Going to the Los Angeles’ High Desert? Most people have been visiting to see the superbloom but there are other things to do there. We made a weekend of it, traveling to Lancaster, Palmdale and then spending the night in Wrightwood.
Our first stop was the Musical Road. As you drive over it, you actually hear music. This is the only musical road in the U.S. and is supposed to be playing the William Tell Overture. I heard music but not sure I could make the connection. Some websites state to get the best sound drive 50 miles per hour. Others say 35 MPH. We did both and while the sound did get better at the higher speed, I still couldn’t tell it was the Overture. However, it did put me into a fit of giggles and we had to keep making U-turns and doing it over and over again.
The official name is the Civic Musical Road and the original was built almost two miles away for a Honda Civic commercial. Afterward the commercial was shot, the road was left but the residents complained about the noise so it was paved over. The road was eventually recreated on Avenue G between 30th and 40th Streets West in the left lane. Take Highway 14 north from Lancaster and exit at Avenue G. You can actually Google Map “Musical Road” and it will come up.
After laughing so hard, we were starving so one more pass on the Musical Road and we headed into Lancaster for food. Our choice was the Azteca Mexican Restaurant. When you pull up, it’s one of those restaurants that you think to yourself, this is going to be really, really good or really, really bad. The outside is just an orange box with a dirt parking lot. Luckily for us, it was really good. Traditional, California Mexican food with a cute inside and good service. It’s located at 47904 90th Street W, Lancaster, CA.
Our next stop was the Blackbird Airpark. If you are interested in planes, this should be a highlight for you. It houses the only remaining Dragon Lady U-2 “D” model plane in the world along with the SR-71A and an A-12. The museum is an annex of the Air Force Flight Test (AFFT) Museum at Edwards AFB. I think of the Blackbirds as the U.S. super-secret spy planes starting in the 50s. The SR-71s held the world record for the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft. It brings back memories of being a kid in California and hearing the sonic booms when the aircraft reached the speed of sound. There are also other planes to be seen and stories to be read like Col. Robert L. Riedenauer (ret.) who was the only test pilot who flew the U-2, SR-71 and F-117. The park is free and mostly outside. It was freezing and windy while we were then so you might want to be prepared with a coat.
2503 E Avenue P, Palmdale, CA http://afftcmuseum.org/visit/blackbird-airpark/
From there, we headed to Wrightwood to spend the night at my cousin’s cabin. We had some time to kill before meeting the family so we drove past the city, Mountain High and further along Highway 2 to Inspiration Point. Inspiration Point is where the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) crosses Highway 2 and is known for its amazing views. Some say that on a clear day, you can actually see Catalina Island from here. https://goo.gl/maps/N8ywDeViPTP2
In Wrightwood, there are many options for spending the night and my cousin’s band often plays at a local bar called the Village Grind. They play all types of music including a lot of oldies. The band’s name is King Heat. Another fun weekend in Southern California!