Craig's big road trip

Day 6 - Tehachapi to Las Vegas
Home
The starting point
Day 1 - Seattle to Yakima
Day 2 - Yakima to Bend
Day 3 - Bend to Mt. Shasta
Day 4 - Mt. Shasta to Oakdale
Day 5 - Oakdale to Tehachapi
Yosemite National Park
Day 6 - Tehachapi to Las Vegas
Day 7-10 in Las Vegas
Day 11 - Las Vegas to Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon N.P.
Day 12 - Grand Canyon to Kayenta
Day 13 - Monument Valley
Day 14 - Kayenta to Telluride
Day 15 - Telluride
Day 16 - Telluride to Glenwood Springs
Day 17 - Glenwood Springs to Idaho Springs
Day 18 - Idaho Springs to Golden
Day 19 - Golden to Amarillo
Day 20 - Amarillo to Tyler
Day 21 - Tyler to Lake Charles
Day 22 - Lake Charles to Waveland
Day 24 - Waveland to Pensacola
Day 25 - Pensacola to Gainesville
Day 26 - Gainesville to Titusville
Day 27 - Kennedy Space Center
Day 28 - Titusville to Clearwater
The finishing point

Sunday April 6, 2003
 
The drive east from Tehachapi is straight and dry, and took me high above sea level over the Sierra Nevada mountain range to where highway 58 East meets with Interstate 15 North in the Mojave Desert.
 
The scenery is spartan, with only hardy desert vegetation tolerating the harsh dry wind and sun.  The wind here is so strong and consistent, that wind-driven electrical generators provide a reliable source of power to the desert communities.
 
The air in the Mojave desert is so consistently dry, and the rainfall so rare that obsolete aircraft are parked here, preserved but unused.
 
There was no escape for me onto minor roads, for Interstate 15 is the only direct route to Las Vegas.  Today's drive was not pleasant.  The roads were monotonously straight, and the traffic was heavy and aggressive.  I drove at the speed limit of 55 mph, and was constantly passed at high speed by almost every other vehicle, including big trucks.  I estimated that the cars were passing me at 75-80 mph, and trucks were doing at least 65-70 mph.
 
Even less enjoyable was the drive for the motorists going the other way, who were stopped by a serious accident in the south bound lanes.  The cars and trucks were backed up for about 15 miles, waiting for the road to be cleared.  I counted my blessings that the accident wasn't on my side of the highway.
 
I was relieved to finally arrive in Las Vegas and check into Bally's Hotel.  I'll stay here until Friday so I can attend the world's biggest electronic media convention and exhibition, the NAB show.  During these four days of the show I can update my knowledge of the latest media technologies as well as renew old acquaintances from my days in the television broadcast industry.
 
Miles covered today:  242
Total miles travelled from Seattle:  1547

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