Needles California

 

There always seems to be certain places that we seem to stay at every time we in that area.  Fender's RV Resort/Park in Needles, California is one of them.  Since 2015 we have stayed here at least seven times.  It is not a great park, it is more out of convenience and price (Passport America just under $20).  It is an easy drive from Phoenix (although the highway at times felt like we were in the Yukon again).  If we are coming across I-40, which we have a few times, it is just over 500 miles from Albuquerque...a distance I don't like to drive any more.  But from Winslow it is not that bad either.  From here we typically stay at Bakersfield, then up to Sacramento area.The first time we stayed here there was about 35 sites and 8 motel rooms.  

Then they bought the park next door, and now they have about 140 sites and 8 motel rooms.  We always stay in the front by the motel rooms so that we don't have to unhook.  Today we came in during lunch break, so we just went to our normal site and waited until the office opened again.  When the young lady got back from lunch, she quickly found me in the computer, and shortly after I was walking out the door to our site...the one I pulled into.  (To be honest, a person affiliated with the park told me it would be ok to pull into our normal site).

We have had a relaxing afternoon, and after Blue Bloods, which is from 9-10 here, we will be calling it a night.  Only 560 miles to go, and Bakersfield is right around the half-way point.

Playing Taps Over the GPS - Needles, Ca

 

The Sun comes up early in Arizona, because Arizona does not do Daylight Savings Time.  So 5:00 am is really 5:00 am, and the sun starts coming up at 5:00.  By 6:15 the sun was coming through the window covers...and we started to get up.  By 7 am, we were on the Interstate, headed for Needles California, about 260 miles away.  The picture above is of the San Francisco Peaks, by Flagstaff.  The highest peak, Humphreys Peak, is the highest point in Arizona at 12,633.

It was shortly after this picture was taken, as we were driving west following the GPS and listening to a Country Western Radio Station that I suddenly heard some static in the music, and just as I said, "Uh Oh...." ZAP, the GPS (and all that comes with it) goes ZAP again.  Well, I guess it isn't the CD Player after all...it must be a speaker wire (based off of the static) -OR- the entire GPS is just past its prime and needs to be replaced.  

I knew there was a Cracker Barrel along the Interstate in Flagstaff.  The picture above is from Google Maps Street View from the Interstate...and it almost looks like what we faced today.  I figured that if we could find a parking place, I would order breakfast ToGo and get the GPS running, grab our breakfast, eat and be on our way.  And it all worked out, despite the dozen or so RVs in and around the lot...most looked like they stayed there all night.

We barely made it out of Flagstaff, where there is much construction and very bumpy roads, and ZAP, the GPS bit the dust again...this time with nothing else going but the GPS.

TAPS for the GPS

GPS is done,
Gone the sun,
No more lake,
No more hill,
No more sky.
All is well,
Safely rest,
God is nigh.

 

So we get through the bumps and lumps of Flagstaff, and enjoy the scenery with a few tears in our eyes.  RIP GPS...   (See that silver trailer in the picture, it is a Airstream and I couldn't help but admire how nice they are...who knows the age...who cares, they hold up so well, but they cost a good chunk of money...not that we want to pull a trailer, but just saying...we followed them a good chunk of the way to Kingman)

 

Marcia got this picture facing north...nothing of interest up there except for a fairly large trench known as the Grand Canyon.

Another interesting formation...and the silver trailer is still in front of us.  (Sometime we got close to it, other times it was far away like this.  I could have passed it a time or two, but why?)

This is the exit we take on our way home each fall/winter, except we are going the other way.  We like US 93 through Wickenburg, and yes, that silver trailer is right in front of us...but we lost them shortly after when Indy needed to take one of her breaks and we pulled into a TA Truckstop.  (Ok, the stop was for me, and I also needed to call the RV Park in Needles.)

Here we have just passed through Kingman.  The exit sign is for Las Vegas, and as soon as we went around that corner there was a huge backup in the right lane.  I took the chance and got in the left lane, zipped by everyone who were simply getting off at the Las Vegas exit and causing a backup on the Interstate.

Had to toss in this picture of the Pilot sign.  Yes, unleaded for $4.39...and there is a Love's which has the same price.  Both stations were very busy with this exit just 9 miles from the California boarder.  I got as much in the tank as I could possibly put in!

And there is the boarder just one mile ahead, you cross over the Colorado River and you have crossed over into ... 

We arrive just past 2 pm, and enjoyed the shade as we could.  It got up to 87 degrees, 9% humidity, and just about the upper level of our comfort zone.  Now it is 9 pm, it is 80 degrees and it feels just fine.  It will get down to 62 degrees by the time the sun comes up.

We are again at Fender's RV Park, a Passport America Park where we pay $19+ (I just gave her a twenty and told her to keep the change) and we are in the exact same campsite we have been in the last 3 or 4 times we have stayed here.  Indy has been here before, last November on our way home.  She 'seemed' to smell more here than other places, she may realize that she has been here before.  If so, she must know that the big green lawn in Citrus Heights is awaiting her, along with her aunt and uncle who we 'HOPE' she will be nice to immediately.  Now, all I have to do is try and remember my way back home to Citrus Heights where I called home for most of 1975 through 1983.

