Bakersfield, Ca

We arrived in Bakersfield with a couple of extra days to visit with Leon's family before Blade's high school graduation - the reason for the trip. Leon spent a lot of time wandering the streets and reminiscing about old times. His daughter flew in from London for the occasion and it was great to visit with her and her husband. It was also his nephew's high school graduation but, wouldn't you know, they both fell on the same day. Leon had a good visit with his daughter, nephew, and sister when we managed to get together for lunch one day.


We also spent a little time riding our bikes alongside the Kern River. I stopped at a slant board and did four sit-ups one day while waiting for Leon to visit with a new friend. I was sore for days; not from the bike but the slant board! The city has wonderful bike trails that go for miles passing many oil pumps along the way.


The Oleander, freeway flowers as Leon calls them, were in full bloom in a variety if colors.


Walmart was our home for three nights and were we surprised - wifi in the parking lot! I spotted this oddity online and was glad we drove by. Now that is a shoe shop!


The big day arrived and we sat in the bleachers for three hours to watch six hundred students graduate, but it was all worth it to see Blade walk. He will now go to London to work. We got to visit with Leon's other grandson Gunner several times and are excited about the accomplishments he has made since he got out of the Air Force and visited us last December.


The weather was perfect while we were in town but the day after graduation the temperature was supposed to soar so we sped away.