Sherm and I have decided to take a few smaller trips and try to capture the details of the ride. We are on a three day ride and this is our first stop, the Desert Tower. How many times have I driven past this and never even noticed it?
Inside the tower is a gift shop/museum where they were offering this old Swiss Army Motorcycle for sale.
According to this it is a 1974 but in many ways doesn’t look newer than 1934.
A lot of old but curious junk
If you pay $6.50 you can climb the stairs to the observation platform. There you can pay another $.25 to observe.
Maybe that $.25 saved me $500
In the 1930’s a fellow carved a bunch of the rocks into animals.
The $6.50 ticket allowed you to climb around on the rocks to view them.
You can also fill your radiator while you are at it.
My impression is that this is a modern version of a hippy commune from the 60’s
A very nice electrical system
Someone did a nice job of gluing the old newspaper to this carousel horse.
At one time, this guy was actually alive.
More junk
Junk with a message
Main entrance to tower
Historic site identifier
Visiting the rock zoo
This visitor appears afraid to get any closer
Much safer if I back up into here
Just up the road from the tower is this bit of art, reminiscent of Slab City.
One of the local aliens
Breakfast to last all day!
With Sherm, everything is Sticker Shock!
But, when you are about to run out, these remote fuel stops are very welcome!!
Weekend traffic in Julian on Monday!
Flesh horse, iron horse.
Mission Santa Ysabel
Just a mile or so north of Santa Ysabel
Six or eight of these beautiful stained glass windows, all different.
Adding a little life to the cemetery.
They want you to open your bible. Sherm just googled it.
At the intersection of Mesa Grande and Hwy 76 they are remodeling a biker bar. I see the new bathhouse comes with options.
I suspect it will be a weekend only bar since there isn’t much weekday traffic.
On Tues. the 20th we rode to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
Ron and I hit it off pretty good and he wanted a pic to remember my visit. Said he was getting a little forgetful…I said ‘Tell me about it’
Nice hologram presentation
An exact replica of the Oval Office
It’s much smaller than I had imagined.
They had to raise the desk 3’ so his knees would fit under it.
Marine One
Air Force One
Sure is a beauty!
Some of the motorcade vehicles
Old Glory! Obama had it removed because it was offensive…what a …
Christmas decorations thru the years
Cockpit of Air Force One? No, this is the onboard control center where the president can push the button if it ever became necessary.
The entire plane was more set up for work than it was for socializing.
No button pushing aboard Marine One
This little engine powers that big chopper
Sherm says loud pipes save lives
I think this wall came down on Reagan’s watch
Ron wanted to show me the ranch. I ended up riding the legs off this old girl!
Overlooking the valley behind the library.
A replica of the south lawn of the Whitehouse
My dear sister Shari preparing breakfast for us.
Sherm waiting for us to say Grace so he can did in
My sister and her husband doing a pre-clean just before the maid shows up!
I’m blessed to be a part of this family!
Me, Ken, and Sherm. I’m the only one that has to hold his tummy in.
On the way home I took Sherm to some of my boyhood landmarks.
Highway 94 southeast of San Diego
Ride it if you get the chance
Good food here!
A lot of possibilities behind this fence
Part of the Wall
A wall within the Wall. That large estate is in Mexico
These tracks appear to be recently abandoned
This has been a fun little trip
This will be a nice place as soon as the roofing company can schedule their crew.
This house caught my eye from the highway so we made a u-turn
I’m glad we did
That explains everything?
I think the hot spring might be located here.
Protecting the park
5 more miles of Historic Hwy 80, 75 miles of I-8 and this ride will be over for Sherm. I’ll scoot another 180 miles and this trip will officially end.