Tragedy by the Tracks

No Parking

Please do not leave your vehicle unattended or parked while you are enjoying your favorite slots.


WAT!?  Do they want their valued guests to drive their cars into the casino?

Wigwam Village #7

Wigwam Village #7 on the border of Rialto and San Bernadino, California, is one of seven concrete tipi motels built between 1933 and 1950.

Only three of the seven still exist today. The tipi-shaped design (incorrectly labeled called a wigwam) was the brainchild of Frank A. Redford who created the first Wigwam Village around his Indian artifact museum and shop in Horse Cave, Kentucky. Wigwam Village #7 was built along Route 66 by Redford in 1947 through 1949. Unlike the other Wigwam Villages, this one has two rows of tipis.

I've not yet stayed at this Wigwam Village, but passed by on my way home from southern California.

Tio's Tacos

In downtown Riverside, California, there is a Mexican Restaurant like no other.  

The restaurant serves up great food, but the food isn't the restaurant's most distinguishing attribute.  In addition to the menu, the restaurant property, and a couple neighboring parcels, are filled with the product of restaurant owner Martin Sanchez's creativity. Mr. Sanchez rescues discarded items from the trash and transforms them into works of art -- beautiful funky works of art.

Twin Dragon

Don't eat Panda when you can eat Dragon.

The Twin Dragon restaurant in La Habra, California, offers plentiful portions of hot, fast, and tasty Chinese food.

I discovered the Twin Dragon while searching for a place to eat and work after checking out of the motel at which I spent the previous several days. The Twin Dragon provided both of the things I sought: a good meal and a place from which I could work for a few hours.

My $7 2-item Combo Plate came with a whole lot more than 2 items.

Rainbow Inn

The Rainbow Inn in Anaheim, California, provided a clean, comfortable, and cheap place to sleep and work. In addition bed and bath, the Rainbow Inn provided me with a microwave, refrigerator, and a desk from which I could work. I did not try their free WiFi. This motel served as my office for most of this week.

Desert Center

The signs along Interstate 10 telling me the distance to "Desert Center" gave me the impression that there was civilization and facilities for motorists between me and Indio.

I exited the highway at Desert Center, California and found remnants from the past. I found no fuel. I found no food. I didn't even find the cold drink I was hoping to find. The only thing this place may be the center of is desert. Except for a US Post Office and what appears to be a California Department of Transportation equipment lot, the place appeared to be abandoned.

There are no services here -- unless you need to mail some desert sand or a tumbleweed back home.

Desert Highway

El Charro Café

Chi... Chi... Chimichanga!


If you want to taste Tucson, visit the El Charro Café. The restaurant has been serving Mexican food in Tucson, Arizona since 1922, and is credited by some to be the home of the original chimichanga.

According to the legend, El Charro Café's founding owner and chef, Tia Monica Flin, accidentally dropped a burro into a pan of hot oil and when the oil splashed up, she started to respond with "[expletive redacted]" but quickly changed it "Chimichanga" so as to not swear in front of her nieces and nephews.

Regardless of how and where the chimichanga came to be, El Charro serves up awesome chimichangas.

The grilled carne asada chimichanga contains a perfect blend of steak, bacon, avocado, onion, green chile, cheese, and salsa.