02-07-2026 Shared Time

Alan and Jeanne came west in 2013 to visit Mo and me at our Rocky Point home

For some time now I have known that Jeanne and Alan were planning to do some extensive winter traveling in the west. Vermont winters can be brutal. In the past they traveled some in their van, but after five years they were tired of the small quarters, especially when they decided to travel for most of the winter. Alan decided to go big, really big, and their gorgeous new fifth wheel that he pulls with his big black truck is quite something.

Jeanne, Alan, Sue, and Mo at their beautiful home in Vermont in 2022

We were excited when we learned last fall that they planned to spend a couple of weeks with us at Catalina Spa here in Desert Hot Springs. They arrived the same day that we did, but our first few days were taken up with Deborah’s visit. Jeanne and Alan also had a visitor who kept them well entertained with doing all the things that people do during their first few visits, including hiking the Palm Canyons and Tahquitz Canyon and taking the tram to the top of Mt. San Jacinto. Mo and I happily skipped those adventures for a couple of reasons. We have done the tram a few times, and my days hiking steep rocky paths have been replaced with walking on gentle paths with views just as lovely.

Jeanne and Alan at their site in the upper park at Catalina Spa and RV Resort

The day after Deborah left, Jeanne and Alan invited us to dinner at their “home” here in Catalina Spa. With a large rig, they were located in what is called the “upper park.” More space, 50 amp if they want it, and a truly incredible view of Mt. San Jacinto right from their living room windows. I think their windows are longer than our MoHo. Quite lovely to enjoy, but Mo and I are really glad we do not have to drive that big guy. Jeanne and Alan are loving it, especially after five months on the road. Mo and I have never been in our rig for more than three months and that was enough for us, especially with a larger dog and two cats. Those were great days that we will always treasure. But we have both agreed that those long cross country trips are a thing of the past. Local is better. Southern California is almost 800 miles but also a piece of cake because we know the route and the roads so well.

Campfire time  from left, Sara, Mo, Sue, and Jeanne

Alan has a wonderful cooking flat grill, like a chef’s grill, that is hooked up to the propane on his rig. We have enjoyed some of Alan’s cooking in the past, and the chicken that he grilled for us this evening was incredible. He explained how that flat grill can sear the skin better than he has ever managed on a barbecue, and Alan is a barbecue king. So tasty and tender. Jeanne made a delicious salad and cooked farro, something Mo and I had never had before. I loved it and even better, Mo loved it. I will definitely be cooking up a pot of farro now and then when we get back home.

Sunset over Mt San Jacinto from Catalina Spa

Before supper we sat around the lovely campfire, also propane and so legal in the park, and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset. As is often the case in the desert, the minute the sun goes behind the mountain the temperature drops like a rock. We were all happy to go inside to eat and enjoy all the space as darkness fell.

Mo and I have often visited The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens when in this area and were delighted to discover that Jeanne and Alan also wanted to visit. So often I get that “look” from people who think zoos are a bit evil, but this one definitely is not. Jeanne and Alan had no problem looking forward to a zoo visit with us.

Morning coffee at the Bighorn Sheep Enclosure

We left early on Wednesday morning the 28th of January, crossing to the southern side of the Coachella Valley and getting to the park early enough that parking was easy and there was no entry line to deal with.

Jeanne got a kick out of feeding the giraffes

I had told Jeanne about the giraffes and she was excited to see them, so we went immediately to the giraffe savannah to enjoy the morning feeding. If you have never fed a giraffe, it is something not to be missed. Just to see those soft eyes with the huge eyelashes up close is worth paying the ten dollars for lettuce leaves to give to them. Even more fun is watching that long black giraffe tongue reach out for those leaves, wrap around them, and pull them right out of your hand.

Look close and you can see the little one next to the palms to the right of Jeanne

They told us her name, and I promptly forgot it. But I will never forget those eyes

There are two new babies this year, one born in September and the other in December. We only saw one of them, and the big daddy was not on the savannah at the time we were there. It seems that his daughter is approaching breeding age and he is not concerned with the DNA of breeding, so he must be kept away from the young girls. 

