Setting Our Sights For Home....

It is that time - in the snow bird season - when RVers (and other travelers) set their sights for home.  And that time has come for Jeanette and me.  So, we turn our attention to closing up the 5th wheel, hitching up and pointing the truck northwards.

Prep day today - Storing our stuff away

Today - Wednesday - will see us pack and store in preparation for our Thursday morning departure from Caliente' Springs RV Resort, here in the Coachella Valley/Palm Springs area.

Hanging out at the College of The Desert market

Since returning from our group motorcycle ride, we have not been idle.  Other than enjoying some spa days at our RV resort, we've been out and about to enjoy much of what the Palm Desert/Palm Springs area has to offer.

At 'The River' in Rancho Mirage. 

'The River' - a shopping and restaurant attraction is a lovely place to walk around.  We did just that one afternoon before joining friends for a special evening out.  

With all the waterways that surround this facility, it's easy to understand why it is called, 'The River'.

Nice views

When the temperature rose to the mid-90's, one day last week, Jeanette and I motorcycled about one hour west and south - and up to 6,000 feet - to visit the beautiful mountain resort town of Idyllwild.  The ride up offered great valley views.  And once up to the 5,000 foot elevation, the pine trees offered great cooling and a change in views.

Once parked in Idyllwild, we walked the town before selecting an ideal location to lunch.

Up high in the mountains where temperatures hovered in the mid to high 70's

The view - one of many - we see while walking the desert behind our RV resort in Desert Hot Springs.

Enjoying a beautiful day visiting Sunnylands

Ever the green thumb and plant aficionado, Jeanette wanted to visit Sunnylands - the former Annenberg Estate here in the Palm Desert valley.  We chose to head there last Easter Sunday.  And what a great day to be there!  There was live music, fabulous walking paths through the greenery and some great learning too.

Beautiful Sunnylands.

A picture in the park

An endless variety of cacti

Golf at the Palm Desert Golf Course

And only yesterday (Tuesday), I joined my friend and golf buddy from home, Fred for our final golf round.  We played the golf course that my nephew, Ted is the golf superintendent at.  And what a treat it was to play it.

L-R  Ted (my nephew), is the youngest son of my oldest brother.

It was nice to have a visit with my nephew at his golf course before our final round.  Ted has worked his magic to redevelop and create a beautiful golf course; one of the over 100 courses that dot this southern California desert valley.

A sand storm that seemed to blow through here, these past several days.

Late March often draws the famous Santa Anna winds.  And this year was no different.  The winds did blow through here with gusts that were incredibly harsh.  The blinding sand storms caused some major accidents in the western valley and the high desert. 

The RV park is somewhat more ghostly now.

With better than half of the RV site empty, it is a sign that the winter snow birding journey for many has ended.  And that's the case with us too.

We'll report from the road as we journey north along the major routes of California, Oregon, and Washington States.  

Thanks for dropping in.