S3E1: Double Rainbow All the Way.

Day 1: Apr 14, 2024
San Francisco, CA →
Mojave National Preserve, CA
Miles: 502

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“That’s not rain, that’s snow!”

And it is. Fat raindrops transform into plump disintegrating flakes on the windshield as we continue our ascent into Tehachapi and before we negotiate the namesake pass. The temperature display in the rig reads 36°F and is dropping. When we stop at Love’s Travel Stop for gas, we’re doused with snow-rain.

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Hi, this is Season 3 of Weightshifting, a newsletter written, photographed, and published by Jen Schuetz, and myself, Naz Hamid. We are bound for Moab, Utah, where we’ll be running our first trail races, at different events, on consecutive weekends. I will run a 25K, and Jen will run a ladies-only half marathon. We estimate to be out for about three weeks.

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It’s been a cold and delayed start to this trip. We aim to leave on Saturday, but our dog, Barb, has other plans. She has health issues pop up late Friday, which transpires into a sleepless night for all of us and a vet visit first thing Saturday morning. She’s thankfully on the mend, and the extra day actually provides us more confidence to leave the following morning. We are always grateful to have flexibility with this type of travel.

Given the delay, Sunday’s initial push is intentionally longer for the sake of efficiency. The destination: Mojave National Preserve, a favorite for recreation and a pit stop en route south or east.

Most travelers take I-5 South. Regular drivers of the 5 between the Bay Area and Los Angeles know that the two-lane interstate is a barely tolerable slog. A major thoroughfare for long-haul cargo truckers and their semis, the flow is horrendous, and you often jockey for position, leapfrogging for hundreds of miles. It’s mentally draining.

We opt for the 99, which runs parallel between Bakersfield and the Bay Area, and in comparison to the 5 is a delightful route. It’s 15 miles longer, but the mostly three-lane highway has good flow, low drama, and better services along the way.

Stops include Whole Foods hot bar in Fresno for lunch and a snowy gas stop at Tehachapi. We drive over the pass and are on the last leg between Barstow and Baker, where we turn for the Mojave. It’s been raining at lower elevations, and the wind is a constant. We head towards ominous clouds, eventually pulling off the side of the road as a sight to our left captures our attention.

A rainbow. In fact, a partial double rainbow. A radiant arc set against a dramatic, dark backdrop.

We press on and make another turn onto a dirt trail, which leads to our usual camp site nestled within lava rock on the northern end of the Mojave National Preserve. We settle in.

I deploy the chairs, table, and awning, eventually gathering dinner mise en place. Jen tends to Barb, who’s on another one of her travel hunger strikes. It normally takes her a couple of days to acclimate to life on the road anyway, so she’s even more behind given her recent ailment of unknown origin.

The chill in the air along with steady winds force us to retreat to the front seats of our vehicle to enjoy our meal.

As we’re finishing our food and prepare to clean up for the night, another rainbow appears behind our rig in the fading light.

Is that truly a double rainbow? Or is this 2.25 rainbow?

Despite the briskness and nearby storm activity, we consider the bands of color an auspicious start to this journey.

P.S. Back at home, a hummingbird flutters right next to the rig as we load final gear. We immediately think of Jen’s dad and consider the appearance to be a proper send-off. A hummingbird, two rainbows, and hopefully good fortune.