Ed and Twentynine Palms, CA

Ed is 83 and still riding his motorcycle through the High Desert of California. He landed in the town of Twentynine Palms, just north of Joshua Tree National Park, in the early 1960’s. Every day for the past 34 odd years he’s started his day at The Jelly Donut, a local coffee shop. 

(When we met Ed we were purchasing our own pre-hike baked goods; an apple fritter can do wonders for fueling a several mile desert hike.) 

Ed has seen the town change over the years; some changes he’s been alright with, but he shook his head at many of them. For instance, he isn’t too keen on the buses of folks from the San Bernardino prison system who are often relocated to the area after their release. And, the economy has shifted as well, according to Ed, back in the day there was a “lady’s dress shop,” a Sears, as well as a slew of other large shops to meet your needs.
Although, as Ed was quick to mention, you can get anything you need in Twentynine Palms - “a massage, a pizza, a tattoo …. or a massage, a pizza, or a tattoo.”