Category Archives: Kern County

California, Caltrans, District 6, Event, Grapevine Canyon, Highways, History, Kern County, Los Angeles County, Old Alignment, Ridge Route, Roads, US 99

Ridge Route Centennial Celebration Coming Soon!

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This year, the Ridge Route will be celebrating its 100 year anniversary. While the roadway is still not fully open to travel and has not been since January 2005, it is still there and still coming up to its century mark. This celebration will be held in Lebec at the El Tejon School, located near the top of Grapevine Grade on Lebec Road. For more information, please contact the Ridge Route Communities Museum. The road also needs your help and pressure to reopen the roadway to the public. For more information about this issue, contact the Ridge Route website.

From the Ridge Route Communities website:

Centennial

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION – 10/3

It has been 100 years since the Ridge Route Road opened

Come celebrate with the Ridge Route Preservation Organization and the Ridge Route Communities Museum & Historical Society

from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

at El Tejon School right on the old two lane highway

across I-5 from Fort Tejon

There will be displays, antique automobiles, food, music,

souvenirs and a panel of speakers at 1 p.m.

Also that day there will be a

Living History Program at Fort Tejon

California, Caltrans, District 6, Highways, Image, Kern County, Old Alignment, Roads, US 466

Image of the Week – 9/13/15

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Former US 466 near Caliente in the Tehachapi Mountains. This is one of the longest remaining sections of original wooden railing in California.
Former US 466 near Caliente in the Tehachapi Mountains. This is one of the longest remaining sections of original wooden railing in California.
Imperial County, Kern County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, Ventura County, Website News

Southern California – Defined?

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This website started off covering a small area, the Santa Clarita Valley. I later started a second website for the San Diego area. Both sites were somewhat limited in scope. Now, with those sites combined, I’ve also increased the area that the website covers. The new name for the site, Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads seems to state a much larger area. What really is Southern California and what does part of it does this website really cover?

The region, Southern California, or So Cal by some, varies by definition. My definition isn’t exactly a standard one either but I think it is the best fitting one. Southern California is usually defined as the whole of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, western Riverside, and San Diego Counties. This constitutes much of the populated section as well as the area west (or south) of major mountain ranges. This definition leaves out quite a large area, however. It really should be “Coastal Southern California”. How do I then define Southern California and what area I plan to cover with this website? I personally define Southern California as the area south of the 119 degree line, which tends to define the northern boundaries of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino Counties. This site, however, will cover a smaller portion of that region. This website will cover, eventually, the region encompassing all of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, southern Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, Imperial, and San Diego Counties.

I’ve sometimes termed this website to be a “monster”. Why do I? Every time I think it is “done”, I come up with more projects to expand the site. There is a lot to cover here in Southern California and I intend to do the best job that I can for the scope of the site. Defining those boundaries will help to at least partially limit the site’s growth.

Bakersfield, Gas Station

Fuel Prices… a look back

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With the price of gasoline dropping recently, I thought it might be a good idea to show what prices were 14 years ago during the last big price drop.

December 2001 in Bakersfield (Oildale), California
December 2001 in Bakersfield (Oildale), California
Adopt-A-Highway, Caltrans, District 6, Grapevine Canyon, I-5, Kern County

Caltrans Adopt-A-Highway

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This month marks 16 years for me as an Adopt-A-Highway program volunteer. In August 1998, I adopted a section of Interstate 5 in Grapevine Canyon in Kern County. To be more specific, my section is on Route 5 between Postmiles 6 and 8 in Kern County. I chose that section initially as it allowed me to inspect sections of old US 99 that I couldn’t reach before. Now that I have adopted it and have a permit, I can stop along that segment and see the old roadway.

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I found that the section I adopted was also quite scenic and special. Of all the sections of Grapevine Canyon, mine has the most of the wild grapes that gave the canyon its name. It also contains one of the more famous sections of the original Grapevine Grade, Deadmans Curve. During wildflower season, the canyon is green and alive with yellow, orange, and purple flowers. Deer, hawks, and other wildlife can be spotted in the canyon as well.

Passing through Grapevine Canyon now gives me a sense of pride. I’ve actually gone there many times to help clean the highway, given stranded motorists help, and fixed things along the roadway. It is something that I enjoy doing and something that I don’t do often enough. When I first adopted it, I lived in Santa Clarita. Now I live in San Diego, much further away. As a result, I don’t clean it as often but still try to get up there as much as I can. I’ve also had the help of friends at times which has been nice.

I encourage all those that have the ability to adopt a roadway to do so. You can help clean up some of your community, or even someone else’s in my case. You can help others and can be a lot of fun. Most counties and states have this sort of program. Find out what your local agency has and find a section to adopt. You never know what you might find out there.