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Hi everyone, I may be moving to Ridgecrest (from MO) over the summer (I have an interview soon at the base), and I was just wondering if anyone had any other opinions to add to this. (Sorry to dig up an old thread, by the way.)
I keep hearing how hot it is in Ridgcrest but does it at least stay cool inside the houses?
That's a great question, the answer would be yes, most of the time. It's a given that you'll have regular A/C and/or a swamp cooler. Most people have swamp coolers and use them religiously in the summer. Regular A/C is too expensive to run all of the time, but helps on the more humid (very rare) days. Swamp coolers are large metal cubes that pour water down pads (usually wood fiber or foam pads) and circulate the air from the cooler through ducts in the house. Works quite well, but you need to leave a window open or have up-ducts for the swamp cooler to work properly. A/C in the car is a must as well. Businesses usually keep their buildings quite cold, it's refreshing when you walk in, but a big slap in the face when you walk out. Most folks try to get their errands done early in the morning or late at night in the summer, just to avoid the heat outside.
Hi, I'm glad your daughter and son-in-law have adjusted well to their new California home. There is so much to see and do in CA/NV you'll never run out of things to do. I'm glad they've gotten out and seen what the area has to offer, many natives haven't even done those things. The wintertime weather in Ridgecrest is great, not too cold at all, nice and mild. I just hope they're prepared for summer, before they know it they'll have high temperatures in the 110s! The pool will definitely help though, they'll be wanting to spend a lot of time in it. The night sky in the Mojave is something all should see at least once, it truly is mesmerizing, especially if you head a few miles out of Ridgecrest; I personally haven't seen anything like it anywhere else. I hope they continue to enjoy their stay there, and hope you have a pleasant trip to California during the upcoming (yet far-off) holidays!
Thank you David,that ws very informative,I am moving to Ridgecrest very soon to be with my boyfriend so we can be together and he can also be with his family,I am really looking forward to seeing the beautiful stars and going dirtbike riding and fourwheeling.The hot weather Im not fond of but hopefully Ill get used to.
Sounds alot unlike the Ridgecrest I grew up in. I implore people to assimilate and I would be willing to bet the racism would soon be nonexistant. Perhaps some people came to town and tried to impose preexisting Los Angeles thinking on these good people. I work in Los Angeles and I can tell you from experience, the vast majority there are wannabe's. If you don't like Ridgecrest, by all means move out. Nobody's forcing you to live there. As a matter of fact, people would love for you to take your L.A. ideas back home with you.
Sounds alot unlike the Ridgecrest I grew up in. I implore people to assimilate and I would be willing to bet the racism would soon be nonexistant. Perhaps some people came to town and tried to impose preexisting Los Angeles thinking on these good people. I work in Los Angeles and I can tell you from experience, the vast majority there are wannabe's. If you don't like Ridgecrest, by all means move out. Nobody's forcing you to live there. As a matter of fact, people would love for you to take your L.A. ideas back home with you.
While it would be great for all to assimilate, you can't expect people to assimilate or want to assimilate. Racial/ethnic prejudices will never be non-existent, this country and world is way too diverse for it to just simply go away. There are too many closed-minded folks that will never change their ways.
The first place I had ever experienced any kind of first-hand prejudice in my near quarter-century on this earth was Ridgecrest (and I'm pretty well traveled). Some people there made me feel like I had just hopped across the border myself. Asking me questions like: "Are you an illegal alien?" "Are you one-a-dem latinos?" "What are you?", or made comments like "I won't hang out/date/associate with you because you're Mexican." Yes, I am, but only half, and also half-white as well, along with being born, and raised in the USA, while speaking only English. No need for me to assimilate. Growing up in the Southland (Riverside), I never thought I was different from anybody else, and I felt my lack of fluency in Spanish was a handicap, an inability to communicate entirely and effectively with a good portion of the local population. Ridgecrest made me FEEL different when there should have been no reason for me to feel that way.
I have read many of your posts, and you seem to have a fear/disgust of non-English speakers. I can understand the discomfort experienced by being in the constant company of people not speaking our native tongue. Unfortunately for you, California has been continuously inhabited by non-English speakers (excluding native Americans) since the 18th century. California isn't all that bad, at least as far as the people go, no matter what language they speak or what their backgrounds are. Sadly, the xenophobia expressed in your posts seems to coincide with the views commonly expressed by many people in Ridgecrest.
I wasn't forced to live in Ridgecrest, I chose to move there to take care of my dying mother. She has since passed on, as have I, at least from Ridgecrest. I have since taken my 50-miles-from-LA ideals away from there, to Denver, and from what I understand there do happen to be a few people in Ridgecrest who do miss me.
Overview
Ridgecrest revolves around China Lake. Everybody works there, or works in support of it. It is simply known as "The Base". Coming from a large city, the people of Ridgecrest will surprise you. Many residents of the area have lived there their entire lives, many of whom dropped out of high school, had 3 kids before age 21, can't keep steady work etc, and have not experienced much outside of Ridgecrest. There are many deeply entrenched families in town, and after living there a few months you will know who they are. The other half of the population are transplants, either folks who moved there to work on base, got stationed at China Lake while in the Navy, retirees, people who moved up there for cost of living, a few LA transplants etc. It seems big at 25,000, but when you realize that there is no other large population center for 90 miles in any direction, the isolation becomes apparent. Valley fever can set in, and sometimes you'll wonder if there's anything beyond those mountains. Ridgecrest can seem like its own little world in that way.
Nightlife
I moved there when I was 20, it takes a long time to break into the social circles, seeing as how everybody grew up there, and they all have their groups of friends. Once you get used to the flow of the town (6-18 months) you'll feel more comfortable and it'll be easier to make friends. You will get to know many people, and it’s nice to run into them around town and stop for a chat. You’ll get invited to lots of parties chock full of beer and illegal drugs (mostly pot and meth). The goal of many people on weekends is to get drunk and stumble over to Denny’s. Tommy T’s is probably the most well-rounded and most popular bar in town. Mickey’s is a country style bar, Partners (my personal favorite) is too, but it’s a lot more laid back and less crowded.
Culture
You’ll probably find the people a bit more reserved. The entire West is like that. It's an extremely (I can't emphasize that word enough) conservative town. People are very racist/ethnic prejudiced. It’s the first place I’ve heard the N word used in everyday conversation, as well as words directed at Hispanics, with much of it directed towards me. Coming from LA metro, this was a major shock and it takes a lot of getting used to. The town is 70-80% White, and it seems like the people there want to keep it that way, you’ll here a lot of complaining about the “People from LA” “illegals” etc. Every car you see will have either: 1) a BUSH/CHENEY 2004 sticker on it, or 2) a "Support The Troops" magnet or 3) both. Kinda makes sense because the military has such a strong presence in town, and the town seems to dry up a bit when a Democrat is in office. Younger girls act like they know everything, but in reality they have no clue about style or dress. I left Ridgecrest in 5/07, but I can say I have met many life long friends there, as well as my probably future wife. Riding dirt-bikes and quads is a popular pastime. Many automobile commercials are filmed at Inyokern Airport, bringing the area some unrecognized national exposure.
Housing
You can find a 1 bedroom apartment there for as low as $400/mo. There aren't many actual apartment complexes to speak of (most of the better ones you'll find will be duplex/multiplex types). If you really know what a ghetto is, there aren't any to speak of in RC. The locals will say certain areas are, but they really aren't, you can leave your car running in all parts of town and not have to worry. I had a couple of incidents at home, but they happened when I lived in one of the better parts of town (E Upjohn/Green Acres). La Mirage/The Ridge is a giant complex that locals will call ghetto, with The Ridge being more of a Sec 8 project type, with many abandoned apartments ripe for squatting if you so please. Briarwood Apartments are also Sec 8 style, they look nice on the outside but they are probably the most dangerous apartments in town. Rick Court, Norma/Bowman and College Heights Apts are nice but you’ll probably be better off looking at the Daily Independent, or local real estate offices to find a good apartment if you prefer non-complex living. My personal favorite parts of town are the Deeter Tract, and the SE part of town E of Sunland, S of Ridgecrest Blvd, and N of Church. Much of town can appear run down, and there are plenty of tract houses to be found. Buttermilk Acres/Inyokern has some of the most beautiful views of the Sierra Nevada, those areas really turned me on to rural living in the future.
Weather/Climate
In Ridgecrest you won’t want to be outside May-October, it’s just too hot with temps over 100 every day. The highest it’ll ever get is 116, (120-140 not true) and it’s about that hot Jun-Aug. After a while you don’t notice it as much and it’s not as bad as it sounds but when you realize summer is coming you’ll be looking for a way to escape. The Sierra Nevada, the Kern River Valley and Owens Valley are not far if you’re looking for refreshment. Fall, winter, and spring are nice, winters may bring some gutter ice and it snows every 4 or so years. If you like constant sunshine, a beautiful view of the stars and virtually no precipitation, it’ll be great for you.
Lifestyle
There are two kinds of jobs in Ridgecrest, base jobs and service jobs. If you can find and keep a good job you’ll be quite well off financially if you live frugally. I had my most financial security while living there, but it comes at a price. You have no pro sports, no concerts, no entertainment other than the Movie Theater, or Wal-Mart. There is a thing in Ridgecrest called “Going out of town” and when saying that you usually mean Lancaster/Palmdale or Bakersfield. It’s a periodic day trip you will take to go “real” shopping or maybe just to get a breath of some different air. Most don’t go to the Victor Valley because there isn’t much there anyway, but the behemoth known as LA is 2.5/3 hours away, and LA to Ridgecresters, is LA, Orange County and the Inland Empire. As an aside Ridgecresters think San Diego is heaven and that’s where all the young kids want to move after high school. Trona (a town 25mi NE) is the local whipping boy, the stereotype is that everyone there is cross-eyed, related, on meth, poor, and likes to start fires. Trona is very run down, cheap and home to multiple plants (borax) and smells like sulfur.
Pros
Cost of Living (compared to the rest of CA), Sunshine, Conservative, Small Town (if you are into those things)
Cons
The same as the pros (except cost of living)
Too many stop signs
The only place I’ve known people that have committed incest
Drug/Alcohol Problems
Conclusion
Ridgecrest would be a great place after you consider all that I’ve mentioned. I’m not trying to be biased in any way; I’m just trying to be honest and informative. I left there because I couldn’t handle the narrow minds, the isolation, the lack of sports teams/entertainment, how small it is, the heat, and the lack of snow/rain, so I moved to Denver.
Can anyone score me some pics of Ridgecrest...I'm interested because Mark Hopus of Blink-182 grew up here...
Sounds like fun getting f*cked up and going to denny's...mmm middle america...
Can anyone score me some pics of Ridgecrest...I'm interested because Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 grew up here...
Sounds like fun getting f*cked up and going to denny's...mmm middle america...
Why do so many people want pics of Ridgecrest? The ones posted here on city-data are pretty representative of what it looks like in the area. Brown, dry, covered with sagebrush, with mountains/hills on all sides and the Sierra Foothills to the west, along with an almost constant bright blue sky. Kinda beautiful in it's own unique way. Although, the scenery is better the further north on US 395 you go. Westcoastroads.com has a pic of Ridgecrest's main intersection on its US 395 page. The town itself is pretty run-down an a lot of areas (urban decay), along with some standard city-style, suburban, and rural neighborhoods along with tons of empty lots, in town and on the outskirts.
Yes, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 did grow up there. Usually claims San Diego as his hometown though. I actually delivered pizza to his father's Ridgecrest home a few times. It's funny too, because I also used to occasionally wait on Travis Barker at a Denny's I used to work at in Corona.
Ridgecrest Denny's on weekends begins with the flood of drunk people crossing Ridgecrest Blvd at 2AM, then comes some intermittent police activity, then the fights, ya know the usual. Good old fashioned Middle America "fun".
Why do so many people want pics of Ridgecrest? The ones posted here on city-data are pretty representative of what it looks like in the area. Brown, dry, covered with sagebrush, with mountains/hills on all sides and the Sierra Foothills to the west, along with an almost constant bright blue sky. Kinda beautiful in it's own unique way. Although, the scenery is better the further north on US 395 you go. Westcoastroads.com has a pic of Ridgecrest's main intersection on its US 395 page. The town itself is pretty run-down an a lot of areas (urban decay), along with some standard city-style, suburban, and rural neighborhoods along with tons of empty lots, in town and on the outskirts.
Yes, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 did grow up there. Usually claims San Diego as his hometown though. I actually delivered pizza to his father's Ridgecrest home a few times. It's funny too, because I also used to occasionally wait on Travis Barker at a Denny's I used to work at in Corona.
Ridgecrest Denny's on weekends begins with the flood of drunk people crossing Ridgecrest Blvd at 2AM, then comes some intermittent police activity, then the fights, ya know the usual. Good old fashioned Middle America "fun".
Allright, I thought if you had anything to add to the mix...you know...why would old Mark Hoppus not be proud of his Ridgecrest roots...
so Ridgecrest is the only place you know of in California where people have committed incest? were the transplants there from Arkansas opposed the Okies in Bakersfield?
Allright, I thought if you had anything to add to the mix...you know...why would old Mark Hoppus not be proud of his Ridgecrest roots...
so Ridgecrest is the only place you know of in California where people have committed incest? were the transplants there from Arkansas opposed the Okies in Bakersfield?
Not sure I completely understand your questions, but I'll try. I think it's too hard to explain to anybody outside of Kern County or the High Desert where Ridgecrest is, it's not the most heard of place, and their aren't any particularly famous landmarks or commonly-known historical locations nearby; it's easier to say "100 miles east of Bakersfield in the desert", or a "small desert town" or "3 hrs NE of Los Angeles". You'd have to ask Mark himself why Ridgecrest isn't as much a part of his public life.
I'm sure incest happens throughout California. It's just the only place I've been for an extended period of time where I've personally known people that have done it, it's not as looked down upon (in Ridgecrest) as you would think and that personally shocked me. You can PM me if you want to hear a story about it.
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