Palm Springs, CA area

I am headed down to the desert, Palm Springs, California next week, and
I wondered if there were any recommendations for a side trip on the way
down from the SF Bay area. I am familiar with Joshua Tree Nat'l
Monument, but not much to the North of PS.

I have thought about Big Bear, Lake Isabella, the Southern Mojave
Desert, but don't know what might afford interesting landscapes or
materials (such as abandonned structures). Any tips out there?

--
john mcwilliams

Twibil wrote:
On Dec 23, 12:45 pm, John McWilliams wrote:

I am headed down to the desert, Palm Springs, California next week, and
I wondered if there were any recommendations for a side trip on the way
down from the SF Bay area. I am familiar with Joshua Tree Nat'l
Monument, but not much to the North of PS.

I have thought about Big Bear, Lake Isabella, the Southern Mojave
Desert, but don't know what might afford interesting landscapes or
materials (such as abandonned structures). Any tips out there?

#1. Take the tram (if it's running) from west Palm Springs up to Mt.
San Jacinto. Amazing ride: Arid desert to alpine mountaintop in about
15 minutes with some truly spectacular views along the way.

#2. There's a really nice drive to be had from Palm Springs southwest
on State Highway 74 (up "7-level hill") and thense to State Highway
371 through Anza. (Look for the dancing dinosaur atop the house on the
right side of the road west of Anza: it's one-of-a-kind.) Then turn
left (east) when 371 dead-ends into hIghway 79. In a few miles you'll
get to Oak Grove, site of the old 1850's Butterfield Stage Stop (still
standing) and the barn associated with same (barely still standing).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3388572...91996/sizes/l/

From there, proceed along 79 through Warner Springs; noting the
sailplane airport just west of town. I got a *great* picture there
once of a light plane parked under a huge oak tree branch that was
being used as a support for the winch that was lifting the plane's
engine out.

From Warner Springs, head southwest to State 79, turn right, and then
turn right again on S-7 in a few miles. This will take you along the
east ridge of the Palomar Mountains, where great views are
everywhere.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3388572...93600/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3388572...97138/sizes/l/

S-7 will also eventually take you to the big Palomar Observatory,
which is worth a look.

From there, head down S-6 (neat switchbacks) to State 76-79, turn
left, and retrace your path towards Warner Springs, but turn right on
S-2 before you get there. This will take you east towards Borrego
Springs (veer left onto S-22 when you get to it) and through some
spectacular desert scenery along the way. From Borrego Springs,
continue following S-22 east through the badlands (More spectacular
desert scenery. Yawn.) until you reach State Highway 86 which will
take you northwest back towards Palm Springs.

This is a full afternoon's drive, but it takes you through some
*wildly* contrasting southern California scenery with all sorts of
photo ops along the way.

Have fun if you try it!

Excellent lay out, Pete; many thanks.

I also hope someone might be able to do similar for the area North or
North West of PS.

--
john mcwilliams

"Twibil" wrote in message
...
On Dec 23, 4:44 pm, John McWilliams wrote:

I also hope someone might be able to do similar for the area North or
North West of PS.

I live there (40 miles west).

Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
loooong drive.

~~But, WELL WORTH IT, of course (but one needs DAYS
to explore it) - and winter is a good time (it does get HOT!!!
there in the summer...!!!).

Immediately to the West of P.S. is Cabazon; with a million mall-outlet
stores and a single Creationist Dinosaur Museum.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3388572...97234/sizes/o/

Depending upon your religious beliefs -and how well your sense of
irony is developed- it can be either rewarding or hysterically funny -
althought the owners frown on outright laughter.

~~ ;-)

The gay rainbow flag outside the museum also raises certain questions:
are they *really* looking to attract the well-known and lucrative Gay
Fundie Paleontologist crowd from Palm Springs?

All one of him?

~~ 8^), 8^), 8^) !!!
~~DR

In article ,
"David Ruether" wrote:

Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
loooong drive.

Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast
expanse and mountains of DV.

"clw" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David Ruether" wrote:

Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
loooong drive.

Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast
expanse and mountains of DV.

You misattributed your post to me (please be more careful...).
DV does have a VERY wide variety of features, unlike almost
anywhere else, and it is not just a great expanse and mountains.
Polychrome formations, ruggedly textured salt flats, the lowest
point in the US (with a bad-water body associated with it), a
surrounding of high mountains for 1-mile elevation differences
(the son of a friend was in a bicycle race from the floor of DV
[which can hit 115+ degrees in summer] to Whitney Portal
[which can have snow in the summer] and back, and he not only
survived [WHEW!], but won!), huge sand dune areas, an oasis,
numerous historical sites, an interesting colorful crater with an
unusual name (Ubehebe ;-), black volcanic rock areas, etc.
There is no comparison at all between these locations for
the number of interesting features and experiences - especially
if you are stupid enough, as I was on my first trip there, to start
up a shiny silvery feldspar hillside without taking water with
me, following an old mining tram's series of elevated cables
(thinking that the end would be "just a little farther..."). I at
least had enough sense to not enter the mine shaft more than a
few feet after I finally found it. I did drive on "four wheel drive
vehicles only!" roads, firmly holding the steering wheel of my '58
Rambler (pink, white, and black, with tail fins - with high road
clearance so with care I did not drop into the deep ruts), and
I let the seats down that folded to make a bed and camped in it
"out back" in DV. Another time with another car, I entered the
40-mile one-way VERY narrow Titus Canyon, and just after
reaching the shear high cliffs running close to each side of the
car, the muffler separated from the engine...... UGH! In that
contained space, it felt like the roar of the engine would bring
rocks down on me (but it didn't...;-). Ah, the luck of stupid
youth...! ;-)
--DR

clw wrote:
In article ,
"David Ruether" wrote:

Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
loooong drive.

Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast
expanse and mountains of DV.

Joshua Tree is East and a bit South of P.S.; I mentioned it in my o.p..
Death Valley IS a long way from either place.

--
john mcwilliams

David Ruether wrote:
"clw" wrote in message
...


Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast
expanse and mountains of DV.

You misattributed your post to me (please be more careful...).

This is in part due to your news reader, David. OE is poorly designed
for usenet, but there is an add on available for it that fixes the
quoting. Or just use a better client.

--
john mcwilliams

David Ruether wrote:
Snipped bits out
DV does have a VERY wide variety of features, unlike almost
anywhere else, and it is not just a great expanse and mountains.
Polychrome formations, ruggedly textured salt flats, the lowest
point in the US (with a bad-water body associated with it), a
surrounding of high mountains for 1-mile elevation differences
(the son of a friend was in a bicycle race from the floor of DV
[which can hit 115+ degrees in summer] to Whitney Portal
[which can have snow in the summer] and back, and he not only
survived [WHEW!], but won!), huge sand dune areas, an oasis,
numerous historical sites, an interesting colorful crater with an
unusual name (Ubehebe ;-), black volcanic rock areas, etc.
There is no comparison at all between these locations for
the number of interesting features and experiences - especially
if you are stupid enough, as I was on my first trip there, to start
up a shiny silvery feldspar hillside without taking water with
me, following an old mining tram's series of elevated cables
(thinking that the end would be "just a little farther..."). I at
least had enough sense to not enter the mine shaft more than a
few feet after I finally found it. I did drive on "four wheel drive
vehicles only!" roads, firmly holding the steering wheel of my '58
Rambler (pink, white, and black, with tail fins - with high road
clearance so with care I did not drop into the deep ruts), and
I let the seats down that folded to make a bed and camped in it
"out back" in DV. Another time with another car, I entered the
40-mile one-way VERY narrow Titus Canyon, and just after
reaching the shear high cliffs running close to each side of the
car, the muffler separated from the engine...... UGH! In that
contained space, it felt like the roar of the engine would bring
rocks down on me (but it didn't...;-). Ah, the luck of stupid
youth...! ;-)

Hah! I rambled around the West, SW and NW in a Nash Rambler- forgot the
year, but it was very rounded- no fins worth talking about. The year was
1962.

--
John McWilliams

"John McWilliams" wrote in message ...
clw wrote:
[...incorrect attribution wrote...]

Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
loooong drive.

Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast expanse and mountains of DV.

Joshua Tree is East and a bit South of P.S.; I mentioned it in my o.p.. Death Valley IS a long way from either place. --
john mcwilliams

Yes....;-)
--DR

"John McWilliams" wrote in message
...
David Ruether wrote:

Snipped bits out
DV does have a VERY wide variety of features, unlike almost
anywhere else, and it is not just a great expanse and mountains.
Polychrome formations, ruggedly textured salt flats, the lowest
point in the US (with a bad-water body associated with it), a
surrounding of high mountains for 1-mile elevation differences
(the son of a friend was in a bicycle race from the floor of DV
[which can hit 115+ degrees in summer] to Whitney Portal
[which can have snow in the summer] and back, and he not only
survived [WHEW!], but won!), huge sand dune areas, an oasis,
numerous historical sites, an interesting colorful crater with an
unusual name (Ubehebe ;-), black volcanic rock areas, etc.
There is no comparison at all between these locations for
the number of interesting features and experiences - especially
if you are stupid enough, as I was on my first trip there, to start
up a shiny silvery feldspar hillside without taking water with
me, following an old mining tram's series of elevated cables
(thinking that the end would be "just a little farther..."). I at
least had enough sense to not enter the mine shaft more than a
few feet after I finally found it. I did drive on "four wheel drive
vehicles only!" roads, firmly holding the steering wheel of my '58
Rambler (pink, white, and black, with tail fins - with high road
clearance so with care I did not drop into the deep ruts), and
I let the seats down that folded to make a bed and camped in it
"out back" in DV. Another time with another car, I entered the
40-mile one-way VERY narrow Titus Canyon, and just after
reaching the shear high cliffs running close to each side of the
car, the muffler separated from the engine...... UGH! In that
contained space, it felt like the roar of the engine would bring
rocks down on me (but it didn't...;-). Ah, the luck of stupid
youth...! ;-)

Hah! I rambled around the West, SW and NW in a Nash Rambler- forgot the year, but it was very rounded- no fins worth talking
about. The year was 1962. --
John McWilliams

I later had a '64 rambler, and I loved it for travel also - but the seats
didn't fold as flat for converting them into a bed as those in the '58...)
--DR