31 March 2002, Barstow, CA: The long trip down California's Central Valley began about 11am, Saturday 3/30/02, and by sunset we had reached Barstow in the Mohave Desert. Tired from 400 hard miles, we headed for the cheapest RV park in town. The place was a dump, but the manager was nice enough and liked the Puck. About 15 minutes after we settled in, two police cars pulled up outside and a 20-something officer asked us if "Melody" was in our trailer. Pete's response led the cop to ask for his ID (but not Sarah's), and then the cop suggested that Pete could be arrested for public drunkenness (we had just poured wine). On his hasty way out, the young officer didn't see a curb and nicely nailed his shocks on the concrete.
Next morning as we munched on toasted bagels, we looked up to see 4 police cars arrive, followed by two social services vans. Again stopping in front of our trailer, they turned on their lights and sirens and began calling over bullhorns for all the niños to come forth and get their Easter toys. Yup, "Toys for Tots" delivered oh-so compassionately by a dozen bull-necked cops, while social services took lots of pictures for the department newsletter. A sight too bizarre to predict, we pulled up stakes and headed toward Needles.