I drove down Waterman Avenue yesterday, on Christmas Eve’s eve. Waterman begins at a hilltop cemetery near Loma Linda. Drive north a few blocks, and you will see the county offices where the December 2 terrorist attack occurred. A large cross marks the fence outside these now-closed buildings where my friend Jennifer lost her husband, Messianic Jew Nick Thalasinos, along with 13 other county employees during their annual Christmas Party. Next to the cross are thousands of notes, flowers, photos, and candles. I paused to look at this sad street corner but did not take a photo. Instead, I thought about the Christmas story: that God sent his son to bring love to a dark world full of hatred and violence.
Then I continued driving in an almost straight line down Waterman Avenue to the bottom of the San Bernardino Mountains. From there Waterman changes its name to Highway 18 and continues up past mountain towns like Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, and Big Bear. Then it dips down to the desert. A National Forest, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and newly fallen snow cheer Highway 18 along the top. It’s called Rim of the World Highway, and I used to live near it, with my family in my mountain home. We witnessed the wildfire that swept up Waterman and our mountain in 2003, leaving ashes in its wake.
Another way up to the San Bernardino Mountains is from Redlands, along Highway 38. This longer, scenic route winds up through wilderness areas and rocks shaped like castles or cathedrals. It passes The Oaks Restaurant and quaint mountain campgrounds before traveling under the white shadow of Mount San Gorgonio, the highest peak in Southern California, which reaches nearly 12,000 feet. At its summit, Highway 38 the highest paved road in Southern California, at 8443 feet. Highway 38 winds through the eastern side of Big Bear where my friend Virginia has a lovely mountain home. I visited her for the holidays and took photos of her festive decorations. Drive with me to these places and enjoy the photos I took along the wind-swept way.