From Joshua Trees through the Mojave Desert to Needles, Ca

 

It did not take long to get over Tehachapi Pass, a mountain pass crossing the Tehachapi Mountains, a principal connector between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert, also known as Highway 58 through the mountains. We left at 7 am, filled up at the Flying J in Tehachapi at $4.39 per gallon ($150 for 34+ gallons of gas) and soon we were in the western Mojave and coming into patches of Joshua Trees.

As I am passing by tree after tree I think about the many old Western movies and/or TV shows where they show Joshua Trees in places like Kansas, Montana, Colorado, even the Dakotas.  Fact of the mater is that the Joshua Tree is found primarily in California, and small parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona....along with parts of north-west Mexico.  A similar occurrence happens with Saguario Cactus.  It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California...yet can be seen in episodes of Wagon Train crossing through Kansas or Colorado, various movies not set in Arizona, etc.  It's kinda like watching a movie of Custer's Last Stand with the background of Sedona or Monument Valley as the backdrop to the movie.  Back when those movies and TV shows were shot, they did not expect people to have the Internet or that so many would have the ability to visit these sites in person.

Here in the Mojave Desert the tree brings a bit of life to the dreary desert.  Let's face it, except for a few areas, the Mojave Desert is a bit of a boring drive.

We drive through the newly upgraded Highway 58 through Boron (all four lane, two each way now) and through Barstow, and hit the Rest Area just 20 miles east of Barstow...one we seem to stop at each time.

Seems we stop at the Desert Oasis Rest Area area going either east or west on I-40.

Above you can see the west rest area on the other side of the freeway.  Tears came to my eyes as I told Marcia that just 9 1/2 years ago the view was from the other side of the freeway...

Here they are, Skruffy and Bubba...looking at the east rest area right at where we are parked 9 1/2 years later, right where I put this red arrow into the picture.  Perhaps they knew something...or perhaps they were thinking just what I posted about this picture way back then.  "Who stole the #*%*@&* grass?"

Over the next 120 miles there are only a few distant mountains in which to enjoy, along with a few cactus species.  At 59 miles per hour, which is 4 miles over the speed limit but slow enough not to attract the attention of the three highway patrol officers monitoring the patch of highway, it is a long long drive...  

We finally make it to an RV Park we have stayed at many times before...Fender's River Road Resort in Needles, right on historic Highway 66, with part of the park right along the Colorado River.  It is a Passport America park and cost just under $20 for the night's stay.

As we drove the 'back way' to Fenders RV Park from the Interstate, we came across a number of rock displays, all with flags.  I told Marcia that I would need to unhook the car and come back to check it out...it is about a mile away from the park.

All of the displays seems to correspond to a Veteran's Day celebration.  There was a display for the Army, Navy (above), Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, along with a VFA display and this Vietnam POW/MIA display.  All together there was around a dozen displays.

The sun made it hard to get good pictures on the southwest side of the road, and threw shadows on the other side of the road.  It was a real special, inexpensive display of Patriotism that I really appreciated.

Tomorrow we will enter Arizona where the time changes by an hour, and gas prices drop by 25%.

Orangless Bakersfield

At Orange Grove RV Park, Bakersfield, Ca

After leaving Phoenix on Monday morning, we stopped in Needles at the Fender's River Road Resort & Motel where we have stayed a few times before.  At $19 for full hookup, it is a pretty good park…but I did not take pictures this time...tired or lazy or both I guess.  We had a detour along the way…we drove to Prescott where I met my long time friend and co-worker at the Pine Bluff Library, Roger.  We started on the same day at the Library in Pine Bluff…I think it was Monday, January 7th, 1991.  We have stopped to visit Roger a number times during or travels, but sometimes he is out of town as we come by, or we are quickly going through Phoenix and can’t make it up to Prescott.  Roger is the Director of the Prescott Public Library now.  Today we drove from Needles to Bakersfield, visiting another RV Park we have stopped at many times, the Orange Grove RV Park in Bakersfield (pic above, more down below).  Unfortunately, no oranges this time of year…they are winter oranges, and they are all gone.  Late November through January is the prime time, but we have found some in March before.  You can pick as many oranges as you wish…free.  Well, nothing is free because this RV park cost $45 per night with Good Sams, AAA or AARP cards, more if you are a bigger rig and need 50 amp. 

This picture above is similar to other I have shown before from the last rest area on I-40 before Barstow California. 

Every time we drive west on I-40 we stop here…and every time the dogs look for grass to do their business on.  For sure this is one of the most desolate rest areas for dogs that there is!

Bubba found some grass first and started in with his routine of SMELL, SNIFF, SMELL some more, then business time.  Without grass, it sometimes is near impossible for Bubba to do his business.  From here it is a good 2 hours to Bakersfield, so it is there last stop of the trip.

  

We have been to Orange Grove RV Park many times before, sometimes with the park nearly full to capacity…that’s nearly 200 spaces spread out on 40 acres!  Today we have so much space between our neighbors…it is just WONDERFUL!  Not as wonderful as our next camping spot…in the backyard at Sandy (sister) and Arny’s (brother-in-law) house.  Dogs won’t have trouble finding grass there, that is for sure!

Note: We had planned to stay at Red Rock Canyon State Park tonight, about 80 miles to the east of Bakersfield…but a little more research found no Internet, no Cell Service (or very, very poor service) so we decided to skip it for now.

Return the "Fenders”

Last year in mid-April we stayed in Needles California at Fender's River Road Resort.  Today, after watching church via the Internet, we were on the road by 9 am, and by the time we got to Winslow Arizona, I knew that Needles was within reach.  I called Fenders, and got what appears to be the last spot, and from this picture above from last year, we are close to the road, and barely fit without unhooking the tow vehicle.  Arriving at 5:30, which is 6:30 New Mexico time, we had a nice lamb chop dinner for Easter, with rice and peas.  Yum!!!

Needles is 560 miles from our destination, which a bit more than the 520 miles we traveled today…but we are only going as far as Bakersfield where we like to stay before the final 250+ miles to Citrus Heights.  No early start, no late arrival…it will be an easy day if all goes well.  And if get there early enough, perhaps a trip next door to the California Fruit Depot might be in order!    (Now my family in Citrus Heights are going to wish they saved me some of that “David’s Favorite Salad” they bragged about over the phone today.)

Needles California

Yes mom, we are in California…you can start the celebration!  However, we won’t get to your place until Monday.  We only traveled about 50 miles today to Needles.  Last night I saw that Needles had a Passport America park which is only $12 per night…so we are going to stay for two nights at Fender's River Road Resort.

I think we really scored with this Passport Park.  look at all the space and grass we get, and that 5th wheel is the only other RV near us.  The dogs are going to LOVE that lawn.

  

In the picture to the left you can just see our rig to the right…down that short drive and to the right is what they call “River View Sites”.  They cost a bit more, and don’t qualify for Passport America discount.

   

And the Colorado River is nice, the park does have a boat ramp, but I don’t see anyone boat trailers around, and it also has a couple of nice view points…

….like this one above which includes a covered area to keep the hot son off of you during the summer.  Needles gets very hot during the summer, with average temps of 110 degrees highs in July.

   

The picture to the left is the small motel, and the right is the club house.  In between the two is a row for about six or seven RVs, and to the right of the club house is room for another 3 or 4 RVs.  

The park is old, but is well kept (considering the grass is green in a state where watering grass is nearly illegal.)  But the trees are well kept, the club house is in good condition…but you know me and the word “resort” in place of “park” when it comes to RV Parks.  However, in this case, I make a huge exception.  Fender’s is located on the original Route 66, it has been here when Route 66 was “the highway”.  Before Route 66 there was the National Old Trails Road, the first coast to coast highway….and Fender’s is located on that portion of Route 66 which is also part of the National Old Trails Road.   It offers an older style of “resort” because it is more of a historic resort.  And Rosie, the manager, is as good as they come in helpfulness and personality.  She has managed Fender’s for seven years now, if I heard her correctly.  Knowing we had two dogs, she suggested we take the spot we are in instead of one between the motel and club house….and wow, what a difference that makes in our stay.

Needles was founded in 1883 because the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway crosses the Colorado River here.  Got its name from the pointed mountain peaks on the Arizona side of the river, as shown below in this picture I got off the Internet.  

Like many of these old towns that were along Route 66, Needles embraces the memories this legendary route.

All along the historic route in the town are signs, paintings, names with “Route 66” in them.

   

   

   

And there are many others not shown, including the 66 Motel, and the remains of Carty’s Camp hidden in the back of the motel, or the Carty’s Camp Shell Station.  Needles has survived because the Interstate runs right through it…but it has not thrived.  I had to travel back into Arizona towards Bullhead to get grocery’s at a Safeway because Needles does not have a true grocery store.  Part of this might be because of California’s higher minimum wage, the removal of plastic bags, regulations on eggs which has forced the price up over $5 per dozen and numerous other rules and regulations that California has established.  Regardless, the Bashas’ Grocery Store closed their Needles store in May 2014 because it was not profitable to operate any more.  By the looks of things around town, other business have struggled too, yet there are also signs of new homes, new motels, and a new Dollar Store….like other towns, there has been a rebound in the economy.

Tomorrow night we plan to make our contribution to the local economy by eating at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant, which has been in operation since the 1970’s, but prior to that it was called Lynn's Broiler, which opened in the 1950’s, but was pretty much destroyed by fire.  Rosie said it was one of the better places in town to eat….but I doubt it will be as good as the Salmon dinner Marcia is cooking for us tonight…which is why I drove over into Arizona to go to Safeway.