View Full Version : 29 Palms
DAMNPROUD
10-15-08, 11:13 AM
Well it looks like my son is going to 29 palms.it wont be long before my wife is going to want to see him.anybody know which airport to fly into or any good places to stay?i will be coming from the east coast
keith
SGT VAS
10-15-08, 11:32 AM
Ontario is another choice but I would definately go with Palm Springs.
2ndCEBSupply
10-15-08, 11:38 AM
Take sunscreen and prepare for the heat is what im told, i dont know about the airports.
temarti
10-15-08, 11:50 AM
The best way is to fly into Ontario, Ca. then take a rental to 29. The drive is a little over 2 hours. Flying into Palm Springs can be expensive at times. I normally stay at the Hampton Inn which is 10 minutes from the front gate.
Prepare for the heat,but it's dry heat :D
DAMNPROUD
10-15-08, 11:56 AM
Dry heat lol,i know the Marines call it 29 stumps.is the place really that bad ?
Echo_Four_Bravo
10-15-08, 12:00 PM
The Hampton Inn is the best place to stay, without a doubt.
When I visit the stumps I usually fly into San Diego, just because I like their airport the best and I visit a few places and people in the area. There aren't any places too close, so just pick your favorite.
Dry heat lol,i know the Marines call it 29 stumps.is the place really that bad ?
hmmm, yea. No, not really. It takes some to get used to the climate. I prefer the climate there than out here. There are very few trees. I think the trees on main side were transplanted for decoration. Bunch of scrub brush and little cacti, not the tall two armed ones you see a little west of Tuscon.
0231Marine
10-15-08, 12:04 PM
Dry heat lol,i know the Marines call it 29 stumps.is the place really that bad ?
Well, we're getting into early winter soon so it will actually be pretty chilly there if you visit during that time. People seem to forget that as hot as the desert is during the summer, it's equally as cold during the winter and 29 Palms is no exception.
And yes, "The Stumps" is really that bad! It's tough to describe...one of those, "you have to experience it to understand" things.
I would also recommend flying into either Ontario or John Wayne. Both are smaller airports so they're not so busy and both provide easy access to I-15 which you need to get on to get out to the stumps.
boomer56328
10-15-08, 12:58 PM
I was never stationed there, but trained there a lot. I think I always went to the stumps in the winter because I remember it being freakin bone chilling cold at night.
First time I went was in July - August for back to back CAX. Ground temp was over 130 in the day. That night we were putting on sweatshirts to head down to the beer tent. A local DJ announced that it was a cool 100 degrees in sunny 29 Palms. I remember thinking that there was no way that was right, it was.
marinemama
10-15-08, 01:32 PM
Hampton Inn is very nice. My son did his MOS school there, and I went to see him 3 times. I drove, so airports are by choice. If you fly in to OC or LAX, you will most likely have lower fares than Palm Springs. Palm Springs is a smallish airport. I have stayed in 29 Palms and also Palm Springs. If he can get off base, if you stay in Palm Springs, there is more to do....29 Palms has nothing. In Palm Springs you can find a movie theater, lovely places to eat, a mall, a ride in a cable car up a huge mountain, a really cool Air Museum, and fun places to get foo foo drinks. The desert really drops at night, nothing to hold the heat in. 29 Stumps is a very true statement...you will see palm trees with no palms...it cracks me up. There really are 29 Palm Trees on the base in a row by the front gate, we counted them.
Getting on to the base is pretty easy. I used to call my son before I went in to the little building to let him know I was close. You just need your rental car agreement, ID and the ability to call him, while your standing there to sponsor you on.
Ed Palmer
10-15-08, 01:52 PM
You can thank me for the palm trees at 29 stumps that is one of the last jobs that I did there in Feb, and March of 65,
They sent myself and 7 other guys down to indio to dig up about 100 date palms and transported them back up to the stumps, the first bunch went to the Golf course,Before that the only palm trees there were at a place called the Oasis just south East of town, Used to be the best watering hole around besides out by Smoke tree,
Sure wish I could go back for a drink or three.
maverickmarine
10-16-08, 06:10 AM
Yeah it's that bad. Palm Springs is usually where you would fly in to but yes it can be expensive and as your coming in there is quiet a bit of turbulance and drops so makes for a fun ride. Yes, it's that bad! It's the middle of the Mojave desert and a Marine Corps base. But, you make due.
I have heard this, not sure if it is true, but sounds so much like the Corps it could be.
The Army used to have the land where the base is now. They decided it was unfit for human habitation and was going to unload it. The Corps said they would take and made it a duty station and a major training base. According ti my brother-in-law , Army, when the Army sends soldiers there they get hardship pay.
Ladymimi
10-17-08, 01:36 AM
Hey my son is Station in 29 Palms, he is a Rhino 374, he is Motor
Corpspapa
10-17-08, 07:07 PM
My son is a 29 'Stumps' Marine, too. Soon to return. And I can't wait for Homecoming.
SGT7477
10-17-08, 08:17 PM
Dry heat lol,i know the Marines call it 29 stumps.is the place really that bad ?
Okinawa is better,lol.:flag:
Corpspapa
10-18-08, 11:48 AM
There is a reason Mojave Viper is conducted at the 'Stumps.'
jrhd97 ~ I'm still rotflmao at your explanation.
SgtThrasher
10-18-08, 12:43 PM
Dry heat lol,i know the Marines call it 29 stumps.is the place really that bad ?
I was stationed @ 29 Palms 17 months in 66 and 68 before
I went to Vietnam and I think 29 Palms was the best duty
station of them all,it's close proximity to Vegas.LA,San Diego,Palm Springs,Big Bear lake provides good liberty spots.
The desert environment will grow on you and it's actually Pretty,but it was the first base with AC!
Palm Springs has everything but Transportation to the Stumps.In my day you flew into LAX and took a bus to Banning which had one trip daily to 29 Palms,we called it the Banning Bullet ,miss the bus and it was Hitchhike which was safe in my day.There wasn't any public transportation
from Palm Springs but I'm sure they do now.It gets cold in the desert at night and it snowed in December 1967.
Semper Fi,
Corpspapa
10-18-08, 11:34 PM
SgtThrasher - Thank you for your service. Hitch-hiking. Those were the days. Reminds me of an old A&M joke I once heard........
A&M Cadet hitch-hiking home,
Big Caddy with longhorns on the hood pulls up
Cadet hops in and is amazed at such a fine luxury automobile
Buttons for this, buttons for that
"This car has everything," said the Cadet
"Yep, sure does," said the Texan
Cadet looks between the seats and sees a couple of small sticks
"What are these," asks the Cadet
"Well, them thar are a golf tees, I set my balls on them when I drive" replied the Texan
"Wow! This car does has everything!" said the Cadet.