Las Vegas, Nevada to Prunedale, California 4/6/2014

APRIL 5, 2014 (Saturday)

Nice day. Moving day. Our destination today was Bakersfield, California to spend the night and then head back to Prunedale, California. Our renters have moved out of the mobile home. They were there for a year. We decided this would be a good time to move back in for awhile and get Lexi established.

Heading out, good bye Vacation Villages, nice places.

(We have three rentals – our home up the hill, a tiny little studio attached to a mobile home, and the mobile home. The renter up the hill in our home also takes care of the studio on AirBnB. She’s been wonderful and says she really enjoys meeting the travelers from all around the world.)

We left Las Vegas around 10:00 AM. We stopped about twenty miles down the road for gas and breakfast. Michael and Lexi went to Subway and I had Starbucks. Everything was great.

The most expensive subway I have ever seen. The 3 inch flat bread was $5.25.

3 monster solar heat collection places on the desert. Impressive.

The jet graveyard... — The jet graveyard…

I've missed the California oaks. — I’ve missed the California oaks.

It was good to drive the 95 miles up the Salinas Valley, such a rock of civilization.

Precious water, into the wind so the lettuce leaves can soak in it, the only way it will grow. — Precious water, the white mist in the distance, blowing into the wind so the lettuce leaves can soak in it, the only way it will grow.

Everywhere we went, grocery stores full of fresh vegetables, almost all from this most fertile soil.

Sustained food supply is the pillar of civilization.

Ice plant starting to bloom. Not native. Comes from Australia.

The working of the dirt is down to a science.

Looked like a weapons search to us, surely a pistol.

Edie loves the California Poppies and Lavender that bloom wildly in the spring at our place. — Edie loves the California poppies and lavender that bloom wildly in the spring at our place.

Last night Michael had asked me to make reservations for a hotel in Bakersfield. I did so through Booking.com. When we got on the road, and within a hundred miles of Bakersfield, we realized we’d be there way too early and probably couldn’t check in. We called Booking.com and they were great about canceling the reservation without charge. That’s the first time we’ve canceled on the road but glad it worked out. We then called our renter in the house and asked her if anyone was in the studio. She said no one was scheduled until Wednesday. We all then decided it was meant for us to just head on back to Prunedale and stay there until we could get beds and furniture in the mobile home.

We got into Prunedale around 6:00 PM. Our son had called and said he and his girlfriend, Arla, were in Monterey and would meet us in Prunedale. We all went to Phil’s Fish Market for dinner, along with our renter. Fun time catching up on the last eight months with what’s been happening with everyone. We love Phil’s and had been looking forward to eating their blackened swordfish. (Lexi went out to celebrate being back with a group of her friends.) Was great seeing our son, his girlfriend, and our grandpuppies – Beans, Merlin, and Rekku.

I rode with the boy to Phil's. So very good to see him after so long. — I rode with the boy to Phil’s. So very good to see him after so long.

Arla, the beautiful girlfriend. Took the picture over my head.

Phil's had been ruined with multiple appearances on TV. — Phil’s had been ruined with multiple appearances on TV.

I've decided if a fish place is associated with a working harbor and fish market, it is worth a try! — I’ve decided if a fish place is associated with a working harbor and fish market, it is worth a try!

Overflow seating. I am thinking Beth and John might like this place.

Order at the counter, get a number and go wait.

Belinda got a bowl of clam chowder, we were so hungry, this is the only picture of our food that I got.

We promised Lex a slice of Chocolate Eruption.

Great cakes, from a place called, Layers.

A representative sample of what their food looks like.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!

APRIL 6, 2014 (Sunday)

Nice day. Got to sleep in. The bed in the studio is only a full, little tight but it was fine. Michael got a little cold but I was fine.

Most of the day was spent going through receipts for our taxes (yuck – but it needs to be done). We also unloaded the rest of the car and went through the storage container. Lexi and I went to the store and got a few things. That was our day. Hope yours was great!