A side trip home - to 3/4/26

I'm not sure where I heard about it or perhaps I read something in a magazine, e.g., AARP, but since we were already "in the neighborhood," why not stop by?  I'm referring to Trona Pinnacles, a "unique geological feature" located about 170 miles north of Desert Hot Springs and 28 miles east of Ridgecrest in the Mojave Desert.  While we've been all around this area, we'd never been to Trona or Ridgecrest.  Because it's BLM land, dispersed camping is allowed and I thought it would be grand to camp below one of those tufa spires.

We found it easily.  At the entry, a sign read that the 5-mile-long dirt/gravel road is generally accessible to passenger vehicles (if you're willing to drive on a washboard), but after a rain, the road may be impassable, even to four-wheel drive vehicles.  Rain had fallen two weeks earlier; we figured we were safe. 

With Smartie in tow, Tergel started down what used to be a dirt road, transformed into a dried mud (like cement) track, with deep, irregular ruts.  We made it possibly a quarter mile before crying Uncle!  Then we had to turn around and make our way back toward the entrance.  Truly, that was an awful experience for Tergel, Smartie and us.  Nearer the entrance we found level ground and, since camping was allowed, we decided to stay where we were.  Too bad we were still five miles away from the pinnacles.  And we said, ain't no way we're walking that far!  Well, at least we could see them.  

Tergel sits all by herself with the pinnacles in the distance and train cars parked on a siding.  (Can you see her?) We'd taken Smartie for a spin so we could check out the ghost town of Trona.  Not much to see there.  The town is still functioning, but only barely.  A huge chemical complex closed down years ago, and we all know what happens then.  A new outfit is pulling sodium and potassium minerals out of Searles dry lake, but Trona is floundering.

This train was moving toward Trona (at a snail's pace),

going to pick up some raw material?  Flashy cars.

We went for a walk to the siding with the rail cars,

looking, examining, supposing ....

Toward dusk, I climbed a ridge behind Tergel and found a treasure trove of wildflowers.  The bottom two are Brown-eyed Primrose and Desert Five-Spot.

I took this picture of the pinnacles from atop the ridge.  Isn't it fantastic?  I'm glad we stopped here even if we couldn't get any closer.

In 2016, the BLM designated Trona Pinnacles as part of the California Desert National Conservation Lands due to the area’s significant scientific and ecological values; this means that the area will be managed to protect those values and will be permanently protected from development.  Good.  (They could work on that road, however!)

This pic is from Wiki.  As you see, people were closer to the spires.

There's Tergel/Smartie (and my shadow where I stood on the ridge).  Being camped here was extra-special, and with no one else around the silence was pervasive and so welcome.  Aside from the pinnacles, the area isn't particularly scenic, but we appreciated both the vastness and the tiny wildflowers at our feet.  I didn't fret that we couldn't camp at the base of a monolith tufa, nope.  Just happy.  Period.

And the sky!  We saw the breath-taking full moon rise above yonder mountain -- what a sight!  We didn't expect this which made it even better.  For sure, we wouldn't see many stars nor the Milky Way, not with the super bright moon filling the sky.  Alone as we were, there wasn't any need to close our windshield curtains.  We watched the moon climb in the sky.  I got up once in the night to look around, and it was like daylight out there.  So quiet.

The next morning was cool and sunny, blue skies all 'round.  Whoa, I looked out our dinette window and saw this black smoke.  We didn't hear anything, but China Lake Naval Weapons Station is beyond the hills.  The smoke continued and spread eastward in the sky.  It looked like a plane had crashed, but, like I said, we heard nothing.  Just about the time you think you're alone in the world, bang, a reminder you're not.

We left the site after breakfast, heading for Tehachapi (the -ugh- wind tunnel) and eventually I-5.  It didn't take us long to reach Hwy 58, the road to Tehachapi.  Meanwhile, we were treated to mountains and flats blanketed with blooms, the yellow you see on the peak above.

And here!

Yellows and purples and masses of white,

but hard to get a great photo at 60mph!

I'd also hoped to stop at Red Rock Canyon, but the entrance came upon us too quickly and we missed the turn in.  Nowhere to turn around!  Well, okay, two for two: we came, we saw, we almost conquered!

From the road, the place looked stupendous.  Maybe next time.

