Wednesday, September 22, 2021

A trip back to the 50's


Tuesday we left Armargosa Valley.  We are grateful for our Harvest Host tonight, Peggy Sue's 50's Diner, located between Las Vegas, NV and Barstow, CA.

It has increased its size considerably since,  but Peggy Sue's was built in 1954 with 9 counter stools and 3 booths in view of the Calico Mountains.  As well as a diner, it now has an old fashioned ice cream parlor, pizza parlor, 5 and dime (pretty sure there's nothing for that price), and Diner-saur Park.
Not sure when it closed but it was reopened with restoration in mind in 1987.  Between the style, decor, and memorabilia you won't get any more 50ish!  Fun place to visit.


In back is Diner-saur Park.  It has a few big dinosaurs, eating space and a pond complete with ducks and turtles.

King Kong masked between the dinosaurs. 



With a receipt from the diner you get some candy.  I'm a sucker for something free even if it's just two mini tootsie rolls and 2 root beer barrels.

Chocolate Indian Runner Duck

Indian Runner Ducks stand erect like penguins and run rather than waddle.



Very few places get my fries right.  Pat always adds, she wants them cooked 2 or 3 times more, but no one listens.   They didn't cook them that long but they were pretty crisp. 

 
Across the Interstate from Peggy Sue's is the  iconic "Jenny Rose" sign.  Back in the 90's it had "cafe" on the sign and was called both the Jenny Rose Cafe and Heart Cafe.  It closed around 2008 but the restaurant still sits across the parking lot from the sign. It was featured on the back of Sheryl Crow's debut album. 

Also across from Peggy Sue's you will find "CALICO" painted on a mountain.  Calico is a ghost and former mining town located in the Calico Mountains in the Mohave Desert.  It is 3 miles from Yermo, CA. and was founded in 1891 as a silver mining town.  Later it was converted into a county park.

At least two others are here for the night.  No amenities here, and with a high of a mere 98 this afternoon, we are running the generator in order to have air-conditioning.  

Remember these?  My big purchase at the "5 and Dime." I'm surprised they still make them and are allowed to sell them.  They certainly don't have a cloud of whatever they used on some to make fake smoke, and are not even colored pink on one end. No quality any more!

The Harvest Moon Monday night:



Wednesday we moved on to Visalia, CA.  I mentioned that both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are completely closed due to forest fires which are not contained.  We originally had a week at an RV Park right outside Sequoia but it also closed.  Actually, we are now staying at the Visalia/Sequoia KOA for 2 nights.  It's about an hour away from Kings Canyon, which we obviously still don't get to go to!  I had a great Sequoia story to go with our visit which I will share later this week anyway.

Where are the Piepers now?  Visalia. CA

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