Day 6, The end of the road in sight

Walker Pass-  Ridgecrest to Bakersfield

We left Stovepipe Wells for the last time this morning, heading back up the Towne Pass at nearly 5000 feet.  We fairly crawled up the Panamint range at a conservative rate, mindful of all the mechanical woes we've experienced over the last few days.  There were some hiccups along the way, but we managed to herd our group over the top, down to Panamint Springs with a turn on 178 skirting the the China Lake Naval Center. Once again, we travelled through Trona...one of the most woebegone towns I've ever seen on the way to Ridgecrest.  Bob Meneely flagged down a car coming off the pass, and learned that the Walker Pass (6250 feet) was open without chain requirements, so we started the climb up.  Snow still clung to the ground at the higher elevations, but the roadway was dry.



Snow on the trunk- Eldertons phaeton



We re-grouped at the top for the long winding descent through the south end of the Sequoia National Forest, finally landing in Bakersfield around 3:30 this afternoon.  The Eldertons effected a radiator repair along the way, and the Pollands (on aflat bed) arrived at La Quinta soon after us.  The Griffins' car ran well all day, and the Beamans are in the running as well.  Our pickup is beginning to sound like a loose bag of bolts, but I think we have one good day left in us, which should get us home tomorrow.

Had a great feed at the historic Noriega Basque Restaurant this evening...when in the area, you gotta try it!

We definitely are a battle-scarred group heading home, but the experience was once-in-a-lifetime good.
And a lot of that can be attributed to the hours of groundwork and research done by our friends, Patti and Bob Meneely.  Let's do it again real soon...well, maybe not too soon.
The Bakersfield-in-your-rearview-mirror Group

Kern River and Canyon

Happy Birthday Lee Del Canto times 3