours playing with them and around them. They took special pride in finishing school for the day and being able to skip across the driveway all by themselves to ring the doorbell and go to their grandparents’ house. Grandpa and Beppy always welcomed them with hugs and toys and often Beppy’s famous homemade cookies. No wonder the girls were so sad to leave! As we drove away, Madelyn especially kept commenting, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we lived with them?”

Sorry, kiddo, you’re stuck with me and Rob. My apologies.

And that time with my parents wasn’t just magical for the girls…it was special for me too!

How I will miss a full-size washing machine.

And unlimited long, hot showers.

And childcare.

And dinner every night (this might have been the best part…will I even remember how to cook? Do I want to remember how to cook?)

And afternoon glasses of wine and all the ensuing giggles.

Oh yes, they spoiled us rotten in every way imaginable. It went above hospitality; it was a little dose of heaven. I almost got to be a kid again. Now I have to go back to the world of responsibility and adulthood. It’s going to be a harsh reentrance into reality!

On our last evening, we all went out for one last little adventure: dinner at a Native American BBQ place in Tehachapi. Our table was out in a teepee until the cold got a little too intense and we moved inside…but what fun! And the next day, we were sent off with a hearty breakfast that included heart-shaped waffles. The girls are going to find life so dull away from Grandpa and Beppy’s…I mean, really, how can I compete with teepees and heart-shaped waffles?

We miss you already, Mom and Dad. Love you both. Thank you so much for an amazing, amazing time.

I have to say that there’s another thing I really enjoyed: just being around for the little, day-to-day things of my parents’ lives. It’s just a few months shy of 20 years since I left home and it was a special treat to be privy to their lives again. Without that, I probably never would have seen the below picture, taken of my Dad in the mid-1960s while in the service in South Korea. An old army buddy just sent it to him a week or two ago and it likely would have disappeared for all posterity if I hadn’t sneaked it away and scanned it in. He’s going to kill me for putting it up here, but I’m out of arm’s reach now! My Dad doesn’t play the guitar (that I know of) and he doesn’t run around in flip-flops (that I know of) (or his skivvies...that I know of), so it really cracked me up. I loved it actually. What a handsome devil! Elvis had nothing on Arden.

The Loop

Jill's Journal: A railroad expert I'm not, but I can appreciate a really cool thing when I see it. Tehachapi is known for “The Loop,” named one of the seven railroad wonders of the world. It’s worth the drive and the wait for a train.

From what I understand, the grade through the mountain pass gets too steep too quick for trains to make it, so engineers in the 1870s had to find a different way to complete the rail line from San Francisco to Los Angeles. By causing a train to spiral over and under itself (or go in a loop), 77 feet of elevation could be gained in one spot.

Seeing the train tracks alone can’t give one an appreciation for the feat. It’s only when one spots a 4,000-foot train methodically spiraling around itself that amazement for the genius of 140 years ago sets in. And it is still the “most heavily trafficked single track main line in the country.”

The girls were pretty awed (and so were the grown-ups). Pictures truly don’t do it justice.RobNote: I wanted to add a picture of the loop so that those that haven't been there can see what it really is. Our viewpoint was from the right of this photo, looking across it right to left.

My New-Favorite Way to Grocery Shop

Jill's Journal: Gone are the days of three kids grocery shopping with me. I’ve discovered my new-favorite way to get the grocery shopping done and keep my sanity. Today I simply dropped the girls off with Beppy at the ice cream shop next door to the market. They were all in ice cream cone heaven and I got to grocery shop in peace. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? I might have to kidnap Beppy on a permanent basis.

It's going to be hard to return to reality after we leave Tehachapi this weekend. :)

Teresa and Kevin

Jill's Journal: We were so blessed with a visit from the past this week! Anyone who grew up in the same circles as I did will instantly recognize these sweet folks as Kevin and Teresa. Sometimes it’s crazy how intertwined lives become…

Teresa and I went to school, church, Catechism class, and even work together. We probably saw each other literally about seven days a week there for a decade, but lost track of each other after high school. Unbeknownst to me at the time, somehow she even ended up in Orange City, Iowa, the tiny and charming little town I was born in and we visited in November, for her undergrad.

Kevin was in my younger sister’s class and the two were fast friends, which, in our small community, meant he was practically part of the family. When Rob and I moved from Phoenix to Kentucky in 1997, Kevin (who was going to school in Phoenix at the time) kindly offered his manpower and spent I-don’t-know-how-many-hours helping us move into the U-Haul (bless his heart!).

