Bakersfield, CA--why here?

I woke up at the crack of dawn and loaded up the car. When my sister and I were about to check out of the room, Sombra got an attitude and hid under the bed. She sure is getting tired of the daily change in residence. After rearranging the furniture a bit, I finally scooped her up, brought her out to the car and got her settled in for the ride. My sister headed south and we headed west.

Today's ride, though twice as long as the ride thus far, was not taxing at all. I beat all the rush hour traffic by leaving at 6:30 am and cruised the I-10 as it cut through the desert brush of Arizona. The biggest challenge was driving sans a decent cup of coffee. La Quinta coffee just isn't on par with fresh roasted beans from Milagro. I intended to stop off for a cup on the way, but before I knew it, I was in the maze of California's 8-lane traffic. I had never driven on these California highways before. Quite different from cruising the open, empty roads of southern New Mexico. From Blythe to Kern--where cars and trucks kern so closely together, they leave not even an n-space between the bumper of one car and the hood of the next--I felt as if the traffic around me was pressing in on and around me, controlling my driving; it was as if I found myself part of some amorphous, amoebic being. The mob pushed forward and thus did I; it slowed and therefore I did as well. Strangely, it wasn't stressful at all; almost meditative once I had determined not to fight the pace and, instead, become part of it.

By the way, when did Palm Springs transform into "The Land of the Windmills?"

In hindsight, I should have planned to stop over in Kern rather than Bakersfield. From what I could observe from the I-5, Kern sits at the bottom of where a few mountains meet, nearby a small lake. Beautiful setting. If I didn't have Sombra with me, I would have changed course, but I wasn't sure I could find a place that would take pets at such late notice.

As soon as I entered the 99 around Bakerfield, everything flattened out--the roads, the surrounding fields. There isn't much to comment about the town. I am thankful that the car came with a trip computer. What a wonderful gadget! Thanks to that, I explored the town a bit and found cheap (well, relatively) gas and a chinese restaurant, AND made it back to the hotel without ever having to ask anyone for directions. I am addicted to that gadget now.

Sombra has finally settled down. Poor girl. Though it is only 7:15 pm, I think I am going to read a book and go to sleep.