Our first night in a "hotel"

5/7 - Palmdale, CA (77 miles)
The road to Palmdale was challenging because the shoulder disappeared and the traffic increased the closer we got to LA. When we reached Palmdale, we thought we had crossed the border; Spanish was the main language spoken here. We spent the afternoon in a park with lush green grass, reading and drying our newly "washed" clothes on the fence. We were hoping to sleep in the park, but the local police and neighbors advised that this was a bad idea. We were very tired and thus resorted to looking for friendly Palmsdalers. And... we found some!!!!!
Tammy and Richard Chaney and family had just returned from a weekend outing on the coast and offered to let us stay in their deluxe, super-sheik camping trailer. They welcomed us w/ enthusiasm and some genuine small-town (actually-medium-sized) love. This was an answered prayer and a great relief as we were beginning to feel as if we might have to buck up for a commercial hotel. The yellow-burrito of love would beat any Holiday Inn out there...

That night we gobbled down the remnants of our third pizza of the day (a Scott splurge) and dreamt of ocean waves and sugar plumes.