Off we go into the wild blue yonder

AUS-LAX-Santa Ana-Chino-Palm Springs-Indio

 

The first of our merry band leaves behind home, work, and pay, on board a 7:30 flight from Austin to LAX. It is just like a short drive down I-10 but at 35,000’. There is nothing like covering 1400 miles in 1 hour (Modern math: leave Austin after 7:30, get to LAX at 8:30…).

 

As the Colorado River is left behind in Austin, the flight heads over cities like Fredericksbug, Fort Stockton, El Paso. El Paso is half way there, and still Texas. Than it’s up to Las Cruces, over to Tucson, passing south of Phoenix, and across the Colorado River near Parker, Ca.

 

The last leg of the flight over the area where Day 1 takes place…

 

Places I visited in the past…

 

Joshua Tree NP,

 

Palm Springs,

 

Palm Springs Indian Canyons

(Andreas Canyon, Murray Canyon, Palm Canyon),

 

Agua Caliente Indian Reservation,

Cabezon Indian Reservation,

Cabezon Mission Indian Reservation

(three reservations each with a Casino…),

 

The Aerial Tramway to Mt San Jacinto (no, not the San Jacinto River of Texas for the history impaired Texans…),

 

The Salton Sea (irrigations ditches from the Colorado River have sprung leaks and are flooding the 200’ below sea level valley),

 

The National Date Festival (for those looking for a cheap date, that is extremely sweet, and shouldn’t cause much jealousy).

 

But I’ve been there, done that, wouldn’t do it again, unless I happen to be driving by, need a place to sleep, and have the itch to work on loosing the rest of my wages…

 

Back to the day’s events…

 

AA-LAX-Avis-Mickey Drive By Sighting-Santa Ana

 

Strap the luggage on the back and over the shoulder and trot over to the fast track at Avis Preferred. It’s great to just grab a car and go. Ok, I had to stop at the guard and show my ID.

 

Out the maze and follow the sight to The 105.

 

Take The 105 to Downey and wave to the my uncles empty house.

 

Up onto The 5, go by the not so empty house that the mouse built. Wave to Mickey… No wave from Mickey L today. The roads have changed!!! It looks more like Disneyworld now that there is a second park, more mono-rail lines, big red signs telling you where to go, California Adventure, and even a Downtown Disney. More on Disney later near the end of the trip…

 

Santa Ana-Chino- Palm Springs-Indio

 

Why Santa Ana? To visit a shop was there and closed at high noon.

 

Why Chino? Same as Santa Ana, except closes at 3.

 

Back on the real road and down to Palm Springs General Store.

 

Next stop is Indio and a few hours with Bill and Flo.

 

Ok, the real reason for Palm Springs and Indio: Indian Reservations. And if you read above, you know what is found on Indian Reservations. There is even a new one in town since my last trip down here.

 

Remember, this trip is about lost wages and loosing the wages I still have…