How could anyone possibly connect a 15-week-old puppy in California – the breed of which almost no one has ever heard of – to the 15th anniversary of the untimely passing of a former Nevada governor?
Fortunately for you, I’m a (self-) trained professional, so let’s give it a whirl…
Gov. Kenny Guinn – “Kenny” to friend and foe alike – passed away on July 22, 2015.
I’ll get back to Kenny in a minute. But first…
Another untimely passing of the livestock guardian dog at Windy’s Rescue Ranch in Overton – where my daughter Jenna has been volunteering for over a dozen years now – meant a next-generation replacement was needed.
Janice Ridondo – who runs Windy’s – found the kind of dog she was looking for from a breeder in Coarsegold, CA – which is about an hour northeast of Fresno near the entrance to Yosemite National Park.
It’s about a 6–7-hour drive from Vegas. Jenna and I took off mid-afternoon on Monday and laid up at a tribal casino/resort about 10 minutes away from the breeder’s farm – where, unbelievably, they’re still checking your temperature before entering even though COVID ended three years ago!
Anyway, the 15-week-old puppy is an “Akbash” – which Jenna tells me is a short-haired version of the Great Pyrenees. And judging by “Roly’s” paw size, she’s gonna be a mini-monster.
Jenna & Roly at Roly’s birth farm
Now, Roly’s is the birth name given by the breeder. But Janice is free to re-name her and is toying with “Saint Isabella” – which Jenna isn’t exactly thrilled with because Saint Isabella is “the patron saint of victims of adultery.”
Yikes! Why not just name her “Hillary,” right?
Anyway, with St. Isabella’s name floating out there it occurred to me that Lake Isabella was kinda on the way back home if we took a few back roads. And I thought it’d be cool to take a photo of the puppy in front of a sign there somewhere.
Since Jenna and I have a habit of taking unexpected road trips, we bought a small tent and sleeping bags in Wyoming on a trip a couple years ago to Little Big Horn and Yellowstone and keep them in the trunk of my car “just in case.”
Well, this was one of those cases.
We found a campground that was NOT on the lake, but a few miles up the road. Let’s just say the town and the campground aren’t exactly in the “resort” realm.
But the nice lady who checked us in told us to drive up the road about 15 miles to Kernville, where I was assured there were a number of nice bars and restaurants.
Kernville? Hey, I’ve heard of that place!
Which brings me back to Gov. Guinn – I mean, Kenny.
Kenny and former First Lady Dema Guinn were good friends who often spoke glowingly of Kernville – where Kenny worked for a logging company in his youth before moving to Las Vegas.
So Jenna, Roly, and I hopped in the car before setting up camp to check it out.
And what a great little town it is. If you’re looking for a little getaway from Vegas for a few days, put this place on your list.
And as a bonus, it’s maybe the most dog-friendly town I’ve ever visited. So if you have a pooch, bring him or her.
As we drove through town, we noticed Frandy’s Campground on the river.
We took a quick drive through and decided it was MUCH better than the campground in Lake Isabella. And everything in town was within easy walking distance.
So I decided to eat the $42 I’d paid at the other campground and got a spot at Frandy’s right on the water.
Roly loved it…but wasn’t sure what to do about the deer that came wandering through the site.
The camp owner, Beverly, gave us some recommendations for dinner and we opted to try out the Kern River Brewing Company. Good food, great beer, and outdoor seating for Roly.
In the morning after breaking camp we decided to check out Beverly’s recommendation for the Sequoia Mountain Bakery. And it did not disappoint.
Indeed, if you eat there often enough you just might put on enough weight to qualify as a panelist on The View.
And then there was the excitement!
While sitting outside on the deck enjoying a Pete’s coffee and chocolate croissant, we heard a commotion across the street. Seems a kid noticed a rattlesnake curled up under a car!
A couple minutes later a fire truck arrived and two firefighters eventually corralled it.
Pastries AND entertainment. What a combo.
After breakfast we took Roly for a walk around the park next to the river – where kids of all ages were floating down over the gentle white waters, getting out at the end of the park and walking back to do it all again.
In other words, a NATURAL water park, not a Wet-‘n-Wild.
Well, hopping in the car and driving back to Vegas suddenly seemed like a missed opportunity.
I noticed a little cottage right across the street – The Kern Riverfront Lodge – and they had a little suite available, but only for one night.
Well, one night was all we needed, so we checked in.
Grabbed lunch at Cheryl’s Diner. Again, great food and dog-friendly patio.
While eating, I notice a realty office across the street with a big sign out front that read, “The Best Social Program is a Job – Ronald Reagan.”
You don’t see THAT every day!
On the walk back to the lodge, we bought a pair of folding chairs from the Whatever on the Kern gift shop and spent the afternoon playing cards, reading, and taking a nap in the grass – between walks down to the water for Roly.
I remembered Dema telling me that she and Kenny once had a vacation home on the river here, which they sold long ago. So I did a little AI research and found the address.
After taking a quick shower, we hopped in the car and decided to go find it.
Found it. Took a quick photo from the street and texted it do Dema – who confirmed it was, indeed, their former home away from home. I can see why they loved it.
From there we drove to the Pizza Barn for dinner. Great pizza – and again, Roly was able to sit outside with us on the deck.
Then wandered down to the Something Sweeter ice cream parlor and hung out in the little park a block away.
After finishing, we decided to check out the Kernville Saloon and Hotel across the street. Great vintage Western-themed watering hole with pool tables and shuffleboard.
And, YEP, dog-friendly.
Not very crowded, but there was another big sheep dog sitting at the bar for Roly to hang out with – until she decided it was nap time.
I struck up a conversation with the owner, Jim, and yes, he remembered the Guinns. Gone – but not forgotten.
To finish up the day, we walked up the street to the Sportsman’s Bar for Karaoke night.
No, I didn’t croon any tunes – but the place has a great dog-friendly courtyard and a second-floor outdoor balcony overlooking the town.
After a quick bourbon-and-branch, we headed back to the lodge for a good night’s sleep.
We’re about to pack up now and head back to the barn. Should be about a 4–5-hour drive.
This was our first visit to Kernville, but I guarantee it won’t be the last. The weather was perfect – not the 110-degree heat we’re used to in Vegas this time of year.
If you ever get the chance, you should check this place out. And I’m thinking maybe I should add a “Travel” section to Nevada News & Views!
Which reminds me, while I’ve been away our writers have been busy posting articles on the website.
So while I haven’t had the time to aggregate them in the e-newsletter the past two days, you can still check them out by clicking here.
I should be back in the saddle tomorrow. Stay frosty!