We moved on, with a headwind in our face, through Tehachapi, down to Bakersfield and on to the Baker Museum in Coalinga, a Harvest Host site we used a couple of years ago.  After a delicious meal at Los Reyes Mexican Grill, we enjoyed a peaceful night at the museum.  No dinosaurs disturbed us.  We shared our site with one other camper, a lady from Oregon named Eileen.  Always lovely to meet fellow travelers, especially when they become friends!

On toward home the next morning, we endured a vicious headwind, the kind where you feel like you may as well simply pour gasoline straight onto the road. ** sigh **.  We made it home late Thursday afternoon in one piece, glad to see the homestead still standing, having sustained no damage from the snowstorm.  

Five weeks away, loved it all.

West Side Loop, Wed, 2/25/26

 

Black Rock Canyon Campground is in the northwest corner of vast Joshua Tree NP.  This part of the park appears different than the main entrance inasmuch as there are no giant mountains of jumbled rock.  But we've discovered this area still offers plenty to see and do.  West of the campground are several trails, including the West Side Loop trail, a rocky five-mile-long path that weaves through ridges and washes and Joshua Trees.  We decided to give it a whirl today, a repeat from two years ago.

The wind was blowing like stink again in the valley, but up here at 4,000+ ft, the day was really fine, not too hot nor too cool and just a breeze to keep us comfy.  Otherwise, the start wasn't auspicious because a couple of horses had preceded us and tore up the sandy trail.

I guess the park service leaves this sign up permanently, and perhaps the tire holds the sign in place! (We saw it two years ago) The ruts left from rains make it harder to climb the hilly sections, but we dodged 'em and kept climbing. 

I see a monkey!

What do you see?

The Joshua Tree blossoms are big and they're beautiful, and many of the trees are beginning to flower.  This one has a bee crawling on top.

This trail is rated moderate, and you have to work to get to the top of this hill (or mountain).  Next to the red x, you can barely make out two people we passed on our way up as they were descending.  Yup, that's our trail, all right.

Still slogging away, heading up.

I was feeling the 800' elevation gain.

Sometimes you just have to stop and breathe!

We're still not at the crest.

The same sign is up here that we saw down below ... with tricky sections to navigate in between.  The views of the mountains, layer upon layer, culminating in snow-coned Mt San Gorgonio were fabulous.

Beautiful.  Hi, Jimmy!

This we did not like.  Steep, sand-slick downhills followed by aggressive uphills followed by more of the same downhills and repeat.  We had to choose ways off trail to clamber down, often backwards and hanging onto whatever nearby shrub that didn't have spikes or spines.  We didn't remember having to do this from a couple of years ago.  Maybe on purpose?  Or the trail has gone to pot.  Anyhoot, it was scary.  No mas!

We did it, however, and nobody got hurt.  I do recall seeing this Joshua Tree lying down and becoming a a nurse tree with lots of offspring!  The only critters we came across today were lizards, lots of small lizards.

Even the Sotols are shooting up flowering stems.

Egad!  We were stopped in our tracks at the burn scar.  A "brush" fire on the West Side Loop trail broke out a few months ago -- October 2025, cause unknown -- and consumed approx 72 acres!  NPS and BLM worked on putting out the fire.  We knew it had to be recent as we could still see ash beneath the burned branches. 😢

When at last we saw our little Smartie, we were so tired, so ready to be done with the hike -- and sooo happy to see the li'l guy all by itself parked beside a Joshua Tree!  We drove home to Tergel and dove into the pool!  (not literally, no diving)

I talked about wind in the Coachella Valley in a previous post, and blowing sand. Yes?  Evidence, above and below.  As we came down into the valley from JTNP, we were appalled at the mess being created -- huge winds blowing sand and dust.  These pics were taken near the RV Park where we're staying, about six hundred feet above where the sands are being blown, so we're just seeing the tops of the sand being blasted skyward.  

Close the windows, Mabel!

And that's it for this year.  Our month at Catalina Spa and RV Resort is over Tuesday, 3/3/26, and we'll head out in the morning.  Hopefully the manic wind will cooperate and stand down!  We've enjoyed our time here, those terrific pools (I WILL miss my daily swim!), all the hikes we've managed to muster up the energy for.  We found new things to do this go-round, along with some familiars.  Of course there's the mundane, laundry, grocery shopping, and so on.  When we get home, we'll have our work cut out for us.  Till next year, adios Desert Hot Springs!

Up, up, and away! Tues, 2/24/26

 

In all the years I've lived in California (SoCal, 1963-1989 and NorCal, 2012-present), I've been in Palm Springs many times.  Since Jimmy and I married in 2001, he and I have spent a lot of time in the area.  We've talked about it and talked about it, but today was the first time we rode the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to the top of Mt San Jacinto; i.e., to Mountain Station at 8516' -- a breath-taking ride up the rugged face of Chino Canyon.  The canyon is one of the steepest in North America, dropping from over 8,500' at the south rim to less than 2,700' on the valley floor in less than a mile. 

The Aerial Tramway was built in the canyon in 1963 to quickly transport people from the valley floor to the top of the mountain.  Quickly, yes.  Sure beats walking up!

Beep-beep!  We met this cutie on our way to the tramway.

On the road to Valley Station for tickets.

Steep!

The posted sign reads: Original Cabin #2, used from 1963 to 2000. It's inaugural trip was on September 12, 1963, and it was retired in June 2000 after over 175,000 round trips!  Yowza!

New rotating tramcars (above) were introduced in September 2000, providing 360° panoramic views of Chino Canyon and the Coachella Valley, completing the 2.5-mile journey from Valley Station to Mountain Station in ten minutes. Truly, a one-of-a-kind ride.  Worth every penny of the $33.95 senior rate ticket.  And it got better!

Looking up canyon.

And down canyon.

See the other tramcar?

And -- wow! -- what a view!

Desert Hot Springs is down there somewhere, backed up against the mountains, middle of the screen.

And then life gets more interesting, bringing to mind Humphrey Bogart's line in the movie, Casablanca, "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine."  Why?  Who do we meet at Mountain Station?  Anne and Mark, two friends from last September's OAT Turkey trip!  Of all the days in a year, the two couples who don't live here or near each other independently picked today to ride the tramway, and of all the times a tram leaves the station, we four were assigned 10:36am. Bam!  Serendipity.

Anne, Mark, me and Jimmy at Mountain Station. 💖

They were with Anne's cousin, Kathy, and another couple, Francesca and David.  We visited outside on the terrace for a while, and they graciously extended a lunch invitation to us.  We accepted, still awed by the "coincidence."  At the top we went our separate ways, some planned to hike (proper snow footwear) and some not.  Jimmy and I were content to make our way to the ranger station.

Yup, this elevation received about a foot of snow in the last storm.  Most of the serpentine walkway from the station had been cleared, but further down, the path was snow-covered.  We didn't have proper snow gear, so we didn't go far on the snow.  Besides, if we wanted to play in snow, we could simply go home!

Hi Jimmy!

We were here!

Lunch was at Peaks with stellar views out floor-to-ceiling windows.  L-R, Francesca, David, Jimmy, Mark, Kathy, Anne, and look at the burger on my plate!  Best ever:  Coachella Date Burger with beef, bacon, feta cheese, arugula, date marmalade and grilled onions.  Delicious!  Box, please, to carry leftovers home for later!  What a wonderful lunch.  Thanks for inviting us!  What a wonderful day!

The temp was in the high 50's, hovering around 60°.  We'd brought jackets, but left them in the car, which was a good call, 'cause we were comfortable without them.  We milled around a bit after lunch and then everyone was ready to go down, down, down in the amazing rotating tramcar.  With hugs all around, we parted, still gaga over how random events ... really aren't.

After the tramway was redesigned in 2000,

it became the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world.

I love this place and the clouds it produces.

They are positively fascinating.

Which turn into beautiful sunsets (from the pool).

Count me overwhelmed.

Lotsa fun in the sun, to Monday 2/23

Have you heard?  Desert Hot Springs gets wind!  Sitting at the end of a funnel, the wind frequently blasts through the mountain pass between Mt San Jacinto and Mt San Gorgonio, spraying gale force (or more) winds and taking direct aim at DHS.  These winds reach further into the Coachella Valley and stir up the sands that lead into Palm Springs, throwing great fountains of sand in the air.  They can also do considerable damage.  Wednesday the 18th was such a day.  We stayed home in our RV!

The next day being much calmer, Jimmy and I drove into Palm Springs for a walkabout.  Thank goodness Gene Autry Trail (one of the major roads into the city) had been cleared of sand, like a snowplow clears snow, with mini sand dunes lining the road. We thought we'd pay Marilyn a call.  Her dress doesn't need wind to billow around her!  Jimmy!  We had no agenda today, except to walk a bit and enjoy the city sights.

On Friday the 20th, we decided to revisit the Thousand Palms oasis, and took off on the McCallum trail, hiking to the overlook.  Last year the entire Coachella Valley was completely and utterly barren of flowers.  This year's largesse is making up for last year's lack.  The wildflower displays everywhere are sensational.  The difference is rain.

This was neat.  We spied three or four of these large caterpillars -- White-lined Sphinx Moth caterpillars, notice the orange horn at the near end.  They'll become the moth that hangs around flowers, sometimes mistaken for a hummingbird.  And then, wow, what a find as we traipsed down a boulder-strewn cliff to get into a wash -- Desert Horned Lizard, aka horny toad, four to five inches long.  If it hadn't moved, I would not have seen it.  Perfect camouflage.  Never saw one before.

Made it to the overlook!  Smartie is resting near the white "ribbon" beneath the red x.  Not a long hike, just three miles.  The day was cool enough for a downy vest!  But ... that'll change in a few days.

And, when you get back to your RV home,

this is your reward!

* * * * *

Decided it was time to check out the botanical gardens in Palm Springs on Saturday.  Last year we rode our bikes past this sign several times, but didn't stop as we were in group rides.  (This year we didn't bring our E-bikes with us to the desert, and we really miss having them.)

Moorten's is a cacti botanical garden, chock-a-block full of plants that will sting, stab, pierce, spear or skewer any part of your body if you come into contact.  Don't lean forward or back up unawares, 'cause you'll likely get hurt.  Tremendous number of desert plants from all over the world.  It was established in Palm Springs in 1938.

M.I.C -- K.E.Y.

M.O.U.S.E.

This one-acre garden has lotsa birds, including the house finches at bottom.  Hummingbirds zoomed over our heads and then hovered in front of our faces, back and forth, as though greeting guests.  I actually grabbed a shot of a female Costa's Hummingbird as it sat still for one second.  Spied the bunny wabbit lurking below a stand of Prickly Pear cactus! 

Wide variety!

In the bottom left photo, Jimmy's fingers are pointing out the nitty-gritty of this lethal Sputnik look-a-like! Bottom right has my sandal/sox poking perilously close to that cute li'l cluster of pincushions.  The large two at the top are just fascinating, unique.  Quite a few of the cacti we're seen this year are close to blooming, but we're a bit too early for the actual flowers.

Love these golden barrels!

Inside the Cactarium (a word coined by the Moortens) are hundreds of cactus specimens, including rare plants seen nowhere else, as well as a couple I have at my Nevada City home, and everything in between!  Fantastic array of sharp plants, but pay attention to the sign Jimmy is pointing to, and below ...

Amen to that!

As long as we were in the neighborhood 😏, a lunch stop at Sherman's Deli seemed like a great idea.  We both ordered menu items different than our previous visit.  That BBQ'd brisket sandwich, OMG.  Half for lunch, the rest for dinner.  Win-win!

* * * * *

With rain last Monday and then EARLY Wednesday morning, we figured the Whitewater River would be up, as increased flow, fun to see.  Hiking to Red Dome at the Preserve would be a fine thing to do on Sunday, the 22nd.

Well ... maybe, maybe not.

At least we could see about it.

Here's what we found -- people studying and testing.  Whitewater isn't wide or particularly deep, altho it can be, but it is fast and rocky, with deep pockets of water.

There's the bridge, knocked off its mooring

and sitting catawampus, useless!

Jimmy was wearing his hiking boots, and I was in my usual "sneakers" (don't own boots).  He could've crossed, but I didn't want to take off my shoes an' sox and I knew I'd never be able to jump the river without getting a soaker.  What I didn't want to do was jump, hit unstable rocks, fall in/over and break a hip!

You can kinda see the situation here.  Some folks just waded through the cold water barefoot or in shoes, some jumped the river, and others, like us, retreated.  Snow-covered Mt San Gorgonio looms in the background.

So, turning around, we found a trail offshoot and went exploring, up a hill.  Nice day.  Great swim afterwards ... in the pool, of course!

I've been meaning to show you what we see (mostly) every day as we travel about the area.  Vendors set up these fruit/smoothie stands on many major intersections in Desert Hot Springs.  In all sorts of weather!  We haven't stopped.  Perhaps we will before we depart the desert.