Impossible to take too many photos of giraffes

Daughter Melody said this photo worried her.  I really am fine just trying to smile for the camera

The docent explained the complexity of breeding giraffes and making sure that none of the offspring going to other facilities are mistakenly bred back to animals that might carry the same genetic history. It was fascinating to hear how much work and volunteer money and effort goes into breeding animals at The Living Desert.

On our way to the giraffes, we wandered past the strange glass covered burrows that house the naked mole rats. Ugly little pink things with gnawing teeth all piled together in the dark. A docent who seems to spend time at several different areas of the park stopped us to tell us a story about the naked mole rat.

Naked mole rats are strange little critters

It turns out that these odd little creatures are of great interest to medical researchers. Naked mole rats very rarely develop cancer. Scientists have discovered that they produce unusually high levels of a special form of hyaluronic acid that appears to help prevent tumor growth. Their cells also have a very strict way of stopping division before it becomes uncontrolled. Researchers are studying them in hopes that understanding these mechanisms might someday contribute to advances in cancer prevention or treatment in humans. Who would have guessed that those wrinkled pink desert rodents might hold clues to something so important?

Nia (pronounced Ny-ah) is a female African black rhinoceros who came to The Living Desert in the fall of 2021 as part of their conservation and breeding program.

Also on the way to the giraffes was the large enclosure for the pair of black rhinos now at the park with hopes that they will breed. The Living Desert participates in the Species Survival Plan for the eastern black rhinoceros, a critically endangered subspecies. Fewer than 6,000 black rhinos remain in the wild due to poaching and habitat loss. Breeding under managed care is carefully coordinated among accredited zoos to preserve healthy genetic diversity. Every pairing is planned nationally to avoid inbreeding and strengthen the overall population. It is complicated and long term work, and the dedication behind it is impressive.

Impossiby cute warthogs

After the giraffes, the rhinos, and the adorable warthogs are the newly arrived patas monkeys from Africa. They are the first primates to be housed at the zoo, and the enclosure and viewing building and platform are state of the art. The habitat was made possible through the generosity of longtime supporters Jim and Janice Oltmans. The monkeys have room to move and climb, and visitors have a comfortable place to watch them without disturbing their activity.

One lone meerkat keeping watch in the morning sunshine

The rest of the zoo was familiar territory. Mo and I loved showing our favorites to Jeanne and Alan, including the lazy cheetahs, which no longer race across their habitat for their food since they have learned that the food is not going anywhere. Our little favorite buddies, the meerkats, were less than active that morning, with only a couple cuddling on the warm rocks and one lonely meerkat keeping watch.

After meandering through Africa we wandered toward the Americas and settled into the new dining venue at the bighorn sheep habitat.

Desert Bighorn Sheep in the new expanded habitat

The expanded bighorn sheep habitat was completed as part of the park’s recent improvements that opened in phases beginning in 2020 and continuing into 2021. The sheep now have more natural climbing terrain, and the adjacent dining and viewing areas allow visitors to sit comfortably while watching them navigate the rocky cliffs. It is a lovely way to rest and still feel immersed in the landscape.

We bought a coffee and a sweet and sat down to watch the sheep climbing the rocky cliffs from the comfort of our table in the shade next to the viewing area. I love how The Living Desert groups animals by their habitat and creates natural spaces and gardens that reflect those habitats. The Southern California desert is a great climate for creating natural spaces that need warmth and sun to thrive.

The barrel cactus garden has recuperated well from the drought in 2024

After a full day of wandering and enjoying The Living Desert together, as we exited the park toward the parking area, Jeanne said she had something to tell me. I could tell she was nervous, and I had no clue what she might have to say. It seems that she was concerned about telling me that she and Alan had decided that they needed to leave earlier than planned. 

