November 2018 at Lake Cahuilla
in La Quinta, Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California
We arrived at the Lake
Cahuilla Park on Saturday November 10, and set up on our regular host-site. As
usual, the southern California weather is very agreeable and we’re looking forward
to our winter in the area. The “snowbirds” are arriving, evidenced by the
car-haulers, dropping off expensive cars at the winter resorts. Also, the
stores are very busy with snowbird-shoppers. The wealthiest people from the US
and around the world flock to their Coachella Valley winter-homes. Many of the
gated, winter-resorts encompass multi-million-dollar homes and exclusive golf
clubs. Our park is just adjacent the south side of PGA West and, so we’re right
in the middle of the exclusive, gated, resort communities, without the high
cost of membership. Coachella Valley, also known as “the desert” is home to
cities such as Palm Springs, Indian Wells and Palm Desert. Offering a thriving
golf scene, natural hot springs, resort escapes and plenty of desert
adventures, the region offers snowbirds an idyllic winter escape. And with
near-perfect winter weather and over 350 days of sunshine, snowbirds chasing
warmth need look no further for a winter haven.
Winter activities plan:
2018 Friday Night “Polo Under
the Lights” Game Schedule
5:30 PM Friday, March 9th
6:30 PM Friday, March 16th
6:30 PM Friday, March 30th
HITS Jan 15-Mar 17
January trip to Monarch Grove
Sanctuary, at Pacific Grove
Monterey County Fairgrounds
Address: 2004 Fairgrounds Rd,
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 372-5863
Sunday, November 25, 2018
We’re glad to be settled-in
for another winter in the Coachella Valley. The Coachella Valley is a desert
valley in Southern California which extends for approximately 45 mi in
Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the northern
shore of the Salton Sea. It is the northernmost extent of the vast trough which
includes the Salton Sea, the Imperial Valley and the Gulf of California. It is
approximately 15 mi wide along most of its length, bounded on the west by the
San Jacinto Mountains and the Santa Rosa Mountains and on the north and east by
the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The valley contains the resort cities of
Palm Springs and Palm Desert, as well as Rancho Mirage, Indio, La Quinta,
Indian Wells and Cathedral City. The San Andreas Fault crosses the valley from
the Chocolate Mountains in the southeast corner and along the centerline of the
Little San Bernardino Mountains. The fault is easily visible along its northern
length, as a strip of greenery, against an otherwise bare mountain. The
palpable strip of greenery is composed of ancient California Fan Palm oasis and
other desert vegetation, thriving on the water, rising from the fault.
We love to walk, and do it
every day. Unlike many of our associates, we avoid driving in the Park, and
walk daily to-and-from the office, mailbox, and all around the Park property.
The winter weather is very comfortable in the Coachella Valley. Also, Lake
Cahuilla, a buffer lake on the Coachella Canal, brings in cold, Colorado River
water, providing the Park with a cool, clear, refrigeration source. The
2.5-mile track around the lake is another nice walk.
On the Sunday after
Thanksgiving, a quiet, beautiful Coachella Valley morning, I walked Daisy along
the lake and observed yet another curious sight in nature. In the Lake, the
White Pelicans were aggressively following the Grebes, as they dove for fish.
Upon surfacing, if the dive was successful, the Pelicans mobbed the Grebe
fisher and stole his fish. Those huge Pelicans constantly elect this method of
fish-stealing but it seems to me that it’s hardly worth the effort. I guess
Pelicans just enjoy the chase!
Another regular but special
sighting is the “odd couple” ducks. This large, white male and smaller, black
female have been a pair for our last three winters at Lake Cahuilla. They’re
year-round residents and they never associate with any of the other ducks, nor
have they produced any young. We are so glad to see them surviving because last
winter, I disheartened a Bald Eagle as he was attacking them on the water. It
was a windy day and as the Eagle would attack them, they would deep-dive to
avoid his deadly talons. Amid my shouts, gyrations, and banging, I managed to
scare the Eagle off. I’m sure he would have killed one if I hadn’t frightened
him away. Those ducks owe me!
Also, I observed an albino
Blackbird feeding on our green-space, among a small, mixed-flock of Red-winged
and Brewers Blackbirds. We have seen albino birds on previous occasions, around
the country and it’s always a special discovery.
Additionally, I observed
numerous Costa Hummingbirds on the plentiful feeders around the campground.