I have so many childhood and teenage memories of Teresa and Kevin and both of their families…what a surprise to learn a few years ago they’d re-met as adults and are now married with two adorable little girls. And they had another surprise…they live only about two hours from my parents and were driving through Tehachapi this week!

What a wonderful treat to see these two. They are truly a fantastic couple. I remember the Teresa of 20 years ago as being a bit timid and reserved, but she has blossomed into a confidant, dynamic woman. I was probably a bit timid and reserved myself – I can only hope I’ve turned out half as good as she did!!

We can’t wait for another chance to spend more time with this couple. We’ll definitely make a point of it a little later in our California journey.

Caliente, Wind Farms, and Tree Faces

Jill's Journal: The new year brought snow, and lots of it, to Central California! On the positive side, being “snowed in” gave us time to recover nicely from our year-end flu.




We’re feeling the pinch of how short our time here with the grandparents in Bear Valley Springs is growing. And so, now that we’re all feeling better, we’ve loaded everyone up in the car the last few days to explore the neighboring Tehachapi area.

One of our adventures was to Caliente, once a railroad mecca and now a nearly-deserted cattle town. I almost had my Mom convinced to lay across these railroad tracks and pretend she was a damsel in distress. Wouldn’t that have made a fun photo? We clearly have a lot of laughs together, much to my Dad’s head-shaking "amusement." He pretends to be exasperated by his fun-seeking wife and daughter, but I think he secretly has fun too. The promising news is that Erika is delighted to join in our antics and there’s glimmers of hope that Victoria may be an adventurer too. Madelyn prefers to stand back and shake her head at us, like Grandpa. :)

A drive around the hills of Caliente yielded plenty of loose cattle, including this bull (who was a lot bigger than he looks) that stared us down and dared us to pass through his territory. Ole! You’d never believe this is California, home of Hollywood and glamour.

So interesting, to the adults anyway, was a Tehachapi wind farm tour. The area is home to the largest wind resource area in California and hundreds of wind turbines dot the surrounding hills. The oldest turbines date to the early 1980s and stand only about 75 feet tall, while the newer mega-ones are goliaths that reach over 500 feet in the air. A drive around a wind ridge called Beusse Hills literally overwhelms the senses with the hundreds and hundreds of turbines in eyesight. Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing energy resources in the world and this area is one of the major arteries.

One afternoon was spent at the Tehachapi Museum as we learned a little about the surrounding area. Tehachapi wasn’t incorporated until 1909, although there were settlers and ranchers here as early as the 1870s. Horse racing trivia: Swaps, one of just three California-bred winners of the Kentucky Derby, was born in this area. The 1955 superstar is buried at Churchill Downs and his rivalry with Nashua remains legendary.

Madelyn learning about old-fashioned washing machines. Thank heavens for modern technology.

Hidden all around Tehachapi are supposedly dozens of faces and animals carved in trees. Locals have given them names like Abner, Bruce, and Ralph. I don’t know this tree guy’s name, but the bear below looks like he would make a seamless addition to our family.

A new year, a new look...

Yeah, I'll bet that was a shock. :)

I've been wanting to update the look of the blog for quite a while, and a little insomnia gave me the opportunity to finalize the changes this morning. While we are really doing this project primarily to keep a record of our trip and to let those of you who read regularly what's going on with the family, I want it to be something enjoyable to view.

I hope those of you who read the blog like the look. If not, (too distracting, hard to read, busy, etc) please let me know, either in comments or personally (I even put a poll over there on the right). If you have any suggestions or tweaks, I'm open to suggestions, and can make tweaks down to an incredible amount of detail with the system blogger has set up. In fact, they have so many options, and allow me to tweak them so much, maybe in another 6 months it'll be a completely new look again...

Hello 2011!

Jill's Journal: How did you celebrate your New Year? As Rob wrote, our little family spent it in one of the lousiest ways possible: sick. All five of us. We don’t get sick very often and certainly never all of us at once, so this was a shock to the system. Beppy apparently missed her calling as a nurse because she generously ministered to all of us, while Grandpa braved the winter weather to procure cold and flu medication. Apparently it does take a village…

Here’s hoping for a healthy and happy 2011 to you and yours (and to us too)!