Ten-hut and welcome to Twentynine Palms, California, home to the Twentynine Palms Marine Corp Base. Our beans were lucky enough to somehow gain access to this highly restricted military base, and although they didn't get to take the tank out for a test spin, they did have fun nonetheless.

The U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center here in Twentynine Palms is the largest Marine base in the world, occupying 932 square miles of desert. The Marines have always had a reputation as being tough-as-nails anyway -- wouldn't you'd think that training out in the middle of the DESERT would only add to that??? "You think you're mean now - let's see how fierce you are after spending August out in the sun! That'll toughen you up!" Anywho, the very-much civilian can of beans got to pose with an A-4 Skyhawk, then spent the afternoon in the shade enjoying cool tropical drinks...

The beans also stopped in nearby Cabazon, home to Dino the Dinosaur, who is best known from his starring role in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure". Pee-Wee and Simone, the truckstop waitress that wanted to go to Paris, went inside a giant dinosaur to watch the sun rise. Remember? Dino was built in 1964 by Claude Bell, who added a T-Rex brother to his Dino family a few years later. Although you used to be able to go inside the bronto-belly of Dino, he's now unfortunately closed. Still, the beans did enjoy their visit, and were mighty glad that it didn't turn into a remake of One Million B.C.

Finally, the beans blew into Palm Springs to check out one of the nearby wind farms. Clean, efficient, and no chance of a core meltdown, wind power is the way to go. Of course, you can't mention "beans" and "wind" in the same sentence without snickering, so we'll just leave it well enough alone.