They were, as usual, demonstrating accomplished acrobatic maneuvers, in
guarding and dominating “their feeder”. Sometimes I think they spend way too
much precious energy on this exertion. They need a migratory plan with scheduled
“feeder rights” for all!
Living on the lake, in the
campground, we observe things that others are oblivious to. For example, we
have a flock of American Wigeons that roost every night on the lake. They
arrive every night after dark and depart to their feeding grounds at daylight. Sometimes,
with no moon, you hear them go over with no sighting, just the swoosh of their
speedy flight. Their comings and goings are so predictable that you can almost
“set your watch” by them. Also, we live to hear their soft calls as they roost
on the overnight water.
Back at our site in the
campground, we are daily perceiving the angle of our sunlight, as it changes
over the winter. Our winter-retreat in southern California’s Coachella Valley,
is normally November thru March and we have clear skies and consistent sunshine
almost every day. The temperatures vary from the daytime 70’s to overnight
40’s, so I like to wear shorts and tee shirts during the day but need a jacket
at night. In the mornings, during coffee and television news, I enjoy sitting
on the couch, with my bare feet on the carpet, where the morning sun, breaking
through the window, gives me that nice warm, comfy feel. By noon, with the
clear-blue skies, the sun has warmed-up the area by 40 degrees and then we’re
looking for shade. So, we have lots of “snowbirds”, from around the world, trading
in those winter jackets and umbrellas for a pair of sunglasses and sandals and
enjoying the beautiful winter weather that is the Coachella Valley.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Jan 6- Jan 20 Pacific Grove
Trip Itinerary (450 Miles)
Sun 1-6-19 La Quinta to
Castaic (165 Miles)
Valencia Travel Village
27946 Henry Mayo Dr
661.257.3333
See: Santa Anita Race
Track/Pasadena Rose Bowl
Mon 1-7-19 Castaic to Paso
Robles (168 Miles)
Paso Robles RV Ranch
398 Exline Rd
805.237.8685
See: Mission San Miguel
Arcángel near San Miguel
Tue 1-8-19/1-14-19 Paso Robles
to Monterey (115 Miles)
Marina Dunes RV Park
3330 Marina Dunes Dr Marina CA
831.384.6914
See: Monarch Grove Sanctuary/Monterey
Bay Aquarium/Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo Pacific Grove Museum of Natural
History/Point Pinos Lighthouse/Asilomar Beach/Cannery Row/Fisherman’s Wharf/Old
Customhouse/Colton Hall/Steinbeck House
Seaside 17-mile drive
Carmel-by-the-Sea/Pebble
Beach/Point Lobos/Mission San Carlos Borromeo del río Carmelo(Father Serra
grave)/Tor House and Hawk Tower/Whalers Cabin/Carmel Highlands
Big Sir Bixby Bridge/McWay
Falls/Point Sir Lighthouse/Limekiln SP
Tue 1-15-19/ Thurs. 1-17-19 Monterey
to San Luis Obispo (136 Miles)
Pacific Dunes RV Ranch
805.489.7787
1205 Silver Spur Pl
Oceano, CA 93445
Conf# 1801023301
See: Mission San Luis Obispo
de Tolosa/Cerro Peak/San Simeon Hearst Castle
Fri 1-18 & Sat 1-19 San
Luis Obispo to Hollywood Ca
Hollywood RV Park
7740 Balboa Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91406
818.785.0949
See: Warner Bros.
Burbank/Mulholland Drive
Sunday 1-20-19 Hollywood to La
Quinta Ca (145 Miles)
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Well, here we are, beginning
the last month of 2018 and soon ending our 2018 BLOG of travel notes. The year
has gone too fast, but it has been fun-filled. January 1st, 2018
found us at El Paso. Arriving at El Paso, we had a blast with Richard and
Helen.
Next, we continued west and
explored the desert southwest, then worked the remainder of the winter season
at Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta, California. In April, Rose joined us for a trip
to Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Owens Valley of eastern California. Dropping
Rose off at Reno, we continued on a nice ramble through Nevada, Idaho and
western Montana. In May, we arrived at our summer-season assignment at West
Shore State Park, on Flathead Lake, near Kalispell, Montana.
After a terrific summer at
Flathead Lake, we rambled a new route through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New
Mexico, Texas, visiting Jeanne in Oklahoma. Subsequently, we had a nice
camp-out visit with Rose and Cousins Rusty and Marian in Little Rock.