Jeanne on the tortoise, yes it is a sculpture

Whew. Is that all? I totally get it. They have been on the road for months and they have other things they really wanted to check out before they make the journey back to Vermont in time for Jeanne’s birthday on March 1st. Of course we were a bit sad, but not terribly so. Mo and I both understand the need to be flexible when traveling. I was just happy for the chance to share our favorite winter haunt with our good friends who have shared so much of their homes in Vermont with us.

Jeanne loves to swim and most days she swam at what is called here the “upper pool” because it is in the upper park. We are in the lower park, an older part of Catalina with more mature trees and shrubs and smaller sites as a reminder of the days when people did not have such big rigs. Most of the larger motorhomes and fifth wheels fit more easily into the upper park. The upper park also has a pool that is larger than the one in our area, and it is open to the surrounding desert with chain link fencing instead of the adobe walls that surround our lower pool.

I never remember to take of photo of our pool in the dark hours when we swim

The spa tub is almost big enough for swimming but hot

Jeanne wanted to swim with us in the lower park and met us the next morning at 5:30 for another moonlight swim and a chance to watch the sun rise over Mt. San Jacinto.

They would still be around for a couple more days, at least long enough that I could make dinner for them here at our space. I had planned salmon, but then Jeanne wistfully said, “I do love those ribs you make.” Sorry Jeanne, there is no way I can figure out how to do that in the MoHo. I could not imagine boiling several pounds of ribs in pots in pineapple juice for three hours inside our small rig. But the next day I thought, why not? A quick trip to the store and five pounds of ribs and a big can of pineapple juice later, and I had a plan. I cooked the ribs on two burners the day before and had everything ready for their arrival at suppertime, with the two of them thinking they were going to get salmon.

I got a big kick out of Jeanne’s face when I opened up the barbecue and she saw those ribs. It was a fun supper and we thoroughly enjoyed sharing this final meal with them before they departed the next morning.

all four of us squinting into the bright desert sunshine

Jeanne and Alan leaving the park with Roadrunner in tow.

On the morning they left, the two of them stopped to say goodbye and we got a few photos. All of us were appalled that we never managed a rib dinner photo from the previous night. Mo and I walked over to the music pavilion so that we could catch them leaving and wave goodbye, wishing them well on their journey home.

Mattie wants to know where all the fun people went

01-26-2026 A Desert Birthday

Birthday Girl Deborah on her day at Shermans's

As Mo and I were enjoying a lovely supper on a very chilly day at Sunset House, she came up with a brainstorm. “I think it would be nice if we could fly Deborah down to Palm Springs for her birthday weekend and have her stay with us.” For many years we often depart for the desert a few days before Deborah’s birthday and she just rolls her eyes and says, “That’s OK Mom.” I was so excited to share with her the idea of a trip to Desert Hot Springs for a long weekend with us.

At first it was a bit of a struggle for her to consider leaving her work at this time of year. As a finance director it is the worst time to be away, and Deb is working many hours a day and on weekends to meet all the year-end deadlines that are required. I finally said, “If you don’t go and work all that overtime at home, will you really feel that much better for it?”

The next day she called and said, “OK Mom, it really does sound wonderful. I’ll go.”

Mattie loves her morning walks with Mo in the desert

After arriving on Thursday afternoon, we settled into the park and prepared the MoHo for an extra guest. Everyone had assured me that the Palm Springs airport was small and easily navigated, so we weren’t the least bit concerned about picking her up just after 6 PM Friday evening. We visited a bit with Jeanne and Alan from Vermont, who had arrived the same day we did. It was convenient that they also had a guest visiting during the same time Deb would be with us. We all agreed there would be plenty of time together after Deb and Sara returned to their respective homes.

The road into Palm Springs is familiar, but we have never actually visited the airport. Needless to say, “easy” is relative, especially in the dark. When we took Deb back the following Monday, we learned it really was easy, but that was in the daylight and after understanding where departures and arrivals were located. Deb’s planes in both Medford and San Francisco were each delayed by an hour, and yet magically she arrived within eight minutes of her scheduled time.

