The Mystery of Creepy Dolls
Sometimes you find some mighty strange things in the desert. Dolls, for instance. Abandoned, ragged, caked with grime. The creepier, all the better…
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Desert Rat 101
Learning about the desert is essential, not only for your enjoyment but your safety too. We offer advice about interesting places to explore, including history and tips to make your trip fun. Please remember the desert is not your friend. It could have deadly consequences. A little planning ahead goes a long way.
Oro Grande Cemetery on Route 66: Haunting We Will Go
The sleepy desert community of Oro Grande is located on Route 66/National Trails Highway, five miles north-northwest of Victorville, California. Besides being a stop along Route 66, and having one of the finest pizza parlors around, it has the oldest cemetery in San Bernardino County…
The Desert May Look Dead but It’s Actually a Fragile Ecosystem
Those unfamiliar with the desert often remark about how dead it looks. Colors of browns and grays. Spindly looking shrubs and trees. Where’s the wildlife hiding? Let us open your eyes to the hardy, thriving flora and fauna of this magnificent desert we call home…
Niland, California and Its Hollywood Connection
When we see an old building, we have to stop and explore. We were traveling through Niland on our way to Westmorland for date shakes when a diamond in the rough beguiled us on Main Street. We were instantly captivated by its charming architecture and decided to delve into why this painted lady was down…
Amboy’s Historic Mural and Monument Reveal
We recently went to a historic mural and monument reveal at Roy’s Motel and Cafe on Route 66 in Amboy in honor of Amboy owner and Juan Pollo creator, Albert Okura, who passed away last year. It had everything an honorable tribute should have, live music, raffles and and delicious food, in this case, complimentary…
Do Strange Things with Weird People
Things can get bizarre in the desert but it usually just adds to our fun. Man, do we have some tales to tell. Thanks for tagging along with us as we explore the mystery and majesty of the Mojave Desert, one exciting road trip at a time. There’s beauty in the subtle, stark and sublime….
Cabazon Dinosaurs: Tripping the Light Jurassic
The creation of the Cabazon dinosaurs began in the 1960s by Knott’s Berry Farm sculptor and portrait artist Claude K. Bell (1897–1988) to attract customers to his Wheel Inn Restaurant, which opened in 1958 and closed in 2013.
“The dinosaurs aren’t dead and they never will be,” Bell’s daughter, Wendy Murphy of Costa Mesa, said. “He wanted to build a monument that would withstand the sands of time, and he has done that…”
Tucson West KOA Journey Picacho, Arizona
Visitors traveling along I-10 in southern Arizona can’t miss the prominent 1,500-foot peak of Picacho Peak State Park. The Anza Expedition passed through the area in the 1700s and one can only imagine they wished they had the accommodations this campground provides. The Picacho/Tucson NW KOA Journey is located at 18428 South Picacho Highway, Picacho, AZ…
Murray’s Ranch: The Only Black Dude Ranch in the World
At the northwest corner of Waalew Road and Dale Evans Parkway in Apple Valley, just across the road from the Los Ranchos Mobile Home Park, is a vacant piece of desert with a few cement foundations and a smattering of trees near Bell Mountain. Next time you drive by there you might want to know…