Pioneertown

I make arrangements to meet my friend and previous co-worker.  She and her husband live just south of Joshua Tree.  It is a Saturday so no chance of getting a spot in the Park.  Michelle suggests meeting at Pioneertown tomorrow for lunch at Pappy and Harriets.  I research it online and find that they have no hookup parking for $10 so we're there!

The tenting sites are in the horse corrals

It's a neat little old west town.  Pioneertown was founded in 1946 by  Hollywood personalities.  Over 200 films and TVshows were filmed here.

The Post Office is said to be the most photographed Post Office in U.S.

Mane Street

Deputy Dawg

It is making a comeback with shops and of course the Restaurant Pappy and Harriets.  The bowling alley was the oldest bowling are in contiguous use.  In 1947 Roy Rogers threw the first ball down lane 1, and it was a strike.  It is now closed but for sale.

We're being watched like a hawk

The goats oustide the Goat milk soap and lotion shop

I am curious about the TeePee at the end of Mane Street

Inside is a sculpture of a dragon.  It is way cool!

The artist made it out of all of these things.

We head over to Pappy and Harriets to meet my friend and her husband for lunch.  Hope we are following the speed limit
 

It has a really cool bar

 and rustic interior

Afterwards Michelle and I reminisce about our days at the Law Firm

Tucson tries to go to the Red Dog - but sadly it is closed.

A great little place to stay and visit - never would have known it was here.  It is Sunday so we head to Joshua Tree hoping it has cleared out a bit.

Kings Canyon to Pioneertown

Will miss Sequoia Kings Canyon!

Follow the winding road back down

 Heading towards Joshua Tree, we pass a few Solar Farms

Orchards

 and Oil Fields

Windmill Farms

 Our first Joshua Tree - must be getting close

It is getting time to pull over and I research on Freecamping.net someplace to spend the night. I find that in Barstow there is a Steakhouse that lets RVers park overnight in their parking lot for up to 3 days, plus the food got good reviews.  It will be dinner time when we get there too!

 The server gave us this

 The prime rib was melt in your mouth!  Instead of starting you with bread, they gave us a bowl of marinated veggies.

Our oil light had been on for awhile, so Gary asked the server for a good place to go.  She gave us 2 places.  The next morning we drove into town,

Only one was open on Saturday.  We dropped the truck off and went and had breakfast.  It was done in an hour - only $45 and the guy said the transmission fluid was down a quart and he happened to have the Ford recommended product and put it in at no additional cost.   Love small towns!

We head out towards Joshua Tree but take a winding road

To Pioneertown to meet up with an old friend from Rochester.

Kings Canyon - Big Stump Trail

Our last day and we do the Big Stump Trail on the way out

There are some big not stumps here too

 Our first big stump

 and another

 Part of the Trail is the Shattered Giant

Mark Twain Stump coming up

 and it's a big one!

 All that remains of the 26-foot-wide, 1,700-year-old tree that took 2 men 13 days to cut down in 1891. It was cut down for the American Museum of Natural History in NYC as a display for the size of the Sequoias

 Looking down at Gary gives a little more perspective

The site of the Smith Comstock Lumber Mill which split the timber into fence posts and stakes to be used for vineyards and farm.

 Thanks Jesse

But I don't want to leave!!

Kings Canyon - Cedar Grove

Well, we had decided not to go the extra 25 miles to Cedar Grove down the long winding road, but we had dinner at the Grant Grove Restaurant and while talking to the hostess, she mentioned  that it is her favorite area of the whole park, so off we go.

This is where we turned around the day we did Hume  Lake

Uncharted territory from here!


We head down into the depths of the Canyon - you can just see the Kings River below

A beautiful waterfall

It is a very narrow winding road surrounded  by shear, steep rock cliffs.

We finally make it to the bottom of the Canyon and the River.

This is a section of the National Forest that divides the Kings Canyon National Park.  Kings Canyon began receiving public attention after John Muir visited in 1873.  It was established in 1890 as General Grant National Park.  The actual Canyon was not added to the National Park until 1965,

Since it is National Forest Tucson can go.

We continue on to Roads End


and enter the Park itself

The Kings River - don't be fooled by it's tranquil look.  This past summer a Japanese woman hiking the Pacific trail, which runs through the whole park, was found drowned.  Also 2 cars fell off the road into the river in July.

It is still running pretty good in sections

Next stop is Knapp Cabin.  George Owen Knapp, the founder of Union Carbide built the cabin in the 20's to store fishing equipment for lavish fishing trips for his friends

Daddy, can we live here?

Surrounded by beauty

and overlooking the River

Further down the road we come across smoke- fortunately it is a prescribed  burn.

We reach the Roads End.  This is the kick off point for back country travel.  Wilderness Permits are required year round for overnight trips into the back country.  From the end of May until the end of September, a limited number of people are allowed daily on each trail head to provide opportunities for solitude.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks protect over 800,000 acres of designated wilderness in addition to 29,500 acres of proposed wilderness.

On the way back we stop at Roaring River Falls

There it is ahead!   But, my camera battery dies!  I run back the 3/10's of a mile to get my phone.

Tucson has found a cozy spot to wait in.

The Falls are beautiful - they must have been roaring loudly in July.

Time to climb back out

The different shapes, textures and colors of the rocks is stunning.

The walls of the Canyon are impressive

We passed one of these on the way into Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park.  I'm sure they get plenty of use during the summer.

It truly is a spectacular and beautiful drive

Where?!?!?!?

A refreshing looking pond - but no ice cream . . .

Alas, the Kings Canyon Lodge, built in 1937 was the first casualty of the Rough Fire in 2015.  It was not insured.

One last look back at the road down.

We are so glad we took the time to drive down to the roads end.  We originally came expecting to stay 2 nights and tonight will be our 5th night - I still don't want to leave!