Kern County Together With Bakersfield, California
“Y’all must live crazy”
Yep, that’s what a lot of yous are going live maxim when yous encounter where were going. The truth is, we’ve been to over a dozen countries in addition to most of the states, but when nosotros finally left the throughway in addition to started exploring, Bakersfield turned out to live 1 of the most fun in addition to interesting places we’ve been.
OK, therefore if I haven’t lost yous past times now, delight read on piece I plead my case…
For a twosome of years after 9/11, the move manufacture was on the ropes. You could instruct airfares in addition to hotels for a song. Eventually, the economic scheme turned somewhat in addition to many inwards the manufacture tried to recoup the losses…tried very, real difficult inwards some cases.
In the most intense menses of Tim’s college days, nosotros had real piffling fourth dimension to spare during the schoolhouse twelvemonth in addition to fifty-fifty less coin to do it alongside (college tuition is a back-breaker!). We had a weekend betwixt semesters where nosotros could instruct away. Unfortunately, most of the usual suspects were charging usurious rates for basic rooms…over $300 a nighttime inwards Pismo Beach at the same hotel we’d previously stayed at for $69 the twelvemonth before.
I’m a music fan, in addition to I also similar practiced set down in addition to western music. I’d ever wanted to encounter Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace but only never got around to Bakersfield to encounter it piece he was live but I’d works life a peachy instruct by on a two-room suite at that topographic point therefore nosotros planned an overnighter. We had a ton of fun watching Buck’s boy Buddy Pb the Buckaroos piece nosotros dined on some fabulous steak. While nosotros were there, nosotros started to encounter the metropolis inwards an ever to a greater extent than favorable low-cal in addition to went dorsum 1 time again when nosotros had some to a greater extent than time.
It finally happened. Instead of seeing it every bit a hot in addition to dusty pit halt on Highway 99 on the agency to somewhere to a greater extent than exotic, nosotros barbarous inwards dearest alongside Bakersfield. Give it a seek in addition to yous powerfulness only start looking at it alongside novel eyes too…
It’s an piece of cake two-hour crusade over the Grapevine to Bakersfield when the weather condition is nice. When it’s not, this tin live the crusade from Hell. It’s the calendar week after Easter, therefore along the agency nosotros halt inwards Gorman to persuasion 1 of nature’s most royal displays; a mount covered inwards brilliantly colored wildflowers. About a half-hour due east of hither inwards Antelope Valley is another…miles in addition to miles of fields covered inwards California Poppies. There is an official province reserve here, along alongside a much larger surface area of unofficial blooms.
After taking a piffling fourth dimension to literally halt in addition to odor the flowers, nosotros proceed on to the downward side of the transcend into the Central Valley. Thirty minutes later, nosotros brand our start halt inwards Bakersfield, a margarita inwards the black in addition to cozy bar of Mexicali on 18th Street.
The friendly bartenders hither brand 1 of the best margaritas inwards the metropolis usingMountain Dew (actually, it's ReaLemon every bit I only late works life out - Ed) every bit the sour mix. They also cause got a broad diversity of margaritas to seek but we’ll cause got to come upward dorsum sometime when nosotros don’t cause got to drive.
Just a twosome of blocks away is the Holy Grail of tacodom, Los Tacos de Huicho. It’s a practiced house to walk to in addition to consume off the margarita.
Huicho’s has zilch bad on the menu. Their specialty is al pastor, a pile of marinated pork rotating on a spit alongside onion in addition to pineapple juices blending alongside the meat’s ain juice every bit it is slow cooked to perfection. I cause got eaten this meat everywhere from Guadalajara to Santa Rosa…no 1 comes unopen to the delectable perfection of Huicho’s. It’s also 1 of the world’s best bargains at solely99 cents (now $1.09 - ed) per taco.
There is also an first-class carne asada, cabeza, tripas (cow milk gut), fish, in addition to shrimp. Besides the tacos, yous tin instruct your meat served inwards burritos, mulas, huaraches, gringas, in addition to sopes. The tacos come upward plain…just the meat in addition to tortilla. You in addition to then accept them to the condiment bar in addition to charge them up. I similar to sprinkle on the onions in addition to cilantro, followed past times the spicy crimson or light-green salsa, topped off alongside their creamy in addition to spicy guacamole salsa. That lastly 1 is extremely rare northward of the border but is pretty mutual inwards Tijuana. It’s only heaven.
