On the way from Palm Springs to Needles, we took a detour into the famous Joshua Tree National Park. It was a bit like a sunnier version of Blaenau Ffestiniog, bleak but beautiful, with probably less drugs, drink, and domestic violence than Blaenau, too!
It was a long drive to Needles, and as everyone had told us, there wasn't much there, except freeway interchanges and freight-trains. But our hotel was fine, we got a good meal at the diner next-door, and apart from a grasshopper on our bed, nothing too scary! Up early the next day for another long drive, partly on the famous Route 66.