[Note: I think it’s the sign of a great, action-packed vacation that a week and a half into it, I’m only now getting around to sharing a second post! Stay tuned for many more.]
After making our way from the field of light to a neat campground full of teepees & Airstream trailers, we had a good night’s sleep & woke up next to some friendly Sikh Harley guys & their redheaded buddy.
From there Hen & I hit the Estrella Warbirds Museum, packed with vintage aircraft, vehicles and ephemera. Highlights included touring a “Gooney Bird” transport that had flown over Normandy; seeing a real battle-damaged German pickelhaube helmet; and meeting an old fighter pilot who’d shared beers with a young John McCain. Here’s our gallery from the visit.
The other guys picked us up after a quality romp in the local dog park, and we headed east towards Las Vegas. In the midst of all the desert driving, we came across Tehachapi, an old railroad town where we’d stayed en route to Death Valley a few years back. I made a split-second decision to head up into the hills to see the famous Tehachapi Loop (“One of the seven wonders of the railroading world,” Hen interjects 😌)—and boy did it pay off: We found ourselves overtaking a mile-long freight train as it ascended & crossed the famous spiral. The beaming G-Man was johnny-on-the-spot capturing video, so stay tuned for what we hope is some epic video. Meanwhile here are a few photos.
Update: Here’s Hen’s vid:
Having fueled up on some burgers & milkshakes afterwards, we struck out across the scorching desert—113º in the shade!—and finally made it to Las Vegas. The boys were suitably horrified/fascinated by the, um, risqué signage, and highly disrespectful to Trump Tower.
At last we made our way to our lodgings, a funky urban farm/dog rescue full of dogs, goats, peacocks, turkeys, human children, and chickens in the trees! (“You might want to move your car,” our friendly hostess advised.) Here are a few photos showing Seamus making friends, as he always does.
