Jimmy’s Journey
We spent last week visiting family in Palm Desert. It’s a long drive–over 420 miles–and a good chunk of the return journey is along the same route Jimmy takes at the beginning of Rattlesnake. I did not have an expiring car or a dead man on my trip. Although the SUV just hit 137K and has experienced recent parking lot trauma, thanks to the teen driver. And my husband has a cold, which meant he was much less fun to drive with than a corpse.
I thought you might like to see Jimmy’s trip in pictures.
We begin in the Mojave desert. It’s a big place with a beauty of its own. And lots of Joshua trees.
Jimmy picks up Tom here. It was night, of course. I passed through around noon and the joint was jumping.
Jimmy and Tom leave the desert via Tehachapi Pass. There was a little snow up there last week, which was exciting for my kids.
On the other side of the pass, Jimmy drops down toward the Central Valley. The terrain and vegetation are very different on the west side.
And then Jimmy passes through Bakersfield. I have to admit, Bakersfield is not my favorite city, perhaps due to a traumatic incident involving a flat tire and the Bakersfield Sears. Also, I was once recruited for a job there, and the recruiter tried to tell me that Bakersfield is an hour from LA. Which is a pretty huge stretch of the truth, and also not a big attraction since I’m not LA’s #1 fan. I probably could have taken a more flattering photo of Bakersfield. Maybe.
Next, Jimmy heads north on Highway 99. I have spent far too many hours on that highway.
Of course, Jimmy then has some adventures of a sort in Fresno. I didn’t take any pictures of Fresno, a city whose motto should be “At least we’re not Bakersfield!”. In Merced, Jimmy headed east toward the foothills, while I continued north. Of course, I don’t have a photo of the fictional town of Rattlesnake. Will this do?
And, in case you haven’t heard, Rattlesnake just released on audiobook, with the incomparable K.C. Kelly narrating. It’s available from Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. I’m listening to it right now, so I can tell you that K.C. totally nailed this one.
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