Almost Home

Snow covered hills across from Flying J in Lebec, CA.









When we woke up, there was snow on the hillside but none on the ground. We continue our journey home. Tom missed the Interstate 5 entrance. So we exit on the next road and branch back. We got gas at Lost Hill Pilot. We ate at Wendy there. Then we stop by Gilroy Costco for pizza then we went to my mom house and pick up Law's chinese school homework before we went home.

Niland Day 3

Tom wake up first, then me, we both have some cake. Lawrence want to stay at the trailer. We drove aound the Slab City and found the Pet Cementary.

We took a lot of pictures, then we try to find the library, but we couldn’t found it. After that we went to the Slab City "Welcome" Gate to take pictures.

Then we went to Salvation Mountain and we took more pictures.

Tom talks to Leonard Knight (the man who build this mountain). He was 76 years old now, took him 23 years to build this mountain.

We left Slab City at about 4 pm. Tom drove to Bombay Beach and want to stop by for some pictures, he got bit by a dog. Later we went to Walgreens in Indio for bandage and medicine for his legs. Mel took the driver seat, we continue to drive and the rain start falling. Mel could not see the lane good and wandered into the next lane. I took the driving back at Banning. We have gas at Indian Hill in Claremont. We ate our dinner at a drive-in In & Out Burger down the street. By the time we reach Gorman the weather was very bad, it snow very hard in the freeway, so we went to Flying J to full up gas and water. We also stayed overnight cause it snow. I have to call Lawrence school and leave message that my son will not able to go to school on Monday.

Niland Day 2

Tom wake up at 10am. Mel slept way too much that day. we did not get to Mexico until 3:00 P.M. (which was only 2:00 P.M. at the US) We went to Professional Optical and pick up Tom glasses, then we walk around the street, but I did not found anything to buy so we leave Mexico. (need Passport to Mexico). We stopped by Hot Springs near Holtville. It is next to a LTVA. It have 2 pools, one at 106 deg F & other is litter cooler. It also as a spray metal hose which eject very hot water good for taking shower. Tom drove to El Central Imperial Valley Mall for dinner. (Lawrence eats chinese food $6.50 and Tom and I eat Cinnamon Roll for $11 ) After that we got gas then we went back to Slab City. We started the generator around 8pm. We cooked New York steaks and Clam Chowder soup and Salad for dinner. We did not sleep until 1 am.

Niland Day 1

(mel writing)I wake up very early in the morning about 9:00 A.M. even though we did not went to bed until 3:00 A.M. last night. I was playing with Odie and Ben Ben, after that I clean up their litter box. I eat some chinese cake which I bought at L.A. Tom talked to a postergic old man from Vancouver. He drive a Class C and have one solar panel. He had been coming to Slab City in winter for the last 10 years. He point to show me the direction of the library & pet cemetery.

By the time we reach Los Algodones, Mexico it was almost 4:00 P.M. We parked o ur car inside the lot (it cost $5 for the day) Tom gets his first Lisporial pills at the front of the Mexico border line. Later we find out it was expensive. ( each bottle of medicine $8.00 we brought 2). Next thing we know the time was already 4:35 P.M. (cause Mexico are one hour difference than USA) which was only 3:35 P.M. at US. All Optical store was already closed at 4:30 P.M. Tom was walked around the Mexico try to find another Optical which will close later time. Lucky we found one nearby name Professional Optical, still open. It was already 5:00 P.M. she told us the eye doctor was not here she needs to call her. The eye exam only cost $10 and Tom glasses was $60 and totals was $125. It will take one day to finish the eye glasses, we needs to come back next day. The optical store want Tom to pay in full $125 before they will order it for him. Then we went to Yuma , AZ for gas at Arco after that we went to El Pollo Loco for dinner (cost $13) We went to a 99 cents store and we bought a lot of things, a bag of salad & dressing. Then we head back to Niland, Slab City. The neighbor was doing loud party music until after mid-night. We started the generator, Tom did internet, Mel watch movie in HP labtop and Law played DS until 1 AM.

Around L.A.

We wake up around 1:00 P.M. and we eat some Chinese style "pine-apple" Bread. Then we drove over to Lebec Flying J to get some gas and propane. When we were entering L.A. I told Tom that I want to eat Chinese food (Tin Tin). So we switched to Intersate 10 instead of 210 to stop by Monterey Park. I also went to get some Chinese DVD movies before we went to Tin Tin for dinner. After dinner I get one large Pearl Milk drink (it cost $1.80)for Lawrence, he drank it all by himself. We went to Tanbit Bakery to get some Chinese Cake (cost about $6.19). Before we leave L.A. we went to Tom bank to get more cash ($300.00) at West Covina.

Before Palm Spring, Lawrence gave us bad information so we went to the long way on highway 111 instead of interstate 10 which is faster. We have to drove through Palm Springs through many small towns, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm desert, Indian Wells. It took us long time cause we needs to pass through a lot of traffic signal light ( about 17 miles of it). We fill up our gas at Palm Springs Arco. By the time we reach Niland Slab City it was around 2:00 A.M.

Start date - To Niland

We started our trip very late. I finished packing and we went to KTC to pick up our trailer. By the time we got there it was around 9:00 P.M. then I started putting things inside the trailer. Lawrence wants to eat out, but too much trouble to pull the trailer, so we cooked noodles at KTC. While we were eating the noodles, I remember I forgot to bring the camera and the thick sleeping bag, we decided to go back home. Then we were on our way, by the time we reached Gilroy, Daddy was sleepy, and we stopped our trailer next to the Wal-Mart, so I can go inside and shop for foods while daddy sleeping inside the trailer. An hour later I finished shopping and wake up daddy, but we forgot to fill up the gas before we leave Gilroy. We had to pay for high price on gas when we stopped at Coalinga ($3.589/per gal---totals gals was 16.58---amt of $59.51). Then we slept at Buttonwillow Rest Area.