Where's The Trail

Thursday: (02/19) Sausage and pineapple cake for breakfast. Lou was off to spend the day with her friend Anita. Helen dropped me off at the mouth of the Kern River Canyon. The Kern River Parkway Trail supposedly runs from the mouth of the canyon out to Interstate 5, over 30 miles. I biked or hiked everything from Hart Part West to I5 but haven't made it out to the canyon. Even though it's described as going from the canyon to the Interstate the trail map only shows it going to Hart park. Today's effort was to see it there was a trail, even if not a bike path. Helen dropped me off at the mouth of the canyon and I headed over to the river and started west. It didn't look good from the start. Even though there were no "No Trespassing" signs I started the "trail by stepping through a wide gap in the barbed wire fence. About 1/2 mile brought me to a 16 foot tall concrete flue that brings the water further downriver to a powerhouse. I crossed the flue at it's origin, probably not a wise thing but there still were no signs to prohibit it. I then tried to find a trail beside the river but couldn't locate one so I walked the dirt road by the flue. I continued to check beside the river regularly by walking out to the edge but there was no trail. I continued about 3.5 miles further downstream beside the flue to the powerhouse where I did my last check beside the river. There was a "No Trespassing"sign there facing the river about two feet from the edge of the river. If I'd have approached from that direction I'd have felt more guilty. To get back out to the highway I had to circumnavigate an orange grove. At the road there was another sign. Fortunately I was still a free man. I walked the side of Highway 178 for about a mile to Rancheria Road. I didn't know that it crossed the river so I walked down it to the river to check for the trail. There was a public parking area there and river access but still no trail. At the bridge I was only 1/10 mile further downstream from where I'd started to exit back to the highway. I had walked 1.5 miles to go 1/10 mile. So, I confirmed there is no trail, yet. I had to return to the highway and finished my 12.5 mile walk back to town. On the way I stopped at a gas station and found something I've never seen before. A Rockstar horchata energy drink. I stopped my walk when I found the Malt Shop at Fairfax and Auborn Streets. They made a wonderful peanut butter milkshake. Lou and Anita had lunch at Famous Dave's BBQ.  I called Lou who had just finished her visit with Anita so she came to pick me up. We had leftover Chinese food for dinner.