Fall at Edwards

Fall at Edwards can be a bit of a let down - trees don't change color (there aren't any trees) and the weather doesn't slowly cool down, inviting you to wear jeans and sweatshirts. Luckily just up the road is the "Land of Four Seasons," Tehachapi. The first year we lived here we headed up there quite a bit, then we seemed to forget about Tehachapi until fall rolls around.

The first weekend in October, we headed up there with the EOSC travel club. The original plan was to head to the botanical gardens, but due to fall coming early they were closed. We regrouped and headed to the Souza Family Vineyard for some wine tasting. The vineyard serves only one of their own wines and then quite a few others from around the country. I can't tell you how the wines were since I had to sit this one out but they did bring out a nice food tray for us and were very pleasant to chat with.

Next, apple picking! There are two u-pick places and then 20 or so orchards that pick them from the tree and you pick apples out of a large box. In the fall you can get a map just about anywhere in town with a layout of the orchards. We visited a few to check out what types of apples were available - ask for a taste so you know what you are getting. We ended up splitting a box with the neighbors which gave us each about 40 apples.

We tried a Latin fusion restaurant for lunch. It wasn't terrible but I'm not sure I'll go back. My delicate stomach didn't take well to the smells or tastes but it's not their fault I'm pregnant!

A few weeks later in mid-October we decided to head back to Tehachapi with some other friends to Murray Family Farms. They have really upped their game this year - the hayride to the pumpkin patch is still there as are the pig races but they have added more fun. The kids we were with range in age from 1 to 3 and they all seemed to love it. There were duck races where you pump water to make your rubber duck float down a pipe, "cow" riding where you are towed behind a tractor in a half barrel on wheels painted like a cow and a giant inflatable pillow you can jump on. They had plenty of guides around making this a much more pleasant experience than in years past.

The farm also sells carving pumpkins but you will find cheaper ones at Trader Joe's.

For lunch we headed to Pacino's Spaghetti Factory in Tehachapi. It's nothing special but the food was good and it's a reliable alternative to the Apple Shed. The salads are huge - you can easily split one for your meal.

It's nice to get away and have it feel like fall, even for just an afternoon!