Just half an hour later the three of us were settled into the MoHo with a drink and a delicious supper of the beef Bourguignon I cooked last week and froze for the trip. We had so much to share with Deb in her short weekend here, and during supper we made some choices about her priorities.

Setting up the dinette for a bed for Deb is something we have done before when she has camped with us. Mo and I made sure we had her sleeping bag, the mattress pad, and a few extras she wouldn’t be capable of taking on the plane ready to go.

Mt San Jacinto is still visible from our site in the morning light

We all slept well that night, and Deb was delighted that the lovely bathrooms here at Catalina Spa are right out the door. It makes everything much nicer for three people in what is basically a two-person motorhome.

First glass of sweet luscious orange juice

I squeezed the first glass of orange juice for us and we had a delicious breakfast in preparation for our big day ahead. Deb kept asking, “Why Palm Springs?” She didn’t really understand the history or the ecology of the town or the Coachella Valley in general, and I thought the best way to explain it was to take her first to the beautiful Agua Caliente Cultural Museum located right in downtown Palm Springs.

Mo and Deb at the Museum

Before we wandered Palm Canyon Drive admiring mid-century lines and boutique storefronts, I wanted Deb to understand what was under our feet. Downtown Palm Springs, all that prime real estate, sits on Section 14, part of the checkerboard land that belongs to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. In the early 20th century, much of that land was leased out under complicated and often unfair arrangements. For decades, tribal members watched developers and city leaders profit while they had limited control over their own ancestral ground.

Beautiful stories of the palms and tribal life inside the museum

Slowly and patiently, they changed that story. Through persistence, legal battles, economic strategy, and an almost stubborn faith in the long view, the Tribe regained control of Section 14. Instead of selling it off, they built a diversified economic base, leasing wisely, developing carefully, and using the revenue to invest in their own future. The Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza and Museum now stand right there in the heart of downtown, not as a token nod to history but as a statement: we are still here. The museum isn’t just beautiful architecture; it is sovereignty made visible. Taking Deb there first felt important. It reframes Palm Springs from playground to homeland. It reminds you that the desert keeps deeper stories than the ones on the postcards.

No way to capture the beauty of this 3D illuminated animated map

Deb loved the museum as much as Mo and I did when we visited for the first time last year. The displays are well thought out and beautiful, with homage paid to Mt. San Jacinto and to the story of how the first spring was found. 

display of the fine basketry of the Cahuilla people

The basketry on display is among the finest we have seen anywhere in the West. A favorite exhibit is a three-dimensional depiction of the evolution of the Coachella Valley, from before white settlement through the coming of the stage, the railroads, the highways, and finally the movie colony in the 1920s.

Deb at Forever Marilyn

We found a parking place closer to the center of town so Deb could get the obligatory photo standing next to Forever Marilyn. We then walked Palm Canyon Drive toward the Blue Coyote, a restaurant where Mo and I shared a meal on our very first visit to Palm Springs.

Deb wasn’t all that impressed with all the glitz and glamour and tourism that fills the streets, but she was a good sport and we stopped for a flight of frozen drinks at the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar. By the time we arrived at the Blue Coyote, the lunch crowd had thinned enough that we snagged a great table adjacent to the sidewalk, always fun for people-watching.

Deb and I both had great meals, but sadly Mo’s chicken taquitos left a lot to be desired. Deb had yummy carnitas and I had a truly delicious bowl of something so big that the leftovers are still in the fridge several days later.

After our late lunch, we walked back to the car on the east side of Palm Canyon Drive, where Deb discovered she enjoyed the casual, slightly funky shops on that side and wished we had gone there first. Ah well, live and learn.

Sunday morning we woke early for Deb’s first swim in the beautiful water at the pools that bring us back year after year. Visiting Joshua Tree National Park turned out to be her favorite day, and I had no idea it was on her bucket list.

