BARSTOW-CA; 'Out of Towners'

April 5th: Skyline RV Park in Barstow-CA, is becoming our regular set-down place between the points if interest in the Mojave Desert area.

We nipped in here last night, to get out of yesterday's high winds.

We woke up to wind again this morning - but it was calmer than yesterday; so, we decided to get out and explore Barstow.

We have stayed here several times lately … but we have never explored it.

Weather, today.

While finishing off his coffee, Holland said, "Why don't you look online Baby, and see what there is to see here - and we'll check it out after I get diesel."

That sounded like a good Plan; so, I did ;-)

Peggy Sue's 50's Diner looked like a good place to start - we hadn't had breakfast yet and lunchtime was creeping up on us.

Diesel first; then, Peggy Sue's.

Peggy Sues 50's Diner: 

(https://www.peggysuesdiner.com/)

Peggy Sue's 50's Diner, Barstow-CA from Skyline RV Park, Barstow-CA; 8 min (6.9 mi) via I-15 N

A painted mural on a dirt hillside; private driveway.

Holland never lived in Barstow; renting an RV space here is a first for both of us.

Peggy Sue's is the next stop ;-)

There was no place to park …

We'll pickup a take-home meal.

On our drive back to Barstow, I saw a hillside with 'Calico' painted on it … and two or three huge wooden prospectors advertising 'Calico Ghost Town', which sounded interesting; and Holland was agreeable to check it out. We both like the lure of pioneering ghost towns :-)

The wind began to pick up, and in short order became awful … driving out to Calico, and the strong headwind was practically pushing one-ton-Betsy backwards; but Holland gave the drive the 'ole {heave-ho} and Betsy rose to the occasion.

Kudos to my husband - I know his shoulders were aching from yesterday, and then he's was plowing forward into the crazy strong wind today.

I saw Calico on a hillside; a ghost town "must see".

Calico Mountains Map - upper Left, on Map.

Calico-CA from Yermo-CA; 7 min (3.6 mi) via Calico Rd

We passed on Calico, too … we drove all the way out there, on that ferociously windy backstreet - only to find that that {ghost town} advertised was nothing more than a tourist-trap movie set-up, with a very short pay-for-view-loop road in and out.

We aren't interested in that; we want to see an actual Ghost Town.

Barstow-CA from Calico-CA; 18 min (12.0 mi) via Ghost Town Rd and I-15 S

Peggy Sue's was 8 minutes away from Barstow; Calico was 7 minutes from Peggy Sue's; and Barstow was 18 minutes from Calico: half an hour tops on the road … but e.v.e.r.y.s.i.n.g.l.e.r.o.a.d. leading to each place was a one-way-looping road, half an hour long!

#16 - VIDEO 30 secs. I'm understanding WHY Holland hates CA.

It took us a full 2 hours to loop back to Barstow.

Billy Preston - 'Will It Go Round In Circles' song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDtYo2IPTsw)

 

Back in Barstow, we grabbed a quick Supper before heading home to relax from our crazy looping, tiny moments, adventurous Day.

I won't say the day was a waste because it wasn't: we did get out of the house, and we did go places we've never been before - even if those places were dead-end places ;-)

Burger's & fries - we deviated from our usual burritos and tacos ;-)

Del Taco: 

(#1310 E Mountain View St, Barstow, CA)

A spurred Mexican Fan Palm … I ate my fries while watching the wind whip these wickedly sharp palm fronds around: 

(https://botanyboy.org/the-mexican-fan-palm-washingtonia-robusta/)

The Day's saving grace ;-)

Just before we parked Betsy, dark storm clouds rolled in:

We ended up staying another night.

So, we battened down the hatches, and paid for another night.