Tim also wants to tell yous that they brand some of the best fries he’s ever had too. The solely downward side is their bar. It’s pretty much a fast nutrient type of place, but they cause got a total bar inwards the dorsum that makes some truly uninspired mixed drinks. The beer’s good, though. Huicho’s is located only due east of the intersection of Union Avenue in addition to 18th Street.
After less than 20 dollars, all 3 of us are stuffed. It’s fourth dimension to detect our hotel.
There are several practiced choices here, most reasonable to cheap.The Best Western (now a Red Lion hotel - ed) adjacent to the Crystal Palace is practiced if you’re going there. It has overnice rooms, a friendly staff, and…being correct adjacent door to the Palace…is drinker friendly. I saw a 2 couples past times the puddle at that topographic point 1 time preloading alongside around thirty bottles of booze earlier they walked over. Hey, whatever floats your boat…as long every bit you’re walking in addition to non disturbing me (they behaved, truly they were real overnice people).
If yous do detect yourself drinking to excess there, all yous involve to do is walk across the parking lot to your room. The total breakfast inwards the on-site java store that’s included inwards your room charge per unit of measurement volition assist heal that hangover.
Two blocks away on the other side of the throughway is our electrical flow favorite, Springhill Suites. Located inwards a hotel ghetto betwixt Rosedale Highway in addition to the Kern River, it’s a serenity location in addition to all suites. The staff has come upward to know us in addition to puts us inwards the same accessible room on the 2nd floor, overlooking the puddle in addition to the river beyond. It’s non every bit overnice a persuasion every bit it sounds…an oil-rig render fellowship sits betwixt the hotel in addition to the river.
The room is real overnice in addition to spacious. It includes a moisture bar alongside microwave, java maker in addition to refrigerator. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 large bath alongside a transfer topographic point inwards the tub. There are also suites alongside roll-in showers but they are on the start flooring in addition to my married adult woman prefers to live upstairs. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hot breakfast is served each morning time off of the lobby. Above all, it is quiet, fifty-fifty when the hotel is total of kids’ sports teams. Rooms hither become for over $100 but many discounts are available in addition to I ever pay around $80 per night…check their website for electrical flow offers.
After unpacking in addition to a piffling rest, nosotros caput over to the Crystal Palace. We cause got 6:00pm reservations for dinner in addition to a show. Along alongside the dinner, at that topographic point is a $5 encompass accuse for the show. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wonderful steak dinner hither volition ready yous dorsum $31. It’s a huge amount of food; 20 oz. steak, salad, squaw bread, biscuits, light-green beans, in addition to your selection of a side. Plenty large plenty for two, the separate plate accuse is only $8. There’s also sandwiches in addition to pizzas from $9 to $12. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 soup in addition to dinner-size salad carte du jour runs from $5 to $13. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 total bar is also available. Dinner for three, including a twosome of drinks for each of us in addition to the show, comes inwards around $70 addition tip.
The principal band is the Buckaroos, Buck’s quondam backup band. Every other weekend, Buck’s boy Buddy Alan Owens flies inwards from Phoenix to play alongside his father’s band. Although he’s Buck’s son, Buddy was by in addition to large raised past times his step-father, Merle Haggard (another Bakersfield star), who married his mom after her master union broke up. It’s a rockin’ practiced fourth dimension every bit the band plays non solely Buck Owens material, but Merle’s too…while Buddy provides some personal dorsum stories to become along alongside them in addition to folks crowd the trip the low-cal fantastic flooring downward front. He also mixes inwards quite a chip of classic stone into the mix.
Buck Owens is legend inwards this town, therefore the Palace also doubles every bit his museum. Hundreds of artifacts from his career sit down inwards display cases lining the articulation but the house of respect goes to his Buckmobile, a custom 1972 Pontiac alongside rifles on the hood in addition to argent dollars mounted on the dash that is permanently mounted over the bar. Buck won the auto inwards a poker game from Nudie, the guy who made all the glittering suits Owens wore during his career.
