The Bako

If it is possible to squeeze every last drop of experiences into a single day, I achieved it on this second and final day of the California League 2014 road trip. It seemed that I had stuff planned from the word "go" and that my only respite was the time at the Bakersfield ballpark. I'm pretty tired and worn out, but I am very happy with how I ended this Baseball Road Trip. I have some great stories to tell and I am so glad that I get to recount them for all of you here.

While munching on a danish and sipping a cup of coffee, I hit the road south at around 8:30am for my first stop of the day, the Forty Acres National Landmark. I briefly touched on it last night, so let me explain further what the Forty Acres is and why I am interested in it. This collection of buildings in Delano, California served as the first headquarters of the United Farm Workers union and their leader, Cesar Chavez, and was the base for the Delano Grape Strike in the late 1960's and early 1970's. This strike intended to, and eventually brought about, fair wages and safe working conditions for the thousands of workers, who were mainly minorities, working the fields in the massive agricultural industries of the San Joaquin Valley. From this place, Cesar Chavez advocated for non-violent means of protest including collective bargaining, economic boycotts and marches. What may be most notable about this site is that within the confines of the compound, in 1968, Cesar Chavez embarked on a 25-day fast to advocate for non-violence in the protest movement. The Forty Acres and Chavez became world-renowned when Senator Robert Kennedy joined Chavez at the site at the end of his fast to break bread and show support for the striking workers. It is one of those "nook-and-cranny" sites in American history that I really wanted to see.

And WANT to see is the key word. The Forty Acres is located in the middle of nowhere, literally. In the middle of miles and miles of farm fields, and off a lonely and wind swept highway, is the converted service station. The site has been designated as a National Landmark, but it sits empty and almost hollow. The buildings themselves are in good condition and don't look abandoned at all. However, you would think that a place with such significance in the history of the state of California, and also the United States, would be more of a destination like most National Parks. While the gates were all locked up, and climbed inside the compound, took some pictures, walked around for about thirty minutes, and appreciated the history of the complex. It was certainly a unique and interesting experience.

The Forty Acres is about forty minutes from the ballpark in Bakersfield. This time, however, I was committed to seeing at least some of the community. Driving around was just frustrating me and I needed to have that community experience. Instead of sticking to the freeway, I got off in downtown Bakersfield, parked the car and walked a few blocks to this mom-and-pop diner where I got some breakfast. Along the way, I noticed that Bakersfield is a rough city and maybe a little deserving of the bad rap. It seemed rather dead and non-inviting. There were places where it was dirty and I'm sure during the summer, the smog gets really bad. Still, my dining experience was pleasant and I felt good that I had helped out a local business and stayed away from the commercial establishments that tend to line the freeway.

After brunch, I made my way to Sam Lynn Ballpark. I had read numerous reviews that had slammed the park saying that it was the worst of the California League parks. When planning this trip, I knew that I had to keep an open mind and not buy into the negative reviews until I saw it for myself. With that attitude, I felt I was able to make the most out of my visit to the home of the Bakersfield Blaze.

What stands out immediately about Sam Lynn Ballpark is how utilitarian it is. No video board, no luxury suites and very little in the name of concessions. The park is simply one main grandstand behind home plate, a section of bleachers down the left field line, and a small section of chairbacks down the right field line. It reminded me of a marginally better Riverside Sports Complex. No frill, just baseball. Compared to the other parks in the California League, who have so many "bells-and-whistles" when it comes to fan amenities, I can see why this place had so many negative reviews.

Despite this, I actually liked it. The focus was just baseball here. For the true fan who values the game over any dizzy bat race or mascot challenge, Sam Lynn Ballpark was the nirvana. Hey, I bought a beer, snacked on some sunflower seeds, caught rays of sunshine, kept score, and relaxed at a baseball game. That is enough for me to have a good time. 

In talking with some of the ushers and staff, I guess the days of Bakersfield having a team are numbered. Understandably, the California League and the Blaze affiliate, the Cincinnati Reds, are saying the field is subpar for professional ballplayers. The Blaze organization has tried to secure the public financing for a new park in Bakersfield, but it hasn't played out. According to those sources, the League is looking for a new city to move the franchise.

The Blaze jumped all over the Modesto Nuts' starting pitching rushing out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, and they never looked back. Bakersfield ran away from Modesto in a rout 10-2.

After the game, I made the decision to take the back way home to Highland through the Mojave Desert. I don't know about anyone else, but LA traffic is really frustrating and boring, and I didn't want to deal with it. The back way may have taken a little longer, but it was worth it.

About thirty miles outside of Bakersfield is another landmark that I wanted to see. The railfan inside me just couldn't resist a trip to the famous Tehachapi Loop. This mile-long helix allows a train to gain elevation on a grade in a small space. The train ends up looping over itself in the process of gaining 77 feet of elevation. This engineering marvel is over 140 years old but is studied the world over by Civil Engineers. The loop itself is off-limits to the public, but there is a great overlook at the top of this winding narrow road.

I was lucky enough to catch a BNSF train struggling up the 6% grade with a train full of container cars. While the Loop may be a little less than a mile, it took the train nearly thirty minutes to completely traverse it. Just the site of four huge locomotives working as hard as they could to pull this massive train full of goods up this mountain was awesome. Even from a distance, you could feel the power of the machines. This is why I love trains.

Just below the Loop is the full-circle of the Cesar Chavez story from earlier in the post. After the successful Delano Grape Strike, Chavez and the UFW moved their base of operations into the Tehachapi Mountains, occupying an old sanitorium. It is here that the UFW has continued to operate, and where Chavez was buried after his death in 1993. While I wasn't able to see the museum because it had closed, I did see Chavez's grave and the Memorial Garden that surrounds his tomb.

I'll probably touch on Chavez more in the Final Thoughts section, but he really is a key figure in American history. Especially here in California, many people revere him equally to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. He was such a Change Agent and the story of his efforts are inspiring. Being able to spend some time immersed in the sites he did his work in was very humbling.

After all these places, I finally decided to call it a day and drive home. I think I made the most out of the day and certainly had enough to fill up the blog!

I'll post a Final Thoughts section tomorrow afternoon when I get some time off from work.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)