Deb and Sue at the Panoramic Loop Trailhead

Mattie wasn't allowed on the trail but Mo found a place to take her for a short walk

It was a perfect day with perfect weather. We entered from the West Entrance near Yucca Valley and encountered very little traffic. Deb was delighted with every turn in the road and every stately Joshua Tree. 

Mattie Mo and Deb at the Hidden Valley Campground

She explained how climbers use spring-loaded cams that expand inside natural cracks in the granite instead of drilling bolts. No hammering, no permanent scars. When the climb is over, the device comes out and the rock remains unchanged. I loved that idea of temporary trust between human and rock.

Panoramic View from the Keys View Overlook

Coming in from the west as we did made the side trip to Keys View simple.  It has been many years since Mo and I traveled there, and on this day the view was perfect.  It is incredible to see the mark of the San Adreas fault and to look down on the Coachella Valley from this vantage point in the park.  

Snow tipped Mt San Gorgonia on the weatern skyline

While we were up there, Jeanne and Alan and Sara appeared in Alan’s big truck and laughed and said hi to us.  A fun encounter before we each continued on our way.

Not positive which campground this is but you get the idea

After Keys View we drove into Jumbo Rocks Campground, where Mo and I have camped before, and decided that we liked the Hidden Valley  campground much better.  By the time we reached the area around Skull Rock the Sunday traffic was growing and cars lined the road trying to see the famous skull.  Deb was ok skipping that part and we continued south through the park.

Sunlight on the cholla

I was excited to show her the teddy bear chollas for the first time, but sadly the turnout was blocked off and the trail was closed.  She still got to see the brilliant backlighting of the beautiful spines in the afternoon sunlight.  

The ocotillo forest was less than spectacular on this afternoon with very few blooms, but the recent rains have caused the leaves to open and she got some photos of that.

Ocotillo not yet in bloom in late January

Leaving the park through the southern entrance was perfect and we stopped to take the obligatory photo of Deb standing by the park entrance sign.

We had arranged to meet Jeanne and Alan and Sara at the infamous Dillon’s Burgers and Beers for supper at 4:30.  Returning home via the back way on Dillon Road gave us time to show Deb what was left of the beautiful grounds at the Thousand Palms Oasis.  

Sue and Mo looking at the displays on the now closed visitor center

On the way home we stopped at what remains of the Thousand Palms Oasis. I have written many times about walking there, about the quiet ponds and the magnificent fan palms and the simple boardwalks that made it feel intimate and accessible. 

sadly the boardwalk ends after a few hundred feet

Now the gates are closed, funding is stretched thin, and repeated flooding has taken its toll. You have to park along the narrow, busy road, and the feeling has changed before you even step onto the trail. It is hard to watch a place we have loved struggle to hold its ground.

The palms on this natural oasis are as stately as ever

Monday was Deborah’s birthday, and we celebrated with lunch at Shermans Deli. Famous since 1963 for towering sandwiches and bakery cakes, it did not disappoint. 

Fabulous birthday lunch at Sherman's

The food was fantastic, the service flawless, and the sauerkraut served with the pickles was so good I ate it with my fingers. Deb chose a towering slice of carrot cake layered with cheesecake. No candle, no singing, just the three of us sharing something sweet.

That evening we returned Deb to the airport. Her final text after landing in Medford read, “It’s a lot colder here.”

Happy Birthday to my first-born daughter Deborah. You made me so happy with your happiness.

01-20-2026 Traveling South

Low Fog Over Grants Pass in January

Our journey to Southern California is a familiar one. I have written about it so many times that I cannot imagine there is much new to experience, either as a writer or a reader. We left without incident at exactly our scheduled departure time, no glitches, no last-minute items forgotten. The freezing fog warning as we leave is real, but after just ten miles heading south, the fog is no longer frozen, and bits of light emerge through the mist. The passes are clear. The roads are nearly empty in some sections.

Yes, I am excited to be on the road and out of the fog

The skies are clear as we pass Mt Shasta

We are pros at this one. It feels simple and familiar, even though it is a leisurely three-day journey. We stay in the same RV parks, familiar and affordable. Returning to Flag City in Lodi is like parking at home. We pay our Passport America half-price fee and slide into the familiar space. Nothing new here.