After the Buckaroos finish, Steve Davis in addition to Stampede accept over every bit the work solid band. They’re also real practiced but after 2 or 3 songs, it’s belatedly for us in addition to nosotros caput dorsum to the hotel. If yous solely cause got 1 nighttime here, an eve at the Palace gives yous a good, real fun, distilled version of what this metropolis is all about. It’s family-friendly too, therefore don’t live afraid to accept the kids.
In forepart of the Crystal Palace is the iconic Bakersfield sign that used to welcome travelers into town, stretched over Union Avenue inwards downtown. It was inwards bad form in addition to slated to live demolished when the town’s adopted musical hero, Buck Owens, stepped inwards to salve it. It is immediately completely restored in addition to crosses Stillwell Avenue adjacent to the steakhouse in addition to nighttime society that Buck built.
Up the river a ways stands to a greater extent than signs. At the Kern County Museum, an endeavour is existence waged to salve the iconic neon signs that were a component of this city. You tin encounter some them inwards the dorsum of the museum grounds, such every bit the sign that pointed out the annex of the Bakersfield inn…one of the anchor points of the sign Buck Owens saved. Others are awaiting their restoration, similar the TEJON letters of the quondam Tejon Theater marquee. More signs never got the chance…few to a greater extent than iconic signs existed similar the block-long Rancho Bakersfield motel sign, long since demolished when the motel became a rehab pump (which has since met its ain fate on Golden State Avenue).
Along alongside the signs, acres of old, restored buildings dot the grounds similar an quondam town. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 jail, an undertakers office, many houses, an quondam hotel, a gas station. You could…and in all likelihood will…spend many hours exploring them.
Of course, Bakersfield is a huge crude oil town providing 64% of the crude oil produced inwards California. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 see hither needs to include the Black Gold exhibit explaining the history in addition to procedure of the local crude oil business. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 theme-park character motion simulator ride takes yous beneath the bounding main flooring to detect crude oil deposits. You tin go an antique derrick. Inside, exhibits present how crude oil does non sit down inwards huge pools nether the earth. Rather, it must live pressed out of the rock. No affair how yous experience close the crude oil industry, this thorough await at it is fascinating.
Out front, some other rescued icon, the Beale clock tower stands guard.
After the museum, nosotros caput northward on Chester Avenue to our adjacent stop. Over the Kern River inwards Oildale is Bakersfield Speedway, a 1/3 mile dirt oval nestled on the border of town. We instruct hither earlier 5:30pm in addition to are able to accept wages of their happy hour, $1 dollar Bud in addition to Bud Lite beer. OK, it’s non my favorite…in fact, it’s form of similar drinking water…but for a dollar, it’ll do.
We detect a spot inwards the wheelchair accessible forepart row at plough 4 in addition to lookout the cars accept practise laps. When the powerful, open-wheel modified cars come upward out, a shower of mud chips hits us every fourth dimension they come upward around the corner. It’s fourth dimension to rethink this in addition to nosotros displace upward to the top row, which is also accessible past times a ramp that is a piffling steeper than we’d like.
The persuasion in addition to the comfort are much amend from upward here. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 note: the seating hither is zilch but concrete benches. Fans convey their ain lawn chairs to sit down in.
Racing gets started at 6:00 alongside estrus races, starting alongside the mini-dwarf cars. These are tiny, lawn mower powered jalopy replicas driven past times kids every bit immature every bit v years old. They are real competitive in addition to a lot of fun to watch. Next are the hobby stocks, local garage built cars, in addition to then the modifieds in addition to finally the super belatedly models, which are the fastest in addition to loudest cars they’ll live racing tonight.
The top 2 cars from each estrus race gets to compete inwards the adjacent event, the trophy dash. Six cars from each partition compete inwards brusque races to instruct a overnice trophy in addition to a flick alongside the trophy queen. The principal events start correct after the trophy dashes, alongside long races for the correct to live the night’s champion in addition to to claim the prize purse, commonly several hundred dollars. The lastly race nosotros encounter this night features a lastly lap, neck-and-neck battle to the checkered flag. It’s thrilling in addition to a lot of fun.
