Tell 'em "Large Marge" Sent Ya!





A week ago Tuesday I made my timely escape from Quartzsite.  It was starting to seem like an episode of “The Twilight Zone” and I was wondering if I would ever be able to leave.  I all fairness the unscrupulous repair shop was not indicative of the local populace.  Total strangers always greeted me or waved from passing vehicles.  The population here in Quartzsite is a tad over 3,600 until the snowbirds migrate south in November.  Then the population swells to nearly a million RV’ers camping out on BLM land for next to nothing. There is also the world’s largest RV show held here every year.  This is the desert and selling water and ice is big business.


Roadside water vending machine

I guess they ran out of street names in Quartzsite

 

The senior citizen RV market

Words to live by

After crossing into California I stopped at the General George S. Patton Museum in Chiriaco Summit at the sight of Camp Young the army’s Desert Training Center in WW II.  Given the extreme heat here it was dubbed as “The place God forgot” by soldiers.  An interesting little museum dedicated to a fascinating soldier.

Patton and his dog "Willie"



Next a very brief stop at Joshua Tree National Park for obvious reasons and then on to Indio for lunch at the Shields Date Garden.  I had the Shields Burger and a date shake.   Very good food.  Bought some Shields Date Garden souvenirs, again for obvious reasons. 

Nice name for a national park

What...No family discount?

Next stop was the Cabazon Dinosaurs and the now abandoned Wagon Wheel Café.  The Cabazon Dinosaurs reminded me of Flintstones Bedrock City, another roadside attraction in a state of decay and more than likely its days are numbered.

Nice dinosaur!!

 

"Large Marge" sent me!

 

Then on to Rialto’s Route 66 Wigwam Motel #7 for the night.