 | | I visited Lancaster and Palmdale recently, and it is totally different today. I actually had problems finding things. When we arrived, Lancaster was about 45,000 and Palmdale was only 16,000, but that was the beginning of the explosion. They have a significant mall and much more retail facilities. Below is a list of some of the places that I frequented over the years.
- Desert Inn Hotel-Lancaster
- The Desert Inn where it all started for many of us is still in business and at the same location. It was still open until recently but may now be closed. There was a controversial motorcycle gang that was having an event in Lancaster and reserved many rooms at the Desert Inn. The city did not want the event to occur so found grounds to shut the Desert Inn down for that weekend. The Motorcycle gang stated they would file a lawsuit if the hotel was closed and reopened after the weekend. Mike Canada confirmed that it is still closed and is fenced in, so it does not look like this has been resolved.
- Crazy Otto's
- Crazy Otto's is still serving breakfast in the high desert, at two locations, but, unfortunately, the original is no longer. The days of trains rattling the entire building as they pass just a few feet from the building, and fortunately, no derailments.
- Lancaster City Park
- Wow, has this place changed. From the small park with four softball fields to the multi-facility complex that exists today. I had trouble determining if the existing fields included the originals we used to play on, I believe so but with many more fields and other facilities.
- Ramones Mexican Restaurant-Rosamond
- I stopped at Ramone's a few months ago, what a change. They are in a new strip center on Rosamond Blvd now. I tried to find the old building on Sierra Highway but was not sure which one it was. Many memories at this place!
- Schooners Saloon-This was our softball hangout, after a tough fought win, or more often that NOT, falling a few dozen runs short, we would meet at Schooners in Lacnaster. Here is an update from Mike Canada: Schooners has shut its doors also. They moved over to the old Mervyns Center in Lancaster quite a few years ago and opened a large restaurant and night club. One of the employees, can't remember it he was part owner, was shot outside the club a few years ago. The people going to Schooners were no longer the softball crowds and were not the type the owners wanted in there, so when their lease was up, they closed the business and said they would reopen sometime in the future, but go back to their roots of the original Schooners over on 10th West. I recently heard they may be opening at L and 30th West, so maybe by the time we all get together they will be in business again.
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