Our next wander of wonders was
west through some stunning scenery on new routes through Texas, New Mexico, and
Arizona, arriving back at Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta, California, for our
winter assignment.
Monday, December 3, 2018
On our daily walk tonight, we
were commenting about day-to-day changes around the park. The sun and moon
angles change daily and the progression of the cyclic moon phases are daily
apparent. Living in a park campground facilitates a keen observance of the sun,
moon, stars, and surroundings. The lake and wildlife are also in a constant
state of change. The water level of the lake fluctuates with the inflow from
the All-American Canal and the outflow of water to agricultural irrigation. The
presence of wildlife changes due to the fluctuation of natural and management
conditions. For example, with the bi-weekly stocking of Rainbow Trout, the
White Pelicans flock to the lake for a few days, until the easy-fishing slows.
The Canada Geese come to the lake when the grass is irrigated and the young
tender shoots provide nice plucking. The American Widgeon ducks come at night
to roost but spend their days in area sloughs and shallow ponds, for feeding.
The Night Herons come after dark and fish around the outflow, especially when
it’s running high. The great Blue Herons favor the lake when higher inflows
from the canal bring more minnows into the lake. An unusual observation was a
Great Blue Heron, using his wings to shade the water, attracting minnows with
his tactic. The Bighorn Sheep come down to the lake when the grass is green and
tender, and the dates are falling from the palms. It goes on-and-on and makes
me wonder if the wildlife watches us in the same way. I’m sure that a common
statement for us all is: “What’s for dinner”!
Then, there’s the people. We
meet people from all over California, the U.S., and the world. Sometimes we
meet repeat visitors and they remind us of previous encounters. On Sunday,
12-9-18, we host the annual Ironman competition and thousands of athletes from around
the country and world gather for the Indian Wells Classic. We really enjoy
meeting the people and helping them enjoy their time in the Coachella Valley,
La Quinta, and Lake Cahuilla. Of course, our camp-host associates are good
friends and we look forward to seeing them and sharing information and
experiences from our travels and previous camp-host assignments. The majority
of our preceding camp-host assignments came from tips, suggestions, and
recommendations from other hosts.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Yesterday, the Ironman
Triathlon event was held, ending our preparations and work on the race, at Lake
Cahuilla. The race description was: “Athletes will start their day with a
one-loop swim takes place in the clear waters of Lake Cahuilla. This protected
reservoir provides an ideal experience for first-time athletes with a sandy
beach start.
The bike course takes athletes
on rural roads past a number of palm tree farms before returning through the
city of La Quinta into Indian Wells. The flat course provides gorgeous views of
the Santa Rosa Mountains while keeping most of the course below sea level.
Athletes transition from the bike to the run adjacent to the iconic Indian
Wells Tennis Gardens stadium.
The two-loop run course leaves
the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens area while traversing over to the Indian Wells
Golf Resort. Much of the course winds around the lush course on the cart path
before returning to the Tennis Gardens between each lap and again at the
finish. The design of this course allows for fantastic spectator viewing at
multiple points along the course.”
Over 3,000 athletes competed
in the sold-out event with ages spanning from 18-years-old to 80-years-old. Athletes
traveled from 47 states and 37 countries to compete in the finale of the 2018
North American race season.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Every day or so, I walk over
to the equestrian area, in a cove, at the foot of the Santa Rosa mountains. I’m
always looking for wildlife, observing changes, and looking for anything that
may need attention. Frequently, being alone and quiet, I have discussions with
myself about things that come to mind. I never know where the topic comes from,
it just comes to mind and requires thought. Today, the topic was my past
general periods, events, and experiences in life. In recounting the general
categories, I found myself confusing and correcting my memory, so I decided to
write it down for future reference, while I still can. My general overview is:
I was born at Columbia,
Mississippi (1947), while my Dad was serving in the army at Camp Rucker,
Alabama. I’m not sure why my Mom, sisters, and the new me, remained in Columbia,
at that time.
In 1951, we all moved to the
family farm in Pike County, Mississippi. I attended grade-school at Progress
and High School at Magnolia and had a ”blast”, through it ll.
