The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1922-04-08
John B.SIater Tells
About California
Describes Interesting EX-
periences Covering Ridge
Route Trip

neld TO Los Angeles, approximately,
is 100 miles. The Tehachapi range
of mountains extending from the
Sierras westward across the state to
Santa Barbara by the sea forms the
dividing line between northern and
southern California. Thus, when one
is in Bakersfield he is in northern
California, and once in Los Angeles
he is in southern California-the
mountain base settling into the inter-
vening space. The highest point on
the concrete highway, known as the
ridge route, connecting the two
cities, is about 4500 feet above sea
level, but peaks mount enough higher
over the main elevation along the
summit to describe the snow line be-
tween October and May. Notable
among these is Frazier peak which
towers to height of 5000 feet. The
trip by rail is uninteresting because
the roadbed follows the lowest levels
where grandeur of scenery has been
eliminated by tunnels and deep cuts,
through the low defiles, in the in
terest of economy of construction.
That was when scenic terrain was
not accounted an asset in the eco
nomics of the Golden State.
| wish it were possible for me to
desribe the splendors of an auto
trip over this Tehachapi range
at any time of the year. To
approach the subject, even, is diff
cult because of the peculiar chaos in
this formative uplift of the country
so unlike any of the mountainous re-
gions elsewhere In the springtime,
over all this panorama, one is struck
by the pastel effect of the mingled
comport of the flowers of every hue
appearing in great rolling heaps as
they carpet the ridged slopes; in
summer the faded verdure is parched
by a torrid sun and the reflected heat
| follows the rise of the country to the
SUBMITS where it is picked up by the
desert breezes from the eastern
plateau of the Mojave and carried
down to the far valleys to add to the
intolerable high temperatures there.
In the fall the gray monotony Of the
chaparral serves to shelter the myriad
of wild animals of every ferocious
species known to the land. Not
withstanding the reputation here for
aI hn
ture has not exempted these areas
from the searching rigOrs of deep
SHOWS, tempestuous storms and
witherng billiards. known to north
eln winters The only forests that
rise to timbered proportions are found
here in the ravines and valleys which
cleve the slopes, and these do not
appear on the usual landscape spread
ing over the highlands. Stately live
oak and sycamore in these canyons
offer a comforting refuge to the
traveller seeking escape from the
sweItering heat of the lowlands. I'm
der such circumstances we find these
sheltered regions, watered by brooks
formed from the seepage from the
melting SHOWS, an unrestrained salts
faction.
But the trip. We made the start
from Bakersfield at 8 o'clock in the
morning and at once bounded out to
the south over a wide stretch OF
desert land covered with alkali with
intervening splotches Of sage brush,
the rendezvous for jack rabbits which
ran, as we passed, from one thicket
to another, the only visible sign OF
animal life. Some distance off the
road we noted an oil refinery cover
ing so acres and operated by the
Standard Oil Company. The grounds
are beautiful in the display Of beds
of choicest flowers, shrubs, trees and
the park is underlaid with a gor-
geous spread of lawn in striking con-
trast to the desert surroundings.
About this oasis are the beautiful
homes of the employees who enjoy
every social attraction necessary to
their pleasure. Fairgrounds and
swimming pools have been provided
for the families living there. We
felt a satisfaction in knowing that
the tribute we pay to billion dollar
corporation is in small part distrib-
uted to the comfort and pleasure OF
it's employees and their personal de-
pendents.
AS we speeded on we observed an
occasional oil well, either completed
and producing or in process OF drill
ing, and it was apparent that many
people were actively and proftabiy
employed. The country which seemed
level at the start, we noticed to
rapidly increase in elevation as we
approached the mountains. The IN
creasing grade and warm head wind