Riverside, Palm Springs,Quartzite

The wind aain was bad as I headed to Riverside and there were Palm branches all over the roads. After a lot of messing around I finally found the motel 6 and did my laundry. Went across the road to Denny's for supper and turned in for the night. The next morning I headed over to Riverside BMW contemplating 2 new tires. Fortunately I only needed the rear. About 1000 miles left on the front. The wind abated somewhat and I had a nice ride back to Palm Springs. Ken was freezing in Denver and Karen was at work so I just sat on their sundeck and read. It was one of the beautiful days. Karen and I went to Twin Palms for dinner and had another great meal and service. I did not do too much the next few days as it was cool so I just did a little grocery shopping at Trader Joes and made dinner when Karen got home from work. One day I tried to go up to Idlewilde out of Palm Springs. It was a great ride but as I reached 4000 ft elevation I encountered snow and ice in the shady curves and decided it was just not worth it so turned around and had lunch a a lovely little spot called Sugarloaf.

This is the snow

outside the little cafe I stopped at. Further up there was more.

 

 

Looking off in the distance from the cafe'

The next pictures are taken from a lookout going back to Palm Springs and if they look familiar it is because this is the exact same spot we stopped on the guided motorcycle trip 2 years ago.

Notice the road winding below.

 

 

 

I stopped at this MacDonald's in Desert Mirage a few times and 1 time there was this roadrunner mooching. I was very surprised as most times you never see one..only as they zoom by.

Now that is not something you see at MacDonald's in Calgary.

I just kind of hung out in Palm Springs and on Sunday Karen and I took the three whippets and went to a coursing event in Chino, California. It turned out to be a beautiful day and I was amazed at how green the fields were. Coursing is very different as there are 3 garbage bags attached to a rope which is put around pulleys in a field and then a motor winds it around and the dogs are judged in how well they follow the course and how fast. It is interesting.

This was looking the other way from the event just showing the scenery and how green the fields were.

That is the field with the course set up beyound those vehicles.

 

Note the snow in the distance on Big Bear mountain. The one I went part way up on the way to Death Valley.

Well back in Palm Springs I decided I still had several days to go so thought I would go and visit my friend Trish again just outside of Quartzite. So on Monday morning I headed out east on I 10 again. Except I ended up going on 111 all the way to Coachella where I stopped for breakfast and with a 40mph cross wind debated wether I should go or not and once I got up on I 10 I kind of wanted to change my thinking but there is no place to turn around so after much perserverance I finally got to Blythe California and pulled into a Motel 6. I only had about 30 miles to go but that was it. I was done for the day. I went that evening to the Red Cactus Grill and honestly had one of the best cup of soups ever. Potato, Bacon,Caramel with carmelized onions on top. Obviously homemade and absolutely delicious. The next day I continued my journey to Quartzite and found my friend Trish.

We had a quick lunch and headed into town where I found some amazing things which I will do in the next blog.