In the Fall of 1965, I
attended Southwest Mississippi Junior College and also started working part-time
at the Mc Comb Glass Shop. I soon left college and went full-time at the Glass
Shop. Shortly, the Army called for my services. Just days before my draft
appointment, I managed to enlist in the Mississippi National Guard and
subsequently reported for Basic Training. Sometime in the Spring of 1966, I was
injured in an automobile accident and after surgery and during recovery, I terminated
from the Glass Shop.
In the summer of 1966, I
enrolled at Hinds Junior College. It was here that I discovered computer
technology and completed an Associate of Science degree in Business Data
Processing.
During my vocation at Hinds, I
began working part-time on my first computer job. It was through that job that
I met and married Linda, a Mississippi State University alumni and CPA.
Over the next 22 years I
worked in Computer Technology in Jackson, Dayton, and Seattle.
In 1978 I began working at Baton
Rouge’s Louisiana State University, where I met and married Terry, an alumni of
LSU-New Orleans School of Medicine and a Medical Technologist.
Sadly, my Mother passed away
in 1983 while I was at LSU.
In 1988, I graduated from LSU
and Terry and I moved to Denver where I worked as a systems analyst for
Lockheed-Martin Aerospace Services Division.
Sorrowfully, in 1991, my Dad
passed away while I was in Denver.
In 1992, we returned to Pike
County Mississippi, built a house on the farm, and I worked for the County Tax
Assessor, in GIS.
In 2000, I became Instructor
at Southwest Mississippi Community College, creating an Associate of Science,
Computer Networking curriculum.
In the summer of 2009, I
retired from 41 years of computer technology.
In the Summer of 2011, Summer 2012;
Terry and I did summer Camp-hosting and worked the next two summers at Coeur D’
Alene Lake, in Plummer, Idaho, returning to Progress, for the winters.
The Fall of 2013 found us camp-hosting,
at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dahlonega, Georgia, returning to Progress for
the winter.
In the Spring of 2014, at Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, we began a live-aboard boat cruise of the “Great Loop”.
Our cruise ended short, on the Mississippi River, at Savannah, Illinois.
Back to camp-hosting, we
decided to go full-time, we worked the winter of 2014 at the Clark County
Shooting Complex, at Las Vegas.
The summer of 2015, we worked
on the Pacific coast, at Barview Jetty County Park, in Tillamook County,
Oregon. The next four winters have been spent at Lake Cahuilla, Riverside
County, Park in La Quinta, California.
Summer 2016 camp hosting at Monroe
Lake at Bloomington, Indiana.
Summer 2017 with Kim and Glenn
at Seymour and we rambled Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Summer of 2018 at Westshore State Park on
Flathead Lake Northwest Montana.
November 2018, back to Lake
Cahuilla, in La Quinta, California.
To Be (hopefully) Continued:
Friday, December 21, 2018
Making a hobby of researching
the story of a State is a perpetual diversion. The story of California’s
exploration and settlement is one of the most fascinating that I have
encountered. With 2018 winding down, I want to review my California winter 2018
readings on fascinating California history and settlement:
Cabrillo: Explored the Alta
California coast (1542-1543) and entered San Diego Bay, Monterey Bay, and navigated
and mapped the present-day California coast
Vizcaino: mapped California
coast (1602), identified many prominent points and renamed many Cabrillo discoveries
Portola: expulsion of the (1684)
Jesuits in Baja California, Expedition, leading Franciscans (1769) to and
discovery of San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay,
San Diego De Alcala (1769),
the first of 21 missions established by Franciscan padres under the leadership
of Father Junipero Serra, was founded.
Jedediah Strong Smith and
other trappers (1826) made the first US overland trip to the area
Women Trailblazers of
California: a book of past to present women CA pioneers
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
With Terry’s mom in critical
condition, she flew to Tulsa (12-22) to be with her mom and the family. Daisy
and I have keep the home-fire going at Lake Cahuilla. I have worked our regular
schedule in order to avoid any interruption to the overall schedule. In working
our regular schedule alone, I have gained a better appreciation of Terry’s part
of our combined efforts. I normally work point-of-sale, camper preliminary
processing, policy, and public relations, while Terry works computer
reservations, campground rules, check-in/check-out, and public relations.
Together, we fill-in our time with office management, reporting, accounting,
and phone responses.
Alone, I have had to do it all
and it made me get reorganized very quickly. You have to wear a lot of hats and
respond to unanticipated situations appropriately, