A Slice of Life
Bill Lites
After walking the streets and meeting many of the 1880s town characters at the old west “Calico Ghost Town” it was just a few miles down I-15 to Peggy Sue’s Nifty 50s Diner in Yermo, CA. Peggy Sue’s Diner really brought back a lot of the 1950s memories of the good times we had as teenagers at our local diners in Albuquerque, NM. To compliment the cozy atmosphere at Peggy Sue’s Diner, you can “Eat to the Beat” with good homemade food and great 50’s music. Then after a burger, fries and a milkshake, you can explore the extensive collection of movie and TV memorabilia that Peggy Sue has on display.
The next stop was Barstow, CA where I visited the Route 66 “Mother Road” Museum and the American Railroad Museum, both located in the original 1911 Casa del Desierto (The Harvey House) Railroad Depot. The historic structure is an elegant presence in the Mojave Desert and is still used and often referred to as the Barstow Amtrak Station. This famous depot was, for many years, what unofficially became known as the “Crossroads for Travelers,” where the Old Mormon Tail and the Santa Fe Trail came together. Early 1900s travelers, following winding wagon trails across this area turned it into what was later called The National Old Trails Road. Then in 1926, when the Federal Government instituted a new highway numbering system, The National Old Trails Road became U.S. Highway 66, and the rest is history. DiVoran and I became well acquainted with the portion of Route 66 between Las Angeles and Albuquerque in the first several years after we were married, but that’s another story for another blog.
The next day I had planned to visit the U.S. Naval Armament Museum at the China Lake Naval Air Station just outside Ridgecrest, CA. But, when I signed in for the security check, I was told that their computers had been down for several hours, and they didn’t expect them to be back on-line for another 3-4 hours. There were several people ahead of me, to be processed, and I didn’t have time to wait around in the “hope” that their computers would be restored anytime soon. So, I headed on over to Boron, CA to visit the Saxon Air Museum and the 20 Mule Team Museum. Borax mining and unusual desert rock formations are the big interests in this area. I had made several Space Shuttle recovery trips to Edwards AFB when I worked for Lockheed, and had been introduced to Domingo’s Mexican Food Restaurant there in Boron. So, after checking out the museums and the rock shops, I treated myself to a great lunch at Domingo’s. Nothing had changed since last I had eaten there, including the model train that runs around overhead, inside the dining room, while you are enjoying your meal.
—–To Be Continued—–
Old Things R New 