California - Bye for Now
Taking the Backdoor Through the Desert
We did it! We officially launched our cross-country RV adventure on February 15. But where to first? “Wherever the wind blows us” says Lois. Setting sail mid-winter does limit our field of choices, especially given the challenge of safely guiding 12 tons of steel down the highway — our 30’ RV with a compact SUV in tow. Heading from Sacramento to the Northwest is a bit too cold and damp this time of year, and it’s not a great time of year to be mounting the Cascades or the Sierras to the east. So taking a hint from the Midwest “snow birds”, we decided to make our way out the backdoor of California through the Mojave Desert — destination the Grand Canyon and the Sedona region of Central Arizona.
Decision made, we needed a plan. One travel strategy we learned from the RV community is the 3x3 approach. That is, when moving from one campground to another, take it slow and easy: don’t drive more than 3 hours, arrive by 3:00 pm, and spend at least 3 days at each stop. Nice thought, but we are working on a different idea: shoot for long stays at major destinations. Along the way, drive more miles and stay fewer nights — one night stands when traveling through the middle of nowhere, and 2-3 nights at bonus locations along the way.
So Grand Canyon and Central Arizona here we come, but first stop… Bakersfield (AKA middle of nowhere… sorry 😳). Did you know you can camp in a converted fruit grove? Lois enjoyed picking a few oranges before heading to our first bonus stop — Indio/Palm Springs.
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Indio / Palm Springs - Fun, Sun and Swimming After Dark
I’ve never visited Palm Springs, but as a kid I’ve whizzed past it a couple of dozen times on trips to see my grandparents in Arizona. Once a popular winter haven for Hollywood stars and the rich and famous, I don’t hear much about this area anymore. Well, maybe that’s because Lois and I aren’t snowbirds (yet). In fact, tens of thousands winter here each year. As one couple from Calgary, Alberta told us, while they enjoy 75 degree days in the California desert, their friends and family back home suffer through snow and sub-zero temperatures. They have a point — I get it.
All that said, on our way to Arizona, we decided to check out the Palm Springs area. It did not disappoint..
Actually, we spent 4 nights in the nearby city of Indio. On the short list of things to do was visiting Joshua Tree National Park and taking the Palm Springs Tramway to the top of Mount San Jacinto. But hold that thought for a moment, there was plenty of other fun to be had. The RV resort we stayed at is all about providing care and feeding for flocks of snowbirds. But given our short stay, we did our own thing: swimming, hot tubbing, and enjoying a few local delicacies. Kudos to Caleb, our son-in-law, for pointing us in the direction of Shields Date Shakes: ice cream mixed with vanilla and fruit from Date Palms. Very yummy… who knew?
Joshua Tree National Park
Yet another unexplored National Park, Lois and I weren’t sure what to expect from Joshua Tree. Just like Palms Springs, I rode past this area many times as a kid without as much as acknowledging Joshua Tree’s existence. My problem is driving the Mojave is a mind numbing experience — not exactly the kind of scenery that wants a person asking for more. But “hey”, it’s a National Park, so our first day in Indio, we headed east on the I10, eventually turning off the highway and heading north into the mountains, searching for Joshua Tree.
It is a vast National Park. Honestly, it was an awesome experience. The mountains are rugged and ever changing in color. One could easily get lost in this place, and many times along the road through the park there was no one to be seen. Up and down, twisting one way then the other, we worked our way through huge washes of sand and rock. Even the vegetation varied greatly. It’s kind of a Dr. Seuss place to visit — funky Joshua Trees, large patches of cactus of many kinds, and huge stacks of round rock inexplicably sprinkled here and there. As sunset approached and we exited the park, Lois and I were left wanting for more. Joshua Tree National Park is a magical place in the middle of the Mojave.
Palm Springs Tramway - Hopping from Desert to “Tahoe” in 12 Minutes
On our final day, we headed into the foothills near Palm Springs to a very interesting stop, a Swiss designed, American built tramway that takes you up the side of San Jacinto Mountain. The base station is located at 2500 feet elevation, very much still in a desert setting. But once on the tram, it hoists you to 8500 feet in a mere 12 minutes while slowly spinning; everyone gets a great view. This ride is not for the feign of heart. At the rate of 500 feet per minute, the ascent is quick. The tramway cable spans 5 towers from top to bottom. Transitioning across each tower is a real treat (if you’re into that sort of thing) because there is a significant drop — and a lot of swaying — as the cable car whizzes from one side of the tower to the other. Honestly, we felt perfectly safe. But for those with a fear of heights, perhaps the best plan of attack is to hang-out at some boutiquey shops while the rest of your group scales the mountain.
What’s on top? Lake Tahoe! Not really, but the transition from desert to huge stands of conifers is startling, especially when there is 6 inches of snow on the ground. If we didn’t know any better, Lois and I could just as easily been enjoying this scenery on a snowshoe hike through the northern Sierras. Amazing!
Taking Untraveled Desert Highways to Arizona
As we took our exit out of California and ventured into Arizona, our final stop was Lake Havasu City. It’s on the Colorado River, at a location where the land is big, wide and flat. Whether it is man-made or not, I don’t know, but the town is adjacent to a very large lake. The big reason to stop in Lake Havasu City is to see a major tourist gimmick, the London Bridge. It is the real deal, chopped up into a jigsaw of stone pieces and relocated from London circa 1970. Before you get too excited, though, it’s nothing like the famous Tower Bridge. But it is interesting nonetheless, and we fell for the city’s trick to stay an extra night so we could see it (instead of making this a middle of nowhere stop). Bottom line: it was a one-and-done experience; we punched our ticket and moved on. After all, the Grand Canyon awaits!
