Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
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The City of Lancaster has done a complete turnaround over the years in making their downtown a destination in itself. On Lancaster Boulevard, the area's main thoroughfare, there are no empty storefronts now; trees line the center of the street's pull-in parking spaces, murals decorate many buildings' walls and even store windows, and crosswalks are marked with colored patterns on the pavement. My day trippin' pal Leila and I were there a week ago to visit MOAH (the Museum of Art and History,...
When I first found out that my friend Leila got a shot in her eye every month, I freaked out. I was horrified to even think of such a thing. She said it was no big deal; she'd been getting these shots for several years. They were saving her vision. The idea of losing my vision is one of my worst fears, but I couldn't get over the idea of someone coming at my vulnerable eyeball with a syringe. No! No! No! I have trouble putting eye drops in my eyes, no way could I imagine getting a shot in one....
If you like old cemeteries like I do, there are a number of them tucked away in various parts of Kern County. One of my favorites is the Rand District Cemetery in Johannesburg (also known as the Johannesburg Cemetery). In back of the small town of Johannesburg, up the hill and near the mountain (you'll see what I mean when you get there), between Mt Wells Avenue and Sunset Avenue, is the old time – yet also currently used – cemetery. It is unfenced and has dirt roads through it, but it's nea...
My friend Constance has been on my mind for the last month or so. We've been good friends for several years now, even though we are very different from one another. We have lunch together every now and then, and we've taken some very fun day trips together. I've spent holidays at her home, and other days sharing cookies or popcorn and watching movies. She's been to my home, too. We're not the kind of friends that need constant interaction. Sometimes weeks or months go by between visits, but I...
It happened again with all the crazy weather we've been having. The one weekend I had free to take a day trip is the weekend we endured tropical storm Hilary. Perhaps if I'd had a rowboat, I could have gone somewhere. Or not – it was really raining all weekend! I mean hard! Pouring buckets! And on top of that, we had an earthquake! Nothing says, "stay home!" quite like the weather we had that weekend. So, I enjoyed the time sitting in my house, listening to the rain on my roof, and p...
I was thinking of writing something else this evening for my column, but a sudden and surprising rainstorm happened and that got the memory center in my brain working. I love thunderstorms; I think I always have. I don't ever remember being scared in one, but I do have lots of memories of enjoying them. Having grown up mostly in the Midwest, I had plenty of opportunities for stormy experiences. One memorable storm was in Chariton, Iowa, the summer I was 12. The thunder and lightning were simulta...
Where can you find a Swiss Chalet styled building, decorated with American Indian style images, built into a rocky butte in the middle of the desert? I'll tell you where: east of Lancaster, that's where. Driving down CA-14 in Lancaster, I've seen the signs for the Indian Museum and Saddleback Butte State Park many times, indicating an exit onto Avenue K. I've driven down K a few times, but I've never driven far enough until one recent Sunday when I was determined to check both state parks out....
Every time I offer up a column of fun puns I get a lot of positive feedback... and a lot more puns coming my way. Looks like there are a lot of pun lovers out there (including me), so here, then, are some more punny offerings from my collection for your enjoyment: There was a big saddle sale at the boat store. It was quite an oar deal. England has no kidney bank... but it does have a Liverpool. I tripped and hit my head on a snare drum, and now I think I have a percussion. As a Superhero, I...
Every time I go from Tehachapi to Laughlin, I pass through Barstow to get on Interstate 40, which parallels a section of the historic Route 66. Occasionally I get off the newer highway system and drive on the old pavement painted with the Highway 66 markings. The story of Route 66 – and driving on the famous old highway – has always fascinated me. I've been on all parts of that road many times in my lifetime on cross-country trips, and I love the feelings of nostalgia it evokes. Some his...
My friend Leila wanted to visit friends – Sandy and Baruska – in Ojai the other day, and I was delighted to be invited to join her. We took off about 9:30 in the morning and got to her friend's home, right in the center of Ojai, about 12:30. I know Ojai is a great destination for many reasons, but I also want to mention how much love the drive there. Once you get to the I-5 at Gorman you're in some pretty magnificent mountains... and, it should be mentioned, a whole lot of traffic. That doesn't...
Freefall with your gift Wynona Judd was on "Good Morning America" one time a few years ago, talking about the stage fright she always gets before she performs for live audiences. Even though she is a seasoned performer, she said she still gets nervous every time she goes on stage. She also said her nervousness mostly disappears after the first song or two, and then she feels all right. The important thing here, the thing that makes me remember this interview, is that even though Wynona...
One bright and sunny day a couple of weeks ago I decided to take a drive up the 14 to Red Rock Canyon State Park. Along the way I stopped at the Jawbone Station Visitor Center. It turned out to be a great day for a great scenic drive. I visited the official Jawbone Station first (not to be confused with the Jawbone Jct., right next door, which is a commercial enterprise that rents off-road vehicles, among other things), where I spent a little time outside the station hoping to spot Mr. Bob. Mr....
From time to time I receive little stories like this one from friends and readers, that I like to share with you all. This one (author unknown but credited online to several different people) especially struck a note with me, as so many people these days like to complain about everything. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did: I was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing I noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly...
I've had a rough few weeks lately, which explains my absence in the last issue of The Loop, but I'm pretty much back to normal now ("normal" for me, anyway). I took myself to Kaiser's urgent care in Lancaster one day because my left foot was swollen up and I couldn't put weight on it without a great deal of pain. I was told I probably had a sprained ankle and was fitted with a walking boot, which I was to wear for a week. At the end of that week, when I was still in a lot of pain and unable to...
Inside Edwards Air Force Base, near Rosamond, is a distinctive little Flight Test Museum, preserving the unique history of aviation testing in the Antelope Valley (also known as the Aerospace Valley). The trouble is, because the museum is inside the military base, the public has no access to it. The Flight Test Museum Foundation (also known as the Flight Test Historical Foundation, established in 1983 by General Pete Knight Retired, Carol Odgers, and General Chuck Yeager Retired), chaired...
This is Memorial Day Weekend, and for many of us the three-day weekend signals the beginning of summer activities like picnics, swimming, vacations, and summer softball. It may be the weekend you start on your yard work or plant the flower boxes; it may be a good time for a long motorcycle or horseback ride, or a long session on the chaise lounge with a good book. It can still be pretty cool in our mountains, especially at night, but it's still a weekend that many of us like to go camping for...
Perhaps you've seen the commercials on TV about the newly built (and in a new location) Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville – as advertised, the casino, run by the Tule River Tribe, had its Grand Opening on May 9. A couple of days after that my slot-machine loving friend Willie Ray and I decided to go to Porterville to check it out. We treated ourselves to breakfast at the Keene Café, then set out on the 58 to Bakersfield, then caught the 99 north. Just north of Bakersfield we turned off th...
Some daytrips just don't turn out the way I thought they would, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. A couple of Saturdays ago gas prices were down, and I woke up to a beautiful day. I decided to take a drive up to Lake Isabella to check out the water levels and stop at a couple of my favorite places along the way, specifically the Onyx Store and the Weldon bird sanctuary. But I was destined for disappointment. It started out just fine. I headed out on the 58 to Mojave, then up the 14 – which...
It's Mother's Day, the time of year when we honor and celebrate those among us who are mothers by blood – moms, grandmothers, and dads who do double duty – and those who are honorary (step-moms, aunties, god-mothers, etc.). At least I hope you have something to celebrate. I was certainly lucky with my mother – she was a wonderful human being and a role model for me – and even though she has been gone for 20 years now, I still miss her and think of her every day. I wish everyone could have had th...
I love a good pun – don't we all? I'm not very good at coming up with them myself, but I sure do love to collect them. Here, then, are some more punny offerings from my collection for your enjoyment: I once got lost at night in the Great Lakes region. It gave me an Erie feeling. I just saw some red breasted birds sitting in the sun and selling ice cream – I think they were Baskin Robbins. I attend as many electric expos as possible – I just love current events! Sam and Ella must have throw...
Some day-trippin' destinations are one-time only pursuits, and some are the kind I like to revisit now and again. The California Living Museum (CALM) – a local zoo in Bakersfield that features flora and fauna from California – is one of the latter. I like to go at different times of the year, and each time I'm there I have a little bit different experience. I visited CALM last July on what was surely the hottest day of the season, so I thought it would be fun to go again this (cooler) spr...
Sportsmanship is on my mind today. What it is, what it means, what it looks like. Why it's important. I Googled the word, and this is the definition that comes up: "fair and generous behavior or treatment of others, especially in a sports contest." Google goes on to define the "true meaning" of sportsmanship as "an understanding of and a commitment to fair play, ethical behavior and integrity, and general goodwill toward an opponent. It is an affirmation that an athlete is disciplined enough to...
My friend Lauraine Snelling and I went north last week to Ridgecrest with a dual agenda. She had business to take care of at the DMV there, and I wanted to visit the China Lakes Air Museum. We decided to combine business with pleasure and go together for a day trip. It turned out to be a great choice, and a great day. It was a warm and sunny (but windy!) day, and we were pleasantly surprised to see lots of wildflowers on the way up the 14, both in the hills to the west and on the desert floor...
I took a couple of wildflower drives over the last couple of weeks when it wasn't raining, and I'm excited to tell you that while I did see a lot, I didn't find as many wildflowers as I'd hoped... which is good news for you because it seems the season is just getting started this year. By the time you read this there should be all sorts of wild flora growing in a number of different spots. The first drive I took a week ago was through Cowboy Country. I saw the start of plenty of different...
I was going to write a completely silly column for today in the spirit of April Fool's Day, but I've been hearing so many rumors about myself lately that I was afraid no matter how outlandish I made it, someone would believe it. So instead, I decided to look up the history of the weird little holiday and tell you about that. But it seems that no one knows the exact history or the true origins of April Fool's Day. Some believe it became a thing back in 1582 when France switched to the Gregorian c...
