Palm Springs 2021

Desert Palisades remembered       The breakfast package was everything we could have hoped for in a breakfast package. Except for the instant oat item which tasted not so much gluten free as gluten only. The service was impeccable particularly the silvery metallic plastic utensils. Down to the immense beach. D found two mates and then the rain rolled down upon us. D was recovering emotionally from an earlier correction delivered by a red Heeler in the parking lot after an overly enthused approach. The day is young and checkout is a generous 12 pm. Whizzed to the beach for a short dog run and then off to Fort Stevens SP due west of Astoria - the northwestern extreme of Oregon where Lewis and Clark and their whole team froze their butts in November of that year. For us it was sunny but with the cold wind. Our camp was nothing to write home about but deep in the woods back from the sea and windless. S stuck a 20 in the self registration envelope but the ranger came by and sa...

room with a view and a pup   dirty, satisfied       Driving north. Rain at times heavy. Wind. Met Whidbey countrymen, S and S, at Walport Mexican restaurant on a back street. Lashed our way to Newport and The Whaler and a nicely appointed second floor unit looking out on the sea. Signed up for the complimentary breakfast package and eagerly await its arrival for pickup at the reception desk after 6 am. Wifi spotty.

  mudder later Ukiah @ Travelodge good wifi replaced entire HOA unit in minutes after S's call great dog park with some mud D got in thick with a husky who was a mud lover washed D in the creek Arrived Brookings OR and Harris Beach SP D had big cavort on beach with several of his countrymen

S and D at Muir Beach D enjoying some creek water at the beach       Out of Pinnacles early without breakfast which we hoped to find once again at the Paicines Store but alas the ladies there were no longer cooking. Returned to strip mall civilization at Hollister and made the dog park at Gilroy or Morgan Hill where we had leftover hash. Tensed it through the Bay area and across the big red bridge there to Muir Beach for a great off leash romp. Bashed on north on 1 to 101 landing about 6 in Ukiah. I explored the In and Out Burger and Raley's Fresh Market and the Compassionate Heart pot shop. Back at the Travel Lodge getting ready to feed pup heard a bad sound on the busy street in front of the motel. Motorcyclist down after pickup pulled out in front of him. S rushed into street as did the pickup driver. I was holding the dog trying to decipher what was happening out there in the dark. S yelled for me to call 911, but the young dude guy from the next room standing next to...

the road to Pinnacles and John Norby's hat A clouded day. Superb backroads. Pinnacles has lost its charm. Its all recreation co. and $12 bundles of wood from some contractor or presto logs for 17. Who knows what the condors are up to. $3 for an hour of wifi.   Glamping tents they are calling yurts though they are rectangular.   It has been suggested we slide into a motel tomorrow night; I seconded that. Last night at Carrizo makes up for   it though. Paso Robles for lunch at the Backyard and grocery at Smart and Final. No pot shop in Robles. Pinnacles camp well subscribed but the mood is a bit dark. The condors brood. D much happier at the Plain.

      Our camp at Carrizo Plain National Monument - van under tree on the right       Bit of a hummer, compared to hanging in condo in the city.   Said a fond farewell to M and Palm Springs Dog Park. First it was wind. After a couple of hours it was wind and snow, by Palmdale. Soon S routed us into the mountains between the San Joaquin Valley at the latitude of Bakersfield and Santa Barbara in order to drop into the Carrizo Plain from the south. All fine but still snowing and 32º. 20 miles of bad road once we entered the monument. Wilderness, range upon range of low snow colored mountains. Hwy. 62, 138, 18, 247 and Frazier Mountain Hwy stood out and there were other numbers because taking the side roads is like that. One forgets how much more interesting the by roads and towns are than the interstate. About 20 miles into the Plain we came to the best camping spot with its own owl and nice toilets. The flowers at this time on the Plain are a half inch o...

  front Dust       S to DP, me to fitness. Spoke by phone to R in Seattle about Xmas playlist and the turbulence of her flight out of the valley quartering the power wind. Began to pack the van for tomorrow as we will ramble north. Wind in the forecast. Heading for the Carrizo Plain National Monument, the largest native grassland left in California (1,200 sq miles) which may be a vast carpet of flowers. Biked with M to the Deep Well community, the Revival thrift store for pillow case and Rite Aid for ice cream in a cup, butter pecan. M, S, D and me up into Desert Palisades for the last time and then to M's for dinner which was super-good. Also Ralph's for supplies for the road.

  R after breakfast downtown      Everyone up early, way early. D to DP. R and I bike to French breakfast place on La Plaza between Palm Canyon and Indian Canyon, L' Atelier. R, S and M chatted by the pool while D and I looked on from outside the gate. R to airport to fly home to Columbia City and Miss M. S, M and I bike to west edge of city up against the mountains. Discussed dinner at La Marisol for Tuesday but La Marisol closed Monday and Tuesday, so M may make curry chicken as before. Wine for S and M, strong gin and tonic for me. Too strong. I walked D through the wasteland south of Casa Verde. Vaccinations at the Convention Center next to wasteland.

wide main street of Pioneer Town Lost Sunday. Had meatloaf. Oh, got clue from S: We tried to hike up Murray Canyon to 7 Falls but no dogs even in car, so we turned around and headed in the opposite direction to Pioneer Town up 62 toward Joshua Tree. Resident warned us to get the pup back on leash or the coyotes would surely get him. Returned to Palisades walk after the sun fell below the western mountains. Overcast, so eastern mountains unlit.

