This is the promised post with photos of two of the grandkids and me exploring the Kern River last week. I live in Kern County, CA. The Kern River, which runs through Bakersfield (not quite – we like to say Bakersfield: A riverbed runs through it), or would if it weren’t for the dams, etc. is known as the Killer Kern. Merle Haggard sang, “I’ll never swim Kern River again. It was there that I met her, it was there that I lost my best friend.” Yes, Merle is from Bakersfield. And the river runs still and deep, deceptively dangerous when it looks calm. People drown every summer despite the “Stay Out Stay Alive” signs.
Up above Kernville, a town not far from our cabin in Alta Sierra, people raft and kayak, either on their own or with whitewater companies, every summer. The rapids are Class Four – it was the venue for Olympic Kayaking during the L.A. Olympic games.
So after six days of being cabin-bound because of snow, I took whoever wanted to go (Ali and Xavier) and we went exploring. I said we were going for a drive – Xavier kept wanting to know where, and I said I don’t know, we’re on an adventure and we’ll see where it takes us. I’m not sure he was entirely ok with that, but I had the wheel. I actually didn’t know where we were going until I took the turn – we could have gone to Red Rock Canyon, driven around Isabella Lake (not very pretty), heading to Havilah, but we turned left.
It took us past Kernville towards Johnsondale, an old sawmill and logging town. We stopped several times to explore the river and climb rocks. The water is low now as far as river water goes – it’s in the spring after snow melt that the river runs fast and deep.
Here’s an overview. There was quite a bit of fall still. From foggy Bako up to the cabin in the snow and down on the other side to Fall. Reminds me of one of my absolute favorite songs as a kid: “The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.” I am forever trying to see what I can see – and more.
We saw still water, moving water, marshy and boggy places, it was great.
This could just as easily be ocean, couldn’t it? In this section, the water was rushing around rocks and you could see how, when they are covered up, the rafting can be thrilling.
The colors in the water change so quickly. So beautiful. And great rocks for climbing. I was glad to find out that Xavier is inherently cautious.
There were so many great rocks to climb, but we refrained from venturing out into the moving water.
Here we did venture over the side channels. It was marshy but oh so beautiful. I was glad it wasn’t mosquito season.
Our third stop was a much calmer, smoother place. And remember this photo because I’m going to use it for Monday check-in on Creative Every Day. Leah got me thinking about shadows.
I love detail and close-ups and especially patterns and I’m working on a collage already using this next photo. Leaves in the muddy water.
So that was the drive up the North Fork of the Kern River. Kern County really is an amazing place. It’s huge in area and encompasses so many kinds of terrain. If you are curious, you can look at my web page in the flower gallery, and you’ll see so many of the truly outstanding wild flowers that bloom here almost every spring.
Also, in some previous posts – I’ll only link to a few – you can see Red Rock Canyon Also Art in my Own Backyard, which shows you it can be pretty around here. I’m looking out at that very lake as I write. A little blue is showing in the sky, but the fog will be back tonight, I’m sure.
