Gaining Access to 69979 Palm Springs Ave., Mountain Center, CA 92561
There is a fence all around the property, which has two chain/padlock entrances. One is the double-gate by the gravel driveway, one is the smaller single gate right by the front door. Please enter through the smaller single gate, where the brick pathway leads you to the front door (it’s less desirable to use other side where the driveway is, but you are welcome to park your vehicle there if you wish). You can let yourself in using the lockbox that is sitting on the fence. Call me for the combo if needed — I usually leave the gate unlocked for you. The lockbox has a small key to the padlock on the fence, and a regular key that gets you into the back door, please keep all keys in the lockbox. If there is any problem with access, call me and I’ll have a friend come over to let you in.
Please enter through the front door. I will give you the combo to the smart lock before you arrive, and this combo will only work during your stay. Tap the “YALE” button, enter the combo, and then the check mark, and the door will unlock.
There is good Wi-Fi at the house. The network name is 69979PalmSpringsAve and the password is 11111111 (eight ones). Your mobile phone may or may not work, but I find that I am always able to connect to my phone service over Wi-Fi. Verizon and AT&T work well, T-Mobile does not work, except over the Wi-Fi. I don’t know about other services.
Historic Background
The Cahuilla Indians are the original inhabitants of this site. This people now live on a reservation nearby, and welcome visitors for special events. If you look around on the hiking trails, it is not hard to find the grinding holes in rocks where they prepared food. A lucky hiker may even find an arrowhead.
Pinyon Flats Campground is historically a housing area intended for highway builders and loggers who worked up on the Santa Rosa Mountain (the Sugarloaf is where they ate). The older houses were built in the 1930’s and 1940’s to house these folks, and quite a few are still there. Most houses are newer than this, and the older houses have many updates. If you go on the hikes, you may run across old cans of food from 70 or 80 years ago which are still sitting at the older campsites.
For the last 30-40 years Pinyon Pines has been a community of independent minded people who want to live on the mountain. Quite a few residents are artists or other creative types. If you drive around, you’ll see houses that show this creativity, many of which remain “works in progress.” I think of Pinyon as a laid back, permanent Burning Man festival. Everyone is friendly, and you should be sure to wave and say “Hi” when you pass someone, either on foot or car. If you don’t, people will think you are a city slicker.
Mountain Center is the name given for postal purposes, and this town includes a 20-mile-wide area between Idylwild, Palm Desert, and Anza, mostly along the 74 highway. Pinyon Pines is the name of our neighborhood. It’s semi-common to refer to people as “Pinyonites.”
The 69979 Palm Springs Ave. cabin was built in 1940 and has many surprises. The original house is quite small, but it’s had several additions over the years, which is why it has some strange doorways/steps/even a porthole window. The previous owners lived here for 30 years, and were very nice folks. At some point, it was styled by a person who worked on Frontierland at Disneyland in Anaheim. That is why the house has the fake log-cabin look and faux wood painting, because it’s desined in the same way as 1960’s Frontierland. Not sure if that story is 100% true, but I believe it.
Appliances, Etc.
Septic System: Very important not to overload the delicate septic tank on this property! Please only flush toilet paper and waste down the toilet. In the kitchen, please don’t put any grease down the drain (you can use all the papers towels you want to wipe off pans/dishes and throw these in the trash, but no grease in the drain). There is no garbage disposal in the sink. Feel free to use trash cans/bags as needed to avoid overloading the septic tank.
Wifi: Fast wifi here. Netword is 69979 PalmSpringsAve, password is 11111111
Water: I should have this on for you. Water main is a simple valve that is out by the street, under a small 8-inch round rock (see picture in gallery on the home page).
Hot Water: I should have this on for you. If not, let me know. The breaker box has a double 30 amp switch on the top left, that should be “on.”
Heating/Air Conditioning: There are two white remotes that can turn this on. Each remote works for all 3 of the mini-split units. Set the temperature as desired. If you want to heat/cool the main area, it is faster if you close off the kids’ bedroom.
Kitchen: Please make use of the pots/pans/dishes/silverware. I also provide a fridge, range, microwave oven, K-cup coffee maker, and a blender. There is only one pair of electrical outlets on the kitchen counter, however, so you need to choose appliances wisely, because you can’t use all of these at the same time (Microwave should stay plugged in, and you can add one more).
Coffee Maker: You have to push that top lever to open it (push straight forward, don’t try to lift or depress it). Insert a K-cup (a box of these is in the cabinet right below), and fill it with 8 to 10 ounces of water. Then press the brew button. The manual is next to the K-cup supply. You can also brew ground coffee in this machine, that filter is next to the K-cups too.
The fridge should be empty and on when you arrive. If not on, simply plug it in to get it going.
Television: This is set up to stream with many popular services, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Vudu, and Youtube. HBO Max is coming soon. No regular/broadcast TV however. Only one remote for this, please leave it on the fireplace mantle by the TV.
Fireplace: Please don’t use this. The Heat/AC system works well to warm the house. It could be used, but only in the event of a power outage.
The Closet: Hallway closet has plenty of towels and extra bedsheets. There is also an ironing board and iron for your use.
The Yard: Please feel free to explore around the yard. There are pathways through the trees/bushes, and some interesting things to discover out there. See the NATURE GUIDE. I welcome your comments and photos to add to this guide!
When You Leave
When you leave, please put the trash into the metal or plastic trashcan out front. We’ll run it to the dump. If you wish to take it to the dump yourself, great (make sure it’s open, usually during posted business hours). Guests staying a week or more should do the dump run rather than let trash pile up. The dump is across Highway 74 (just go out to Highway 74, make a left, travel 20 feet, make a right, and go on that road about a quarter-mile to the dump, same route as to the Sawmill Trailhead). The dump can be a meeting place at times for the locals.
Please put your used sheets / towels into the hall closet, the bin is marked for Laundry.
Please notify me when you have left so that I can turn off various appliances and the hot water. Unplug the fridge.
In the Future
This house became ready for visitors in early Sept. 2020, but only in the master / queen bed. It is improving slowly and surely, and will be a treasure for my family and other Airbnb/VRBO guests in the future. I hope you enjoy your stay. Keep in touch, and please visit again! At some point in the next few months, I plan to add the guest house where the empty pad sits, which will have a bedroom, laundry, ¾ bathroom. The architect’s rendering looks like this:
For more info from the great architect who is building this tiny house, visit Jack Moses’s plan site HERE.
Welcome to Pinyon Pines Paradise 