DRIVE (Day 2 - part 2)

The battle for your soul begins.

The new stadium goes up.

Outside of Jean, we began seeing signs boasting of the World's Largest Chevron station. How could we resist? Especially with amazingly clean restrooms!

The massive Chevron opened in the summer of 2018. With almost 100 gas pumps, a massive convenience store, restaurants and even a 13-foot Sasquatch, it was a sight to behold.

Airplanes hung from the ceiling... complete with mannequin pilot!

These mannequin have the coolest jobs!

A saguaro .... and a joshua tree

Ocotillo... and barrel cactus

Lunch outside attracted a wide variety of HIGHLY interested birds.

Entering California

The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System consists of three solar thermal power plants, making it the world's largest solar thermal power station. The facility formally opened the beginning of 2014.

One was turned off.... while another looked like it was smoldering hot!

Border inspection

The world's tallest thermometer in Baker was built in 1990. The 134-foot-tall, three-sided digital display used 33 tons of steel and almost 5,000 lamps. Its highest recorded temperature: 127 degrees in August 1995. Our meager 63 degrees was an embarassment!

Passing through the Mojave Desert

Originally known as Soda Springs, Zzyzx received this made-up name in 1944 by its owner, Curtis Howe Springer, whose intention was to have it be the last word in the English language.

The smog layer begins.

Highway 15 runs via the Cajon Pass between the San Gabriel Mountain range and the San Bernadino Mountains. Mount Baldy (officially Mount San Antonio) is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains with an elevation of 10,068 feet.

Heading into city

California had been having record amounts of rain, so everything was incredibly green!

We arrived at my sister's in the afternoon. We finished off the evening with an enjoyable walk around the park.

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