Mattie loves the green grass and warm sunshine at the rest area near Corning

Mattie knows exactly where we are. It amazes me how dogs can smell and remember a place. She is excited and wants to get outside to the dog park and the long stretch along the fence where she knows there will be lots of dog smells.

Supper is a meal I prepared and froze for traveling. Easy and delicious. There is one tiny glitch: the Tracker battery is dead. Mo cannot imagine what button got turned on while we were towing, maybe the radio. We discuss the options and decide it is something we can worry about tomorrow.

On this day of travel, we had fantastic conditions: a bit of sun, a bit of cloud, no snow, no rain, and very light traffic. I drove as far as Corning, where we fueled, and Mo took over the driving. I settled back in my seat to watch the birds in the valley refuges as we passed. I opened my phone and slipped into email and then Facebook.

That moment shifted the mood of the day.

Meeting Odel and Laurie for the first time in 2010

Mo and Laurie in 200

Laurie Brown had passed just two days earlier, and her sister announced it on Facebook. Long-time readers of my blog know all about Laurie and Odel. I met them through the blog, and Laurie and I started writing to each other in 2007. By 2010, we met in person on our way east, where they were camped in Minot, North Dakota.

Laurie and Odel visited us at home in Rocky Point in 2011

Laurie helped me understand the RV blogging community of the early 2010s. She helped me connect with other writers and discover that I wasn’t alone out there, writing about our travels.

I am heartbroken.

Lunch at Lefty's in Nevada City, where Laurie and Odel introduced us to Jimmy and Nickie

I called Nickie, whom I know only because Laurie suggested a lunch in Nevada City with Mo, me, Nickie and Jimmy, and Laurie and Odel. The friendships blossomed, with the six of us meeting for meals, hikes, and visits. I treasured her friendship. Nickie was devastated, but grateful to hear from a real phone call and not a Facebook post.

In 2022 we met again with Laurie and Odel and Jimmy and Nickie for a day of dining and hiking

We continued south along an almost empty interstate toward Sacramento. Memories flooded my heart as Mo nimbly navigated city traffic and we continued through the fog to our familiar home at Flag City RV Resort.

I will probably write a separate blog post honoring just Laurie, but for now, it was time to focus on the now.

Our next day of travel was uneventful accompanied by the fog hanging over the I-5 corridor south toward Highway 58

Site 9 at Mountain Valley Park

I write in the morning darkness at another familiar home, though not quite as familiar as Flag City. Mountain Valley RV Park in Tehachapi, where we have stayed only three or four times. Our old favorite, Orange Grove RV Park, is nothing like it used to be, and we decided the high prices weren’t worth the amenities.

Oranges from the Fruit Depot in Bakersfield

Yesterday, we drove past the park as we turned onto Edison Road for a ten-minute side trip to the Fruit Depot, once again to buy the sweetest oranges ever. I used to pick the oranges every year, but buying a bag for ten dollars is nice and quick—and a lot cheaper than paying park prices just because we like the oranges.

We stopped in Tehachapi to buy a new battery for the Tracker, and she started right up, just like the travel trooper she has been for seventeen years. While Mo dealt with the battery, I ripped into the bag of oranges and cut one into sections to eat right there.

It was like stepping into the sunshine of Southern California when I was a kid, when oranges were picked in yards and tasted like candy—so sweet and juicy. I breathed in the fragrance, cleaned the juice from my chin and fingers, and felt my body relax.

Ahh. The oranges are as perfect as always.

Ready for our last travel day to Desert Hot Springs

We will leave here at daylight, or shortly after, in clouds and predicted rain. The first view of the Mojave as we start down the pass overlooking the desert is never the same. Today is the day. The desert is there, waiting. And our home at Catalina RV Park, another home of ours for almost every winter since 2010, is waiting.

Ahhh.