There's a lot to a greater extent than to come, live certain to come upward dorsum for Part 2 of our route trip to Bakersfield where it's baseball, wildlife, fine ethnic cuisine, in addition to a await at the nightlife of the city.
Darryl
Copyright 2010 - Darryl Musick
Yep, that’s what a lot of yous are going live maxim when yous encounter where were going. The truth is, we’ve been to over a dozen countries in addition to most of the states, but when nosotros finally left the throughway in addition to started exploring, Bakersfield turned out to live 1 of the most fun in addition to interesting places we’ve been.
OK, therefore if I haven’t lost yous past times now, delight read on piece I plead my case…
Watch the Video of this trip!
In the most intense menses of Tim’s college days, nosotros had real piffling fourth dimension to spare during the schoolhouse twelvemonth in addition to fifty-fifty less coin to do it alongside (college tuition is a back-breaker!). We had a weekend betwixt semesters where nosotros could instruct away. Unfortunately, most of the usual suspects were charging usurious rates for basic rooms…over $300 a nighttime inwards Pismo Beach at the same hotel we’d previously stayed at for $69 the twelvemonth before.
I’m a music fan, in addition to I also similar practiced set down in addition to western music. I’d ever wanted to encounter Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace but only never got around to Bakersfield to encounter it piece he was live but I’d works life a peachy instruct by on a two-room suite at that topographic point therefore nosotros planned an overnighter. We had a ton of fun watching Buck’s boy Buddy Pb the Buckaroos piece nosotros dined on some fabulous steak. While nosotros were there, nosotros started to encounter the metropolis inwards an ever to a greater extent than favorable low-cal in addition to went dorsum 1 time again when nosotros had some to a greater extent than time.
It finally happened. Instead of seeing it every bit a hot in addition to dusty pit halt on Highway 99 on the agency to somewhere to a greater extent than exotic, nosotros barbarous inwards dearest alongside Bakersfield. Give it a seek in addition to yous powerfulness only start looking at it alongside novel eyes too…
It’s an piece of cake two-hour crusade over the Grapevine to Bakersfield when the weather condition is nice. When it’s not, this tin live the crusade from Hell. It’s the calendar week after Easter, therefore along the agency nosotros halt inwards Gorman to persuasion 1 of nature’s most royal displays; a mount covered inwards brilliantly colored wildflowers. About a half-hour due east of hither inwards Antelope Valley is another…miles in addition to miles of fields covered inwards California Poppies. There is an official province reserve here, along alongside a much larger surface area of unofficial blooms.
After taking a piffling fourth dimension to literally halt in addition to odor the flowers, nosotros proceed on to the downward side of the transcend into the Central Valley. Thirty minutes later, nosotros brand our start halt inwards Bakersfield, a margarita inwards the black in addition to cozy bar of Mexicali on 18th Street.
The friendly bartenders hither brand 1 of the best margaritas inwards the metropolis using
Just a twosome of blocks away is the Holy Grail of tacodom, Los Tacos de Huicho. It’s a practiced house to walk to in addition to consume off the margarita.
Huicho’s has zilch bad on the menu. Their specialty is al pastor, a pile of marinated pork rotating on a spit alongside onion in addition to pineapple juices blending alongside the meat’s ain juice every bit it is slow cooked to perfection. I cause got eaten this meat everywhere from Guadalajara to Santa Rosa…no 1 comes unopen to the delectable perfection of Huicho’s. It’s also 1 of the world’s best bargains at solely
There is also an first-class carne asada, cabeza, tripas (cow milk gut), fish, in addition to shrimp. Besides the tacos, yous tin instruct your meat served inwards burritos, mulas, huaraches, gringas, in addition to sopes. The tacos come upward plain…just the meat in addition to tortilla. You in addition to then accept them to the condiment bar in addition to charge them up. I similar to sprinkle on the onions in addition to cilantro, followed past times the spicy crimson or light-green salsa, topped off alongside their creamy in addition to spicy guacamole salsa. That lastly 1 is extremely rare northward of the border but is pretty mutual inwards Tijuana. It’s only heaven.
