Sightseeing in Southern California

Week of January 15, 2017

We enjoyed the Rally and have been staying at the Elks Lodge here in Indio for this past week taking in a few of the local sights.    We spent an afternoon driving around Palm Springs which I had not been to since the mid 1960’s.  I don’t remember much about my visit then so don’t know what changed, but I know it is quite different and built up from the 60’s.   Lots of palm trees, beautiful homes, shops and traffic.

 Notice the snow on the mountains to the west of Palm Springs as a result of the rain storm in the area last Friday.

We had hoped to take in the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and the Palm Springs Historical Society  Museums, but they were closed for the day.  However, we did learn a bit about the two homes found on the”Village Green” along the main street of Palm Springs.

The McCallum Adobe is the oldest remaining building in Palm Springs built in 1884 for John McCallum, the first white settler in Palm Springs.  It has been relocated from somewhere else to here and has exhibits of photos, paintings, clothing, tools, books and Indian ware from the early days of Palm Springs.

The second home is Miss Cornelia White’s “Little House” built from railroad ties taken from an abandoned Palmdale railroad in 1893 by the city’s first hotel proprietor, Dr. Welwood Murray.  The Village Green area also contains a lovely fountain and numerous stars in the sidewalks honoring local pioneers and movie stars. 

We walked along the street for a short distance and took in some of the shops before going in search of a local restaurant to fill our tummies.  Elmer’s is located along the main street and has been on this site since 1960.  Service is the name of the game here as well as Elmer’s famous buttermilk and German pancakes.  While we enjoy breakfast at any time of the day, we opted for sandwiches which were delicious. 

Taking the I-10 back to Indio we observe this area near the freeway heavily filled with wind turbines.  What a sight.

On Wednesday of this week, we take a drive west to Joshua Tree National Park which was declared a U.S. Park in 1994.  It had been a National Monument since 1936 and is so named for the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) forests that are native to the park.   The park covers 789,000 + acres with a large part designated as wilderness area.  The park includes two deserts – the higher Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert with the San Bernardino Mountains running through the southwest edge of the park and numerous campgrounds geared for the small RV’s or tenters and many hiking trails.    

After a stop at the Visitor Center at the south end, we proceed to drive north for 47 miles through many different areas of flora and rock formations in the park.  While plants from one area could be found in others, some of the areas were uniquely one type of plant.

Ocotillo

Cholla

Notice Yellow bud where flower was in sprng

Joshua Tree

Rock formations were interesting and unique.  We stopped at a rock area for our lunch before proceeding on and returning to the Elks Lodge. 

Skull Rock

Split Rock

Ceil and I found time one afternoon to take in all the local thrift stores, Dollar Tree and Hobby Lobby while Ron remained at home content to enjoy his computer and photoshop some of his pictures.  We found a few “treasures” along the way.

Sunday finds us on our way west to Yuma and Ceil heading back to ABQ.  It was fun to attend the Rally and to have Ceil with us.   We always have fun together and look forward to seeing her in ABQ when we are there in April.  Safe travels home, Ceil.

FMCA Rally

Saturday, January 21, 2017

It has been a couple of busy weeks for us since leaving Casa Grande. 

We arrived in Indio for the FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association) Western Area Rally on Monday, January 9 with the Rally beginning on Thursday the 13 so we had time to poke around in Indio and to visit with neighbors and friends. Friends we made at Enchanted Trails in ABQ two years ago (Tricia and G) came into the Rally with us so they could be parked together with us and our friend Ceil who drove from ABQ to be with us at this Rally and afterwards.  It was fun to catch up on Tricia and G’s travels since we had last seen each other. 

There were over 800 Class A Motorhomes at his Rally spread out over the grassy (more dirt than grass) and concrete areas of the Riverside County Fairgrounds.  Of course, us peons (not VIP’s with FMCA or vendors or disabled) got to stay in the dirt area.  Everything was lovely until Thursday night when it began to have rain and rain and rain until Friday evening late.  The long and short is that the dirt became mushy and full of puddles and lakes and  some of the concrete areas were lakes and rivers.  It was fun stepping over and around all the puddles as we went from place to place.  Friday afternoon one had to be taken into several of the buildings because there was a lake several inches deep just outside the buildings.  What a mess.  Everyone made the best of it and enjoyed the seminars, vendor booths and evening entertainment which consisted of a group playing mostly George Strait music and country western and another the next evening being a group impersonating the Beach Boys.  Both groups were great.  On Friday night pumpers pumped out 7000,000 gallons (that is the right number) from the concrete areas.

Week Two tomorrow.

An End and A Beginning

December 31, 2016

Well, 2016 is almost over, thank goodness.   Hope you all had a wonderful year and holidays and that the new year brings you happiness, health and wealth.

2016 was a tough year for me with breast surgery, chemo and radiation the first of the year and a bad fall in October with a couple of broken nose bones prompting nasal surgery, a deep cut in the bridge of my nose needing stitches, black eyes and a nondisplaced fracture of the C1 needing a 24/7 cervical collar for seven weeks.  Whew!  I‘m glad that is all behind me.    Through all of this Ron has been by my side driving me to doctor appointments, making meals, and being sympathetic to my tears and pain at again being incapacitated.  What a wonderful guy I married.

Our Christmas was quiet but we were not alone.  Our Resort had a Chili dinner on Christmas Eve and a Potluck Dinner on Christmas Day where we made some new acquaintances.  Lots of good food and company with others without their families.

As the New Year approaches, our time here is nearing an end.  We have thoroughly enjoyed our activities with me busy finishing Christmas quilting projects at Mrs. Claus’s (Kathy’s) Quilting Workshop (the quilt room here and in our RV) and Ron golfing and being part of the photography club.  We have not done much sightseeing but rather have enjoyed just being in one place for a while, meeting new people, trying some local restaurants and enjoying the Elks Lodge Wednesday night hamburgers.   Our plan is to return here for three months next year (Jan. - Mar.) and getting more involved in other activities available at this Resort.

We leave here on January 9 headed for the FMCA Western Area Rally in Indio, CA where we will enjoy seeing what the vendors have for sale, attending seminars and nightly entertainment and taking in the local area.  Our friend Ceil will be arriving in her RV on January 8 and will travel with us to the Rally and another week afterwards in the Southern California area.  We have missed our travels together and look forward to spending time with her.  We also hope to catch up with a couple of vendor friends who will be at the Rally. 

Signing Off until the New Year in California.