well off the beathen path

  We grabbed some snacks & beverages at a Bakersfield mini-mart & headed due east on Hwy 178. Into a wall of granite, a raging river filled with Sierra Nevada snow melt, the sounds of rushing water filled the air. We turned on to a dark narrow road without any guard rails. Oaks trees hung overhead, dark skies & huge cows in the middle of the road. After passing it once, we found the dirt parking area around 10:20 pm & started our hike down to the hot springs w/ flashlights. Down to the Kern River we scrambled thru muddy grasses & bushes. Candle light, river rock tubs & steaming mineral baths await. No one around, we had the whole place to ourselves..... until 1am. There are numerous natural hot springs located on the Kern River canyon, most of them on the Lower Kern in between Lake Isabella & the Bako citrus orchards. Many are closed off to the public - private property.  Lower Kern Canyon on Highway 178 is the way to Kernville California & in

Winter months in California is prime desert camping time. The perfect time to plan your desert trip is November thru April. If a seasonal storm is not in the forecast, the weather is usually sunny and mild, wind is always a given & wildflowers bloom as early as February. Go enjoy the Mojave Desert , Death Valley , Anza Borrego Desert , Joshua Tree , the Lancaster Poppy Fields or the Eastern Sierra lava flows. California Desert Camping Ideas Surreal Box Canyon near Mecca, California is free camping BLM land located perfectly in between Anza Borrego Desert and Joshua Tree National Park .  This area is totally worth a hike, stretch break, or sightseeing visit, if not for an over night stay. Many superb camp spots tucked in near the cliff edges. Be prepared for late night traffic noise as semi-trucks from Interstate 10 use Box Canyon Road as a frequent through route. desert destinations Anza Borrego Desert SP Ballarat Benton Hot Springs Bodie California Borre

Day Fire burned most of Sespe Wilderness and then jumped Lockwood Valley Road. Los Padres National Forest, California California Wildfires & Campfire Safety A homeless man, Steven Emory Butcher, was found guilty for starting the longest burning wildfire in California state history. The Day Fire burned more than 162,000 acres in the Los Padres and Angeles National Forests in 2006. They also found him responsible for the Ellis Fire near Lake Piru in 2002. California, with its dry desert hillsides, steep lush canyons and oak lined valleys, is a haven for seasonal wildfires. Campfire restrictions could be higher in the later months (July-Dec). Many Southern California parks & forests place extreme campfire restrictions on the wilderness backcountry camping, for primitive campsites on remote back roads - and sometimes even inside developed campgrounds. If you cannot imagine camping without a campfire, then make sure of the conditions before you head out. Prescribed

Getting educated on GMO takes significant time. Reading every article you can on the genetically engineered food topic, searching for the most recent scientific studies and latest news, examining who the corporations behind this biotechnology are and how many billions they are spending to defeat this consumer led proposition 37 in California. Food documentary films have led the way in educating the masses - on what we are eating and how it is directly affecting our health. Food Matters was released in 2009. With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and our tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what's wrong with our malnourished bodies, it's no wonder that modern society is getting sicker. Food Matters sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide 'sickness industry' and gives people some scientifically verifiable solutions for overcoming illness naturally. Food Matters Movie Trailer http://www.foodmatters.tv/ http://www.amazon.com/

This food documentary was one of the first to accurately illustrate the process of gene insertion on the DNA level. The Future of Food offers an in-depth exploration of several important developments in agriculture today including the diminishment of biodiversity, patenting of life, loss of family farms, consolidation of seed companies and the globalization of our food system. Using genetically engineered crops as a primary cause and result of these new developments, the film delves into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled the worlds grocery stores for the past decade. Movie Trailer Full Movie via YouTube