A new year, time to explore some new scenic spots near Ridgecrest. One of my best investments this past year was a stapled collection of pages entitled "Day Adventures from Ridgecrest" that we refer to as "the pink thing" (because it's on pink paper). Price $5.00 at the Maturango Museum except it was less with our member discount. It describes all the interesting things to do within a 3-hour drive of Ridgecrest (in all directions). It will take us a long time to do all those things.
Today we started by driving north on 395 for 60 miles to Olancha, where it turns out there is a restaurant after all, called the Ranch House Cafe. It's right on the highway. We had a delicious lunch there. I had a big bowl of chili and coffee, Rocket Boy had a veggie burger and a cafe mocha, Baby A ate potato salad, and Baby B ate chicken strips and french fries. (Price with tip: $37.) They had 7 kinds of pie available, but we decided to get out before the boo bears started screaming.
Then we drove back down south on 395 for about 22 miles to the turnoff for Fossil Falls, which is near "Red Hill," a volcanic cinder cone. We followed a rugged road for a short distance, and found ourselves in a small parking lot with only 1 other car (another arrived soon after and almost ran over Baby A). We put the babies' leashes on them and set off on the rocky .21-mile trail to the Falls.
The Falls are dry, but during the Pleistocene, the Owens River ran through them as the glaciers melted. The whole area is extremely dry and desert-y, strewn with big black volcanic rocks. The babies really like rocks, and they kept stopping to pick them up. They insisted on hiking with their hands full of rocks.
At the so-called Falls, there were numerous potholes in the smooth rocks, some with rain water in them. The babies kept climbing in the holes. After playing for a while we walked back. The babies really did very well on the .42-mile round trip, but periodically they would just sit down on a rock, which we assumed meant they were tired. Then we would pick them up and carry them.
I wonder how long it will be until we don't have to carry them on hikes anymore. How long until they run way ahead of us, how long until they can hike farther than I can? Time passes so quickly.
Margaret,
ReplyDeleteI remember those falls - we visited them years ago and found them very strange and interesting. - It's lovely that your twins like rocks so much, That should make all your excursions fun for them. It sounds like you're training them to be good hikers. - One of these days, we'll join you all on a hike. - Before it turns hot again! - Marina