Saturday Summary - Week 20- Desert Lessons, Family Time & Reaching the Pacific Ocean

March 14 – March 20 - Yuma, AR (90’s)  → Joshua Tree National Park, CA (80’s)  → San Clemente (90’s)  

I can’t believe we’ve been on the road for 20 weeks. Somewhere along the way, this stopped feeling like a trip and started feeling like a lifestyle; one where 19°F and 91°F can both happen in the same state… in the same week.

This week also marked something big for us, we officially hit the West Coast. It felt like a milestone. We still have a lot of road ahead, but reaching the Pacific made it all feel very real in a new way. This stretch took us from the desert of Arizona into the surreal landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park, and finally to the Pacific coast near San Onofre State Beach, with family, friends, and a lot of temperature swings in between.

Yuma: Not a Desert Person (But Trying)

We started the week in Yuma, visiting Don’s cousin Ronnie and his wife Roxie. They’ve been overwintering in Arizona for four months and are getting ready heading to Alaska for the summer, which honestly sounds more like my speed.

I’m still struggling with the desert.

I respect it. I’ve loved the sunsets. But living here? No. The dryness, the intensity, the constant negotiation with heat, it’s a lot. What I didn’t expect was citrus groves. Lemons, oranges, grapefruits… in the desert. The Colorado River is a story I clearly need to understand better. We stopped at a local date farm (because when in Yuma…), where I tried a date shake, good, but way too sweet for me. What I did appreciate was learning about their work on water conservation. It reminded me so much of my mom, always experimenting, always trying to find a better way. I, of course, had to follow it up with a Date Beer!

Also worth noting: last week we were in 19°F. This week? 91°F. Same state. Arizona is wild.

Quartzsite: The Off-Season Version

We planned to overnight near Quartzsite on BLM land, a spot known for massive RV gatherings in the winter. In March? Not so much. The swap meet was mostly closed, vendors packing up ahead of the heat. We wandered, got ice cream, picked up a sticker and a small card game, and then decided to keep moving.

Sometimes the best decision is knowing when not to stay.

Joshua Tree: Where Two Deserts Meet

Entering Joshua Tree National Park, we quickly realized two things: It’s huge. And we had absolutely underestimated the distances. What we thought was a short drive turned into hours as we crossed from the Colorado Desert into the higher Mojave Desert, where the Joshua Trees themselves thrive. On the way, we hiked to Arch Rock and Heart Rock (quickly, thanks to our self-imposed “don’t leave Lucky too long” rule). Dogs aren’t allowed on trails here, so every stop required planning, timing, and a bit of speed walking.

That said—it was worth it.

The landscape feels otherworldly. Massive rock formations, twisted trees, and that quiet desert stillness that makes you feel very small in the best possible way. We could only secure reservations in the park for one night, so we stayed in BLM land overnight near the park, and it was a great stop. I continue to be impressed with out BLM stops. Open space, a steady breeze, and enough signal for Don to get work done. Lucky loved it, so much so that she didn’t even want to go back inside the bus.

We saw beetles, spiders, crickets, and even a black-tailed jackrabbit. Desert life, up close.

The next night at Jumbo Rocks Campground was easily one of the coolest sites we’ve had. We chased a sunset view, only to realize the best one was right at our campsite, our own Joshua Tree clinging to a rock, lit perfectly as the sun went down.

No filter needed.

LA… Adjacent (Yes, Really)

We’ve been intentionally avoiding major cities… and then found ourselves heading toward Los Angeles. Kind of.

We spent time with my cousin Renée, admiring his amazing rose garden, before settling into San Onofre State Beach for a few days, near San Clemente.

On our way to my cousin’s house, we stopped at a nearby park. And can we talk about grass for a second? Actual, soft, green grass. After two months in the desert, sitting on grass felt like a luxury experience. Lucky and I wandered under tall trees while Don worked, and it honestly felt like a reset.

San Onofre had this nostalgic, family-campground energy, kids riding bikes, people gathering, a sense of community. It reminded us so much of Fair Haven Beach State Park in New York when our kids were young… just now we’re the quiet observers instead of the chaos creators.

Friends, Bikes & Beach Life

We filled our time with simple, meaningful moments, the kind that don’t look like much on a schedule but end up being the ones you remember most.

Dinner with Amir’s family quickly turned into one of those easy, joyful evenings where you forget you just met. His daughter and Lucky were instant best friends. Constant snacks are the way to get full affection from Lucky. There’s something about watching your dog connect with people that makes everything feel a little more like home. We also reconnected with Rick, someone from Don’s career 30 years ago. And somehow, it didn’t feel like 30 years at all. The conversation picked up effortlessly, as no time had passed, just stories layered with a few more decades of experience. Those kinds of relationships say a lot.

In between the visits, we settled into a bit of a coastal rhythm. Bike rides became part of the routine, with ocean views, salty air, and the kind of scenery that makes you slow down, whether you intend to or not. One day, that even meant Don riding along the Pacific Coast Highway on his way to work with Amir, one of those moments where you stop and think, “this is our life right now?” And then there were the beach walks. No agenda, no destination, just wandering, watching surfers, families, dogs, and the steady rhythm of the waves. After so much time in the desert, being near the water again felt grounding. We found ourselves lingering longer than expected, just taking it all in. We also rode out to Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California to watch the surfers. This will be the surfing site for the 2028 Summer Olympics, so of course, we had to check it out. Not overly crowded, just a steady rhythm of surfers doing their thing. It felt very California.

Week 20 Takeaway

This week was all about contrast—and milestones.

Desert to ocean. Isolation to connection. Extreme heat to cool coastal air. And… finally reaching the West Coast.

I’m still not a desert person—but I’m learning to understand it. And maybe that’s the point of this whole journey: not to love everything, but to stay open to it.

And after 20 weeks, one thing is very clear—this lifestyle is stretching us in ways we never expected.

Next up: our LAX adventure… which definitely deserves its own story, and we'll make you wait until next week....