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Floor in the back seat (driver side).
Sitting prominently amidst a sea of Nordstrams tags, plastic gee-gaws, and what appears to be a treasure map, is a crisp white ball cap emblazoned with the following:
"Bakersfield, CA" followed by the cartoon drawing of a starving, dehydrated coyote and, below the drawing, "but it's a dry heat!"

I asked Dave to describe Bakersfied in 50 words or less (some form of logistical control seemed to be in order here).

Dave: "Bakersfield is 'the real thing.' The place is flooded with dessert light and high-intensity petro-chemical agribusiness that develops a natural atmosphere of 'stylized ugliness' that I find both intoxicating and fascinating. Nothing and no one in Bakersfield are honored or sought after. As such, it is authentic and unspoiled by pretense as well as, like Cleopatra, ever-unstaled in 'its infinite variety.' "

Actually that's 60 words. Close enough. In truth, there are probably not enough words to do Bakersfield justice.

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