Heading to White Water at Roly's working the crowd remnant of leash       S, R and I and of course D slipped over to the DP. By 10 am we were on our way to the White Water Preserve where we met M and put in four miles up the wide wet wash, D bounding in all directions illegally. Post hike there was something like a 21/2 hour rest period with some light swimming by S and R. Dinner by the pool at Roly's where D blithely chewed his new leash into half a dozen pieces and made the ladies at the next table giddy with his natural charm. Green curry chicken and Mongolian tofu with a side of lobster dumplings and shishito roasted peppers. Drinks were four cucumber gimlets and two red ritas with a white wine on the side for a total of 7 among we 4. Long stroll back to van which continues to look super spic and span. Degrees at 7 pm were 70 it having been a warm day in the low 80's. After sunset there was a nice breeze under black and starry skies.

watching jets near the dog park as above - the guy on the bike was quite knowledgeable about jets behavior at Palm Springs International Hung out on the deadend of Alejo to watch the jets come and go at the int'l airport after the dog park where two Irish provided conversation. Biked with S and M separately for groceries and sightseeing respectively. Long slow afternoon waiting for Ramona to land. Picked her up at 6:36 and returned to a reprise of the chicken tights with mandarine orange and olives of yore. We are all in the one bedroom after a long discussion of the van versus the foam on the floor. R is reading a book about barbarian surfers so she'll be fine on the floor. We did hot tub at the north pool because of the weird couple at our pool here.

  figures at rest the view from here east toward Joshua Tree the view from here west toward Mount San Jacinto 12:44       After the DP and the rigor of zoom fitness straight from the agriculture barn at the island county fairgrounds, S took up a position with D on the patch of pee spotted grass below. Soon Liz and Bunny arrived for a training and general mystification of the two dogs. Yesterday's clouds and rain are forgotten as the valley works its way into the  low 80's.  9:01 Little Sister's Truck Wash for the van this afternoon was a satisfying task for the whole family. Well maybe S and D didn't really give a hoot, but they did come along for the ride. Manual washing and a tire treatment made the van look so much younger and more vigorous and the feeling washed over me as well. Up to Desert Palisades for a sundown walk. Hot tub for S and I while M sat beside (he had already clocked an hour and a half in the water). He got his second shot today. D still...

typical passage way in Casa Verde complex Hidden Mount San Jacinto to the west An under-developed section of Rancho Mirage with the western front in the background       The clouds rolled in from the west and it began to rain. S and I (after DP) cycled into the strip and the storm came but S found a little Greek cafe with an awning and good eats so it was okay. Our acquaintances from the island cancelled walk so we went in search of the iphone holder for the dash that got caught in an UPS undertow. Snagged it at the Michael's craft emporium with no sweat. Same for the zolp at Rite Aid. So unfrustrated that we went to the Rancho Mirage dog park and later had M over for wine and dip. Made a couple of gin and tonics and sucked up some artichoke and jalapeno dip on naan to cap a different day in the desert. D basically unconscious after his dinner. Deep anger from hips and knees after yesterday's return to vibrant fitness after 10 days without. Spoke with B on phone of his va...

oasis trail to oasis (neither concurrent with text - coachella valley preserve last week) someone else's nice photo of the preserve      DP then S returned the rental and I faced the music of vibrant fitness this time armed with a light blue exercise ball which made me feel more a part of the group but not sure that was warranted because the host and leader said something about coming early to the next class. I hope I am not demoted to the little dog area like at the DP. After some recovery time S, D and I went to Ralph's and Rite Aid to try and score some zolp but there was a question of the Washington state out of state controlled substance process. Another jam up was the UPS teasing a delivery of the phone dash mount and now I have to go to someplace called Michael's down near or in Cathedral City where I have spent so much time already. Anyway we had a nice visit with James of the epic Shuswap Lake   houseboat journey and his partner Rich who may invite us o...

  D tremendously bored with Idyllwild S and D enjoying Fulmore each in their own degree       After DP shot out to the northwest and Fulmore Lake. Patchy snow at 6000 feet where the serene little lake sits. Had a picnic, S dipped in after seeing a guy plunge from a rock on the far side. D lost his composure prancing around in elbow deep water. M turned back to PS while we strove on to Idyllwild. No vast ecology of bike packers, mountain bikers, or any bikes as I had long believed there would be. Had a mocha coffee and split for condo with a stop to top up the rental in Morongo reserve with the cheap gas. D still sniffling and snorting with what we assume is an allergic reaction to the desert biome or covid.