Tim also wants to tell yous that they brand some of the best fries he’s ever had too. The solely downward side is their bar. It’s pretty much a fast nutrient type of place, but they cause got a total bar inwards the dorsum that makes some truly uninspired mixed drinks. The beer’s good, though. Huicho’s is located only due east of the intersection of Union Avenue in addition to 18th Street.
After less than 20 dollars, all 3 of us are stuffed. It’s fourth dimension to detect our hotel.
There are several practiced choices here, most reasonable to cheap.
If yous do detect yourself drinking to excess there, all yous involve to do is walk across the parking lot to your room. The total breakfast inwards the on-site java store that’s included inwards your room charge per unit of measurement volition assist heal that hangover.
Two blocks away on the other side of the throughway is our electrical flow favorite, Springhill Suites. Located inwards a hotel ghetto betwixt Rosedale Highway in addition to the Kern River, it’s a serenity location in addition to all suites. The staff has come upward to know us in addition to puts us inwards the same accessible room on the 2nd floor, overlooking the puddle in addition to the river beyond. It’s non every bit overnice a persuasion every bit it sounds…an oil-rig render fellowship sits betwixt the hotel in addition to the river.
The room is real overnice in addition to spacious. It includes a moisture bar alongside microwave, java maker in addition to refrigerator. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 large bath alongside a transfer topographic point inwards the tub. There are also suites alongside roll-in showers but they are on the start flooring in addition to my married adult woman prefers to live upstairs. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hot breakfast is served each morning time off of the lobby. Above all, it is quiet, fifty-fifty when the hotel is total of kids’ sports teams. Rooms hither become for over $100 but many discounts are available in addition to I ever pay around $80 per night…check their website for electrical flow offers.
After unpacking in addition to a piffling rest, nosotros caput over to the Crystal Palace. We cause got 6:00pm reservations for dinner in addition to a show. Along alongside the dinner, at that topographic point is a $5 encompass accuse for the show. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wonderful steak dinner hither volition ready yous dorsum $31. It’s a huge amount of food; 20 oz. steak, salad, squaw bread, biscuits, light-green beans, in addition to your selection of a side. Plenty large plenty for two, the separate plate accuse is only $8. There’s also sandwiches in addition to pizzas from $9 to $12. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 soup in addition to dinner-size salad carte du jour runs from $5 to $13. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 total bar is also available. Dinner for three, including a twosome of drinks for each of us in addition to the show, comes inwards around $70 addition tip.
The principal band is the Buckaroos, Buck’s quondam backup band. Every other weekend, Buck’s boy Buddy Alan Owens flies inwards from Phoenix to play alongside his father’s band. Although he’s Buck’s son, Buddy was by in addition to large raised past times his step-father, Merle Haggard (another Bakersfield star), who married his mom after her master union broke up. It’s a rockin’ practiced fourth dimension every bit the band plays non solely Buck Owens material, but Merle’s too…while Buddy provides some personal dorsum stories to become along alongside them in addition to folks crowd the trip the low-cal fantastic flooring downward front. He also mixes inwards quite a chip of classic stone into the mix.
Buck Owens is legend inwards this town, therefore the Palace also doubles every bit his museum. Hundreds of artifacts from his career sit down inwards display cases lining the articulation but the house of respect goes to his Buckmobile, a custom 1972 Pontiac alongside rifles on the hood in addition to argent dollars mounted on the dash that is permanently mounted over the bar. Buck won the auto inwards a poker game from Nudie, the guy who made all the glittering suits Owens wore during his career.
After the Buckaroos finish, Steve Davis in addition to Stampede accept over every bit the work solid band. They’re also real practiced but after 2 or 3 songs, it’s belatedly for us in addition to nosotros caput dorsum to the hotel. If yous solely cause got 1 nighttime here, an eve at the Palace gives yous a good, real fun, distilled version of what this metropolis is all about. It’s family-friendly too, therefore don’t live afraid to accept the kids.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
nickchapman nether CC-BY license
In forepart of the Crystal Palace is the iconic Bakersfield sign that used to welcome travelers into town, stretched over Union Avenue inwards downtown. It was inwards bad form in addition to slated to live demolished when the town’s adopted musical hero, Buck Owens, stepped inwards to salve it. It is immediately completely restored in addition to crosses Stillwell Avenue adjacent to the steakhouse in addition to nighttime society that Buck built.
Up the river a ways stands to a greater extent than signs. At the Kern County Museum, an endeavour is existence waged to salve the iconic neon signs that were a component of this city. You tin encounter some them inwards the dorsum of the museum grounds, such every bit the sign that pointed out the annex of the Bakersfield inn…one of the anchor points of the sign Buck Owens saved. Others are awaiting their restoration, similar the TEJON letters of the quondam Tejon Theater marquee. More signs never got the chance…few to a greater extent than iconic signs existed similar the block-long Rancho Bakersfield motel sign, long since demolished when the motel became a rehab pump (which has since met its ain fate on Golden State Avenue).
Along alongside the signs, acres of old, restored buildings dot the grounds similar an quondam town. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 jail, an undertakers office, many houses, an quondam hotel, a gas station. You could…and in all likelihood will…spend many hours exploring them.
Of course, Bakersfield is a huge crude oil town providing 64% of the crude oil produced inwards California. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 see hither needs to include the Black Gold exhibit explaining the history in addition to procedure of the local crude oil business. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 theme-park character motion simulator ride takes yous beneath the bounding main flooring to detect crude oil deposits. You tin go an antique derrick. Inside, exhibits present how crude oil does non sit down inwards huge pools nether the earth. Rather, it must live pressed out of the rock. No affair how yous experience close the crude oil industry, this thorough await at it is fascinating.
Out front, some other rescued icon, the Beale clock tower stands guard.
After the museum, nosotros caput northward on Chester Avenue to our adjacent stop. Over the Kern River inwards Oildale is Bakersfield Speedway, a 1/3 mile dirt oval nestled on the border of town. We instruct hither earlier 5:30pm in addition to are able to accept wages of their happy hour, $1 dollar Bud in addition to Bud Lite beer. OK, it’s non my favorite…in fact, it’s form of similar drinking water…but for a dollar, it’ll do.
We detect a spot inwards the wheelchair accessible forepart row at plough 4 in addition to lookout the cars accept practise laps. When the powerful, open-wheel modified cars come upward out, a shower of mud chips hits us every fourth dimension they come upward around the corner. It’s fourth dimension to rethink this in addition to nosotros displace upward to the top row, which is also accessible past times a ramp that is a piffling steeper than we’d like.
The persuasion in addition to the comfort are much amend from upward here. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 note: the seating hither is zilch but concrete benches. Fans convey their ain lawn chairs to sit down in.
Racing gets started at 6:00 alongside estrus races, starting alongside the mini-dwarf cars. These are tiny, lawn mower powered jalopy replicas driven past times kids every bit immature every bit v years old. They are real competitive in addition to a lot of fun to watch. Next are the hobby stocks, local garage built cars, in addition to then the modifieds in addition to finally the super belatedly models, which are the fastest in addition to loudest cars they’ll live racing tonight.
The top 2 cars from each estrus race gets to compete inwards the adjacent event, the trophy dash. Six cars from each partition compete inwards brusque races to instruct a overnice trophy in addition to a flick alongside the trophy queen. The principal events start correct after the trophy dashes, alongside long races for the correct to live the night’s champion in addition to to claim the prize purse, commonly several hundred dollars. The lastly race nosotros encounter this night features a lastly lap, neck-and-neck battle to the checkered flag. It’s thrilling in addition to a lot of fun.
There's a lot to a greater extent than to come, live certain to come upward dorsum for Part 2 of our route trip to Bakersfield where it's baseball, wildlife, fine ethnic cuisine, in addition to a await at the nightlife of the city.
Darryl
Copyright 2010 - Darryl Musick
Comments
Post a Comment