Not Idle: That's For Certain...

The time sure goes by quickly when one is enjoying the full benefits of being in the US southwest during the worst winter months back home.  Even with El Nino packing fierce storms in so many parts of Canada and the US, we have fared well here in Palm Springs Country.

Riding south from I-10 through Box Canyon - a few days back

Oh sure....there have been a few pretty fierce wind storm and even a few rain drops but it's nothing to complain about.  I just think of those most unfortunate who suffered the wrath of awful weather in the US southeast, east coast and more.

L-R  Hector, Diane and Jeanette

Jeanette and Hector examine this large Ocotillo tree

We have had several opportunities to ride with our friends: 

Hector & Diane dropped by our RV site before we headed north from here to Pioneer Town and points further east in the high desert.

Taking a break on the downhill ride south through Joshua Tree National Park

Coming out of Joshua Tree and onto I-10 westbound for Palm Desert/Palm Springs, we faced a complete stop.  Traffic was halted; obviously due to some unfortunate mishap up ahead.

We rode the shoulder for well over 15 miles till we reached the head of the traffic line....and by that time, the back up must have increased to well over 60 miles.

The scene for the better than four hour delay????

A tandem tractor / dual trailer with hay bales caught fire.  It seems the brakes locked up on the rear trailer and that led to the fire.  It closed the highway westbound.

Well, one never knows what waiting on a highway can do but, as it turns out, two riders had a connection to my hometown (where I was born and grew up in St. Paul, Alberta).  One rider's father worked for my father for well over 25 years.  He was one of our company's prized employees.  The young fella riding along side was the nephew.  And his dad is someone I knew well too.  So....although an all too brief meeting, it was fun to meet someone from my past.

Due to our lateness arriving on the accident scene, our delay was only about one hour but others suffered the long, long wait.

We managed to ride to Pioneer twice, so far this season.  The area boasts a very nice, rustic lunch spot we quite like.

Fellow rider, Lucky's wife Trena was back home in the BC Fraser Valley for a memorial when Lucky joined Jeanette and me on a nice series of rides.  We rode through Box Canyon and through the high desert.  While working our way further north - and up into higher elevations - the weather changed.  A few rain drops fell and we had no choice but to layer up with more clothes.  But that was short lived.  Only 15 minutes later, we were back to short sleeves.  The weather can be that way up in the high desert areas north from Palm Springs.

Another view in Box Canyon

Readying to layer up with warmer clothing.

Nature never disappoints and it's so interesting to see how the ice age moved these huge boulders.

Golfing the Tri-Palms Course with Hector, Roz and Stan

But it is not all about riding.  Jeanette and I do take some days off to enjoy some sun in our RV park.  The spa is top class here...and we really need to take advantage of the facilities.

At times, it is necessary to re-provision our food stuff so shopping is in order.

Golfing at the Palm Desert Course with Hector and Fred

We have had some truly nice rounds of golf.  And of particular interest is playing the Palm Desert course where my nephew (my older brother's youngest son) is the golf superintendent.  What a treat to play a course that he and his team sculpted so beautifully.  It is a gem.

Stunning view on the Palm Desert golf course.

The three amigos (L-R  Hector, me and Fred)  Fred and I go back well over 20 years, playing with the same golf group from back at home in the Pacific Northwest.

Only minutes from the Palm Desert Golf Course, Fred and wife Pat invited Hector and I to enjoy a well earned 19th hole libation at their resort home.  Nice treat.

 

Views like this are common here. 

All shined up and ready for another journey

And closing this blog only sets us up for another wonderful activity that starts Sunday the 13th of March.

Along with four other couples (on four motorcycles) we head out on a four day motorcycle ride along the Mexican border, into San Diego, through the California southwest mountains, back to the Pacific Ocean and further north and east.  

We'll report on that trip upon our return but in between this blog and the next, you can catch some snippets of our ride on my Face Book page.

  Thanks for dropping in.