Monday,  Jan 28th, 2019

It was an early morning workout for the kids so JP and I decided to get some sunshine and a walk before breakfast. We headed downtown for breakfast at Pinocchio’s in the Desert (and why would Pinocchio NOT be in the desert?) a kitschy, busy sidewalk cafe and bar. The hours are 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM and funny enough, that’s the same hours as their happy hour. It was busy, the food was good and plenty so it earned its Trip Advisor rating of # 44 of 243 restaurants. I’m not certain that Marilyn Monroe had a thing about Pinocchio but evidently Pinocchio’s has a thing about her.

After breakfast we decided to check out one of the “top 15 things to do in Palm Springs” so we headed out to the desert to visit Pioneertown.

Pioneertown is an Old West town built as a 1940’s movie set. A bunch of investors (think Roy Rogers and Gene Autry) wanted to create a town that was more dimensional than just the false front buildings of old. They built all kinds of authentic looking buildings and businesses and then actually filled them with real businesses (think bowling alley, ice cream shop, motel, gift shops). In the 1940’s and 50’s over 50 TV shows and movies were filmed there. Its rumored that you can still catch mock gun fights in the streets, that there’s a great place for ribs and a bar where Robert Plant and Leon Russel have played in the past AND that killer ribs are served here. But alas – all this must happen on a day Pioneertown is OPEN. We on the other hand were in town on a Monday when all but 2 shops were closed. So we did what all good tourists do and took photos, meandered around and decided we likely won’t come back to see if the town actually comes to life at other days and times. 

After the kicking back from our western town adventure we decided to eat in. Ben and JP cooked up the traditional Pomeroy Holiday Taco Dinner. Nothing better!

Sunday January  27th – January  30th, 2019

Sunday Jan 27th 

JP and I checked into our timeshare at Oasis Resort Palm Springs and got settled in to wait for the kids. The Oasis is really very nice and in a great location. The grounds, pools and hot tubs are lovely and the condos have fully equipped kitchens so everything you could possibly need was at your fingertips.

The kids rolled in a little later than planned but we managed to find a great burger place called Smokin’ Burgers that totally filled the bill. We did some catching up and planning for our days together. We made it an early night so Ben and Amanda could hit the gym in the early hours of morning. So happy we could swing this little getaway!

January 17th – January 19th, 2019

We finally got to ease on down the road! JP is doing well and I’m looking forward to getting back to the gypsy life again. We launched from Lebanon after a comfy stay with Gwen and a chance to spend a few days catching up with friends in the Valley.

January 20th, 2019

And we’re off! First stop was Applegate outside of Grants Pass. JP’s niece Marisa just bought a 38 acre farm along the Applegate River. She has a cool farm house, some impressive walnut trees, and a huge garden area. It’s really lovely but we’re really looking forward to seeing it in the Spring when it’s in full bloom. We parked Lucky and spent the night to get an early start in the AM.

January 21st, 2019

The pass was a little sketchy but we made it to Corning CA and settled into the Rolling Hills Casino RV Park for the night. We’ve stayed before and love that it’s clean, inexpensive and comes with a casino shuttle. What more could a gal want?

January 22nd, 2019

It didn’t take long to make it to Scott and Toni Marie’s place in Manteca. We caught up over cocktails and sushi and had a good night’s sleep. A hearty breakfast and we headed out. It was great seeing them and we’re hoping to come back through for a longer visit next time. 

January 23rd, 2019

Our next stop was Clovis to see Ann and Mike. They’re the friends who generously lent us their vacation home in Bandon while JP was on the mend. We had a chance to catch up before we headed over to the Table Mountain Casino for dinner and a donation. No big wins but a good time was had by all. Another good night’s sleep and we were off and running.

January 24th – January 27th, 2019

We settled in at Joshua Tree KOA in Desert Hot Springs (outside of Palm Springs). We started out with nice weather but had one hell of a wind storm the second night. The poor tent campers must have been holding on for their life! This KOA is a favorite spot for us. Close enough to Palm Springs, LA and San Diego to plan some side trips and 3 mineral spas and a nice warm pool for lazy afternoons. We settled in for a few days then moved Lucky to the storage section of the park for the main event. Next stop – Palm Springs Oasis Resort for 3 days with the kids!

Side Note: The grey column in the lower left pix is the new rock climbing tower. JP thought it looked inviting, I on the other hand – not the least bit interested. I’m sure it’s safe though, the kids in the attractive harnesses seemed to be having fun and there was adult supervision. I barely hesitated on my way to the pool!