DAY 91: VICTORVILLE - APPLE VALLEY - LUCERNE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

DAWN...moments before Sunrise over the Mojave Desert. Will post the photographs now...and complete my narrative later during the night. I am in LUCERNE VALLEY...all is well...just very tired. Three towns of ADELANTA, VICTORVILLE, and APPLE VALLEY together form one large metropolis in the Mojave Desert just across the Mountain from LOS ANGELES, California. Last night SPIA, SAM & ME were parked in the lot of the APPLE VALLEY Auto Zone (thank you guys). During the night came a POUND POUND on the door...the Sheriff checking on why we were parked in a clearly marked business that parking is not allowed. A quick explanation, a SAM & ME Business Card, and the name "Nathan" gave us permission was accepted with a "have a good night". Before daylight, drove SPIA back into VICTORFILLE, parked, and walked for 2 hours West on Bear Valley Road...then returned to SPIA. Double checked the Mall where the shoe store was supposed to be - when I ripped off SPIA"s Roof Rack -...confirmed there was no such store at the address given. In the next Mall, there was a shoe store, but did not open until 10:00 am...It was only 6:30 when I found it during my first walking leg of the day.

Walking back to SPIA, the Sun radiated off the snow-capped peaks of the surrounding mountains...LOS ANGELES sits just beyond those scenic mountains.

I did not drive or walk any street of the Tri-Cities, except Bear Valley Road. There were many cross streets going both North and South, but I do not know what is to be found on them.

Bear Valley Road, however, was a continuous sequence of large and small Malls...I would not call them "strip Malls", because I could see other Malls and business up and down the side-streets.

Traffic was heavy on all the streets we crossed. There must be well over 100,000 population in the three cities.

This photograph was taken in the middle of "town"...not all land is used at the moment. This scar on the Desert is called a "Wash"...a natural ravine cut through the sandy soil by the recent rains. Looking closely, one can see a bit of concrete abutment where the water is channeled under Bear Valley Road, where the pic was taken.

One of the "side" streets, looking North from Bear Valley Road.

This new Tri-City covers a very large area and is designed to receive a VERY large population.

Much of it is still wide-open-spaces, but not for long.

Some of the "wide-open-space" along side Bear Valley Road.

Walking by this business...The Apple Valley Glass, I popped in to meet Mike - on the left - and Kyle. Yes, they would repair SPIA's broken window by Noontime. So, when I reached SPIA, I drove her to Mike's and good as his word, SPIA had a new window by Noon. Also borrowed Kyle's step-ladder to reach SPIA's roof.

While up there, I re-set SPIA's newly replaced Roof Rack, and made certain it was properly grouted and sealed from any rain. Looks like it is better than before.

Please say HI to Mike and Kyle...and nice job, Guys.

Parked SPIA again ... this time in APPLE VALLEY, the Eastern-most of the three Cities. Walked East on Bear Valley Road until I was out in the boondocks...and yet, there was a building with two small businesses...far beyond what could be called "town". I stopped in at both businesses...

The first one, I met Maria. Please say HELLO to Maria, who proceeded to give me a #4 haircut. We had a good conversation while she made me look a bit more civilized...and for only $8.00.

Thank you, Maria...good job.

Further out in the Boonies, was this up-to-date Park of "manufactured" homes.

Next door to Maria's Barbershop is Alan's Liquor and Beverage Shop. Alan also has Propane, which he sells for $2.80 a gallon...an unheard of reasonable price...much below others.

Alan was very busy, having 3 or 4 customer in his shop at all times...no time for me to take his photograph...

Bought two bottles of Chocolate Milk from Alan. SPIA's Propane Bottle would not take any Propane...strange; after over a week of running the refrigerator, one nite running the heater, and cooking breakfast every morning...the Propane Bottle was still full...very strange.

Si, again parked SPIA and continued to walk until Bear Valley Road ended at that pile of rocks. Highway 18 crossed the "T" of Bear Valley Road. I took Highway 18 to the right and walked for 2 hours - 8 miles. Must admit that I caught a ride back to the "T".

Drove SPIA out that 8 miles and again parked. Continued walking East on Hwy 18 under a clear sky getting warmer by the hour.

Along Highway 18, are interesting mountains of piled up rocks. Most mountains lining the Mojave Desert are solid rock or dense sand. The mountains around here are just large individual rocks piled up into quite large hills. A great place for Rattle Snakes; locals tell me it is still too cold for the critters to come out of their dens. Lucky Me.

An attractive Ranch nestled up to the rocky hills...it has a "For Sale" sign on the roadside property.

Highway 18, looking East towards LUCERNE VALLEY. The mountains look to be "smoky"...looks like Smog drifting up and over the Mountains surrounding LOS ANGELES.

More of the rocks-piled-high scenery along Highway 18.

Highway 18 does have a couple curves. This area is still called the Mojave Desert...don't know how far it extends, but will still be walking it tomorrow as I head further East on Highway 247.

Here is an interesting sight...but quite common in the desert...A DRY LAKE.

This is Rabbit Lake. It about 1/2 mile in Diameter and not a drop of water to be seen. The bottom shows signs, however, of recent water, which could have been a couple feet deep during the recent rains.

I have a video - narrated by Yours Truly - I tried to up-load it into FACEBOOK, but it will take 2-1/2 hours to load, and I do not have access to electricity and cannot afford to run SPIA for that long. So, next time I have 120V ac available for a couple hours, I will upload the video. I have seen it, and it's not bad.

Rabbit -dry - Lake up close. Those small bumps are sand alongside the shore line next to Hwy 18.

Chimney Rock stands behind these two Monuments along Hwy 18. I photographed them both, but did not upload them. They are "historical" in that they detail the final destruction of Indians in this part of our Country in the year 1857.

I'm not so sure I'm very proud of the event ... except to be a marker for another Death to be remembered along America's roadways.

I have walked by literally hundreds of such "Historic Monuments"...they are without exception - or nearly so - about the hostilities of the "White Man" destruction of the American Indian Nations....Oh yes, I remember one Historic Monument remembering the driving of the Golden Spike completing the Trans-Continental Railroad a bit North of SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

Looking back North and West from Highway 18 from LUCERNE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

DAILY REPORT: Walked 24 miles today.

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG.: Credit 24 miles @ $0.02 per mile = $0.48 for the day.

I may turn back to I-15 & drive to SAN DIEGO to visit Peggy and Dave. If no message arrives, will continue East on Highway 247 towards PHOENIX, ARIZONA, about 200 miles away.