Tree Blocking Whitewater Bike Trail 08-30-10

Today's Ride: 27 1/2 mile loop.  Into Palm Springs on what there is of the Whitewater Channel Multiuse Trail.  Came to this fallen tree on a Cathedral City section between Date Palm & Cathedral Canyon.  Sent the photo and location to The Desert Sun's "Answer Guy," Colin Atagi.  If he picks up the story line it may give some publicity to this Class One Bike Trail in the making?

Quail on Rock, Indian Canyons, Palm Springs, CA

Looks Bad, 08-27-10, Caballeros & El Alameda next to Ruth Hardy Park

Today's ride: 28 mile loop, hot and muggy, Vista Chino, Varner, Mt. View, Dillon to West Garnet by the 62 & I-10, back to Palm Springs on Indian.

Ravens at Breakfast 08-12-10

Today's Ride: 34 mile loop.  Rode by Xavier College Preperatory High School on Cook north of I-10, seeing it for the first time.  It's a pretty large facility... I was surprised.

Roadrunner, 08-06-10, Country Club Dr. Rancho Mirage

Today's ride: 38 mile loop.

Snow Creek Village Ride 08-03-10

Today's ride: 27 1/2 miles out and back to Snow Creek Village north of Palm Springs.  1st pic, Raccoon Leg minus the rest of the animal om Highway 111 near Snow Creek Rd.  2nd pic is of an Artsy house at Snow Creek Village and the 3rd pic is the view of Mt. San Jacinto from the artsy house.  The house is at an elevation of about 1,350 feet looking toward the peak at 10,800 feet... nice view... eh?   The ride out was into a head wind, not too bad with a fast ride home.

1,000 Palms Oasis, Coachella Valley Preserve, 07-30-10

Today's Ride: 35 miles out and back, Date Palm/Varner to Ramon Rd. to 1,000 Palms Canyon Rd. to the preserve and back by way of Ramon Rd.  Ramon Rd. in Cathedral City between Date Palm and Landau is a scary ride: traffic, uneven and hazardous road conditions and no bike lane, and it happens to be a major thoroughfare into and out of Palm Springs for the eastern end of our valley.

Joel's Bicycle Shop, 1,000 Palms

Just want to give a good word for Joel's Bike Shop (http://www.joelsbikeshop.com/) on Varner Rd. in 1,000 Palms near the Ramon Rd., I-10 intersection.  I have never spent one penny at Joel's, though I am happy to say that my son once bought a bicycle there.  I have tried to spend some money there, having stopped on two separate occasions to buy water bottles.  Both times the water bottles were given to me, filled with nice cool water.  They said it was good advertising.  This post is in support of their good will to passing cyclists.  Thanks Joel and staff. Well done and wish you the best.

Remembering Cooler Days, 03-12-06

The Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road....

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.

Class 2 Bike Lane Temporarily Becomes a Class 1 Bike Lane, 07-21-10

Today's ride: 29 miles.  This photo is proof that a city can easily turn a Class 2 Bike Lane into a Class 1 Bike Lane.  Pic was taken on Country Club Dr. facing west.

Neighborhood Roadrunner

This roadrunner shares my neighborhood with me.  It ocassionally collects lizzards from my yard.  Photo is of a neighbor's front yard.

Trail Ride North of Indio, 05-08-10

Rode a trail ride with a cycling group hosted by the Coachella Valley Community Trails Alliance (CVCTA) http://www.cvcta.org/.  This photo is looking down on a local housing community north of the City of Indio where water skiing is possible right outside their doors and is overlooked by Mt. San Jacinto and Mt. San Gorgonio forming a beautiful backdrop.

American Kestrel, Indian Canyons, 06-21-09

You have to look closely to see this bird at center of the photo.  The kestrel was calm enough to sit still for me, but until I start carrying a telephoto lens (it'll never happen), this is the best I can do with this kind of shot.

The Dukester and Bill on the road again, 07-17-10

On today's ride, a 28 mile loop with side trip to the Indian Canyons, I met up with Duke (left) and Bill.  Through cycling I get to meet interesting and nice people out on the road.  It was getting pretty darn hot out there again today.