Facing north, Date Palm Dr. & I-10 Overpass 07-24-10

Today's ride: 37 mile loop from Palm Springs; Varner, Washington, Country Club, Whitewater Channel Trail, home to Palm Springs.  Each of the I-10 overpasses offer their own unique challenges on a bicycle with traffic and especially at the west end of the valley with wind.  The Date Palm overpass north is particularly challenging when a strong wind out of the north-north-west is blowing.  Date Palm Dr. is a connector to Varner Rd. which parallels the Freeway and provides a fast ride east.  North of I-10 on Date Palm there is no shoulder and the road surface is uneven and the north bound lane is narrow and there is ofetn a lot of truck traffic to and from the County Waste Reclamation site.  On this one stretch of road I recommend riding against traffic where there is a wide shoulder and the road surface is smooth.  It is protected from traffic and the passing trucks are on the down-wind side making this part of the ride safe rather than frightening.