After we left Tehachapi, we went to Red Rock Canyon. What a change in climates! Red Rock Canyon is only about an hour from Tehachapi, located off of the east and west sides of Highway 14, and in that distance, the clouds parted and made way for a sunny day. But it was windy. I mean windy! The wind was gusting and blowing my car to and fro. It was hard at times to keep going in a straight line. We got to Red Rock and walked around the rocks, but it was really windy up there, too ... and cold! The rock formations were really interesting, created by years of wind and rain erosion. Red Rock Canyon has been the scene of many a movie, video and tv commercial, including Jurassic Park. There is a campground, trails and miles and miles of rock formations for people to explore. It is also a favorite site of geologists, paleontologists and photography enthusiasts alike. The campground is located in a canyon-like area, where it is more protected from the wind. Although there were people camping there when we went, it was very cold, and the best time for camping there would probably be in the spring time or fall, as the temperatures in the summer can reach well above 100 degrees, and in the winter, the temperatures can drop to below freezing. It is also a place subject to flash floods.
The next day, we decided to check out Shirley Meadows Ski Resort. Now, I don't ski...never have before, but I wanted to see what it looked like. So, we drove up State Route 155 through Glennville and then ended up in Shirley Meadows. The drive from the turnoff to Shirley Meadows to the actual ski resort was beautiful. It looked exactly like a winter wonderland. I found myself humming that song as I drove along, in fact (lol). You had to be careful and drive slowly as the road, in some parts, was still covered with snow, and I have no chains, snow tires or 4-wheel drive on my car (there was a sign that said "Chains required"). Still, with slow driving, I made my way up there without so much as a slide. Other cars were having some trouble though. We came across a pickup truck that was having trouble getting out of the parking spot. Her rear tires were spinning, having no traction. But some nice people came along and gave her a push, and she was soon on her way.
Shirley Meadows is a small ski resort, located above Wofford Heights, CA, on State Route 155. There were quite a few people there skiing and snowboarding. We watched the people skiing for a bit, and walked around to a trail on the side of the resort where some cross-country skiers were heading out. I was glad to have brought my waterproof hiking boots. They kept my feet warm. I took some pictures and threw some snowballs and had a great old time. I wished I had a sled and some mittens. I would have been out there with the kids sledding away. Nothing brings out the kid in adults like snow! I think I might even like to learn how to ski someday.
After we had gotten cold enough, we got in the car and headed back to Bakersfield. We had a great time in the snow.
I posted some pictures below, of Tehachapi, Red Rock Canyon and Shirley Meadows, as well as a few beach pictures of Shell Beach from the weekend before. I will upload the new pictures to my Yahoo photo album later tonight. I didn't get a chance to upload them yesterday. I had a bad headache last night and ended up falling asleep.
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