Edwards AFB is home to the best Air Force Test Pilot School in the world. Mach 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and even 6.7 were first reached there. And Yes! Edwards AFB has tours; there is a catch of course, the tour has to be booked a couple of months ahead. The tour starts fairly early 9:00am so it is a good idea to spend a night in nearby Mojave, CA.
A word of advice: since 9/11 it has become impossible for civilian outsiders to get access to Edwards AFB so it is critical to arrive to the West Gate and not to any other gate because the guards will not let you pass through the base "highways".
Unfortunately, one is not allowed to make pictures inside of the base but there is a nice collection of experimental aircrafts just outside of the West Gate.
Again because of 9/11 anyone entering Edwards AFB must pass security clearance so my friends who did not sign up for the tour on time were not allowed on the bus and had to go somewhere else. A military guy suggested trying Joe Davies Heritage Airpark located in Palmdale, CA and they got some nice pictures from there.
Edwards AFB is surrounded by 2 beautiful lakes - Rogers Lake and Rosamond Lake. Alas, the lakes are dry. Test pilots, however, find this fact useful! Billions of tax-payer dollars where saved by the lakes when pilots used them for emergency landings.
On the way to the City of Angeles.
Venice Beach has some funny looking buildings in its vicinity.
We just could not miss Tropicana Bakery & Cuban Café. Sadly our military vegetarian was deeply disappointed with our decision to visit the place and confessed to us that he lost faith in humanity.
On the way to Hearst Castle...
As we got closer to 101 it became more and more foggier.
The beach (as well as the mansion) used to belong to William Randolph Hearst, but were donated to the state of California.
And suddenly the sun came out but not for too long/
The most basic tour of the mansion costs $25. The road to the castle is designed in way the building suddenly appears and then disappears again.
Yes, a wood imported from Thailand.
56 bedrooms!
Nice view from the castle.
We were lucky to see the outside pool without any water. It had a leak and they were working on it and it will actually take at least a year to fix it!
Nice indoor pool.
And a private zoo. In fact we saw some zebras on the way to the castle and thought we were dreaming but apparently the zebras were part of the zoo.
An Elephant Seal beach (35.663801666666664, -121.25861166666667).
I am done driving for today!
Nice try being a test pilot.
Finally, we are above the skies :) approaching Big Sur.
To be continued ...
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