California - (Part 1) Weldon

Welcome to California!!!

It was a beautiful May 24th with temperatures hovering around 64F (17C), gusty winds and blue skies. We had a six hour drive ahead of us (approximately 287 miles) as we crossed into another state. The route of I-515 north to I-15 south took us eventually along the outer edge of the Mojave Desert and afforded us dry, sandy views that ran into glorious mountain ridges of grey-blue colors. We also saw plenty of solar fields that were utilizing the power of the sun, which was plentiful in this area.

  

The view stayed the same throughout our drive but we did climb back up to an elevation of 4,000 feet for a part of the drive then we made a decent to 2,600 feet. I've spent my life living at sea level in Florida so my ears and sinuses don't like the changes in elevation and they did rebel quite fiercely. We arrived at KOA Lake Isabella/Kern River in Weldon, California around 3:00 p.m., which was our next campground for a one night stay. Temperatures had dropped a bit into the 60F (15C) and winds were blowing at around 20mph. The sand was in constant movement as it swirled around us in the breeze. This was certainly a dusty place to be and all I could think of was how hard it would be to keep a house clean with all this transfer of dirt that gets into every nook and cranny.

  

  

As we pulled up to the entrance of the KOA, a man drove by in a very sweet ride with a comical companion hanging out the passenger rear window...a black, blue, red and white stuffed baboon. 

This KOA had a cowboy/western theme and I enjoyed exploring and taking pictures. This campground was nice and very kid-friendly (for traveling families). I saw that this particular KOA was the recipient of the KOA President's Award for service and facilities. I could see why.

 

  

There was a giant outdoor kitchen area for all campers to enjoy with clean grills and deep stainless steel sinks for washing. Adults and kids could enjoy the water slew where, with a purchase of a bag of surprise rocks from the general store, you could pan for your own "gems". Cute. 

  

  

Our campsites were side by side and there was a wood deck in between our rigs to share, which was a very nice touch. The sites were extra long and roomy.

  

We set up camp and took out our own grills to make dinner that night. The menu included yummy steaks and sweet potatoes, which we individually wrapped in foil and cooked right on the grill. Delicious!  

  

  
We wandered around on foot to check out the rest of the campground. There was a kids play area that proved to be too irresistible for us adults. You are never too old to be young.

  

  
Sunset was on it's way so we decided to light a campfire as the cooler desert evening air fast approached. One thing we were noticing along our trip, so far, was that finding a campground that offered individual fire pits was a rarity. It was due to the windy, dry climate and the risk of an uncontrolled spark. 

So we enjoyed the use of our private fire pit setup and slowly let the day melt away in the warmth of the fire as we sat and watched the dancing flames. Janet and Ralph brought out Hershey's chocolate bars, graham crackers and marshmallows and we made some oozy, gooey Smores and roasted some marshmallows. We even threw some Funky Flames into the fire to create some unusual colors. Hours later as the fire burned out, we said our good nights and headed to our coaches for a restful night's sleep.

  

Our next stop: California - Three Rivers and Giant Redwoods