2007-12-26 10:35 p.m.

Kate and I are on a road trip to the desert. Yesterday we went through Turlock and Chowchilla on the way to Bakersfield.

Turlock was a mandatory stop, since it's home to a bulldozer-shaped office building. The two-story, yellow dozer is the headquarters of a bulldozer sales company!

Next was Chowchilla. In July 1967 a busload of elementary school students from Chowchilla was kidnapped. The bus was driven to a quarry in Livermore, where their captor buried the bus—with all the kids trapped inside. The students somehow dug their way to freedom. There was supposed to be a plaque commemorating this at Dairyland Elementary School in Chowchilla. But, all I found was a sign that said NO PARKING, SCHOOL BUS LOADING.

Across the street there were some metal barrels that were rusting away quite gracefully, though. So, I went and took some pictures of them.

And, there was plenty of dangerous-looking farm equipment to satisfy the morbid curiosity that brought me out there to begin with.

The best thing about the central valley of California is that the air is thick and heavy with the smell of manure. So, I don't think Kate noticed just how often I was farting. I doubt I'll get away with it so well in the desert.

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