The Chicken and the Egg

I am still blown away by how comfortable those Tiny Houses can be. The one we stayed in last night in Petaluma was finished nicely with high open ceilings and a loft area for the kids (okay, the Jacks thought it was just for them). It was fun, but time to carry on, carrying on!

Once again we are on the road. We left Petaluma, California around 9 a.m., and travelled for nine hours which brought us to Banning, California which is a hop, skip and a jump from Palm Springs. Back into the regular hotels for the Burich clan.

Along the way today, again, we saw a variety of landscapes which all had something special about them. The flat lands and valleys were filled with Almond and Pistachio groves that went on as far as the eye could see. These beautiful trees were in full bloom and the air was magnificent with their beautiful bouquet (no wait, that is wine you use bouquet for - well you know where my brain was - back in Napa), I mean fragrance.

During our travels today, we also drove through an area with lush green hills and many windmills. It looked like a setting for a modern photography shoot. It really was a breathtaking site seeing the enormity of the large turbines on a landscape with virtually no trees, the odd cow, and the vibrant green fields. They must be getting some rain in that spot for sure!

The nut groves gave way to beautiful citrus fruit trees which were full of their delectable offerings and ready to harvest. There were many workers in the orchards tending to the trees with loving care and it made you think about what hard, back breaking work goes into each orange we eat, grapefruit  we peel, or nut we shell. We have much to be thankful for!

We also could not help but notice all of the propaganda in support of the farmers using water to grow their fruits, nuts and vegetables which was counter balanced by the environmentalists who blame the politicians for supporting the agricultural activities which go on in this region despite droughts. It is sad but, it comes back to the chicken and the egg. You need water to grow food to sustain the populations, yet you need water to sustain the people who would not survive without the produce. I have my definite opinion on this one, but after working in government for the past 10 years, I know that I would not touch this one with a 10 foot pole!

As we were driving through the beautiful valleys, we were suddenly elevated into a small range of mountains with rugged terrain which was reminiscent of the Badlands of South Dakota; with just more height and dryer. Funny, more ICY signs too.

After a long, steep descent from the range, we found ourselves in the suburbs of Los Angeles (the City of Angels and more caffeine hyped drivers who seem to think the lines are merely suggestions. I guess they were not great at colouring as a child). Los Angeles is a beautiful yet long and sprawling area and unfortunately we hit it at rush hour. That was quite the adrenaline rush as a passenger! We continued through Los Angeles, past San Bernadino and have stopped for this evening in Banning, California. Tomorrow we will be making our way into Arizona. That is all for now from All Paths Lead to Roatan.

Oh wait, today's tip is an important one. When packing for a long road trip, be sure to pack for every type of weather you could possibly experience along the way. We got soaked yesterday in Napa. Go figure a drought-ridden state and we are there for the only rain they have seen in ages and did not bring rain coats with us.

Until tomorrow!