Semi-germane Germaines: Picnic at Patton

Friday, April 3, 2015

Picnic at Patton

Road Trips are the best especially when you can stop at roadside attractions like the General Patton Memorial Museum in Chiriaco Summit, California. On our way to Disneyland, I noticed on the map a wee little square that informed me of a World War II museum. Our dear Pa loves nothing more than a museum, added to that his great love for World War II and you have the perfect roadside attraction. I also thought it would make a good lunch stop as we had packed a picnic. Ashlee has a mantra she likes to share with me whenever we travel, "Always use the bathroom when you can you never know when you will find another one." On the road to California from Arizona there aren't that many bathroom options so another good reason for a stop. So stop we did.

Pa looks at the replica Vietnam War Memorial

Carlton kids below, General Patton above

Carlton kids in front of the wall

Picnic time

Green chile cheese sandwiches, chips, baby carrots

I just buy a loaf of italian bread slice horizontally and spread sandwich filling and then slice it into individual sandwiches, it is easier that way and the bread doesn't get soggy. The kids object to anything green so no green chilies for them. I wanted to take a tablecloth but Ashlee and Nona shot me down but then they regretted it (little mementos from the birds who roost overhead). I have since declared I will always take a tablecloth. When I was recently at a yard sale and they had long tablecloths for fifty cents I couldn't resist at those low prices thinking I could keep a couple in every car for emergency picnics.

Little Archer

Pa liked the museum. This area which is the middle of southeastern corner of the Mojave Desert in California is where Patton trained his troops for desert warfare which is why the museum located in the middle of nowhere. About a million service personnel were trained in this area before taking on the Nazi's in the deserts of Northern Africa. Being an Arizona girl, I can imagine the heat, rattlesnakes and scorpions all too well. It must have been miserable living conditions. The soldiers would pour diesel fuel on the ground around their living areas to keep away the snakes, tarantulas and scorpions. The smell of diesel fuel would be preferable to a snake bite and maybe a scorpion sting too. I have been stung a few times by a scorpion and they are painful. There were lots of artifacts from world war II. There also was a Armour vehicle museum outside that displayed vehicles from World War II to the Abrams M-I used in the Gulf War.