Casa Grande

Before we get to Tucson, we stop in Casa Grande to visit our friends, Pam and Jerry from Desert Trails, who made the move to a park here.  

Nice wide paved roads.  We have a nice spot near the office

A beautiful Pool heated to low 90's

and a super hot tub, one of the reasons our friends changed to this park.  The hot tub at Desert Trails is way smaller, broke last year, and won't be fixed

They have horseshoe, Pickle Ball

 and my favorite Shuffle Board

 Nice Laundry room with new front loaders - same set up on the other side of the room

 Our friends liked the park so much they bought a Park Model! 

We had a great visit and will think about this place for next year.  Meanwhile we are off to Desert Trails

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!!