Bakersfield, California: Our four-day trek to SoCal from NoOre, requires that one of the days be a super-long day of driving and today was that day. Eight long hours. Of course, since I'm blinder than a bat, because bats can actually see quite well DT does all the driving. I only have to navigate and change the radio station for him, while I either doze or use my phone to check emails and post amusing to me and no one elsethings on facebook.
DT entertained me with a story he read in Sports Illustrated magazine, Mourning Glory, written by Chris Ballard, about a high school baseball team abundant with tragedy and triumph. I suppose it was the condensed version from his memory, but still a fascinating tale. Dave felt the story was very well written. Read the story if you have time.We do amuse ourselves as we drive down the interstate.
But what does this have to do with a giraffe, you may ask yourself?
Nothing.
As usual, I am just rambling.
Forgive.
I took this photo with my phone about the third time this truck/trailer passed us on I-5 this afternoon. Though you may have to squint to see, there are two giraffes painted on the canvas covering the back of the trailer. (I have politely blacked-out the name of the company to avoid future lawsuits.) DT was on cruise control, at the very low (but very safe) speed of 62mph. Don't laugh. We are in a 45-foot-long bus, weighing 54,000 pounds and we are towing a car.It's not the "going", it's the "stopping".
Safety first.
The giraffe came up behind us, passed us, pulled in front of us and then slowed to about 50mph! So dangerous. DT had to hit the brakes and then immediately passed the giraffe. (No, Dave is not a competitive driver. Cars, trucks and RVs pass us all day long. It is normal.) Not five minutes later, the giraffe passed us again and did the exact same thing! We passed him again, but noticed the giraffe was then far behind us, using this very-same unsafe passing technique on truckers. Maybe this strange driving technique just set us off, but it is seriously bad manners to pass a trucker and then slow-down to 50mph.
Dude was in trouble.
I am here to tell you this giraffe-filled trailer passed us SIX times this afternoon, pulling the same maneuver every time. Was he drunk? Beaver fans? The two dudes in the pickup seemed to be oblivious to their activity. They were just shooting the breeze, chatting away, possibly discussing the election, football or the price of giraffe food. Who knows? They were unaware to what was happening on I-5 today.
We finally exited the interstate to get fuel (that we did not need) in order to get them miles ahead of us. So strange. In all our years on the road (150,000 miles), we can't recall being passed by the same vehicle six times in an afternoon.After arriving in Bakersfield and settling-in to our lovely pull-through campsite, we went to the on-site restaurant at the Bakersfield RV Resort and had yummy dinners and fun conversation with fellow RVers at the bar. I had the grilled giraffe salad and DT had the giraffe burger.
Until my next update, I remain, your road-weary correspondent.
RV PARK: Bakersfield RV Resort. We paid $35 for an extra-long fully-serviced pull-through site. 50 amp. Free wifi, cable, fitness center, swimming pool, spa, restaurant/bar. Just a few blocks off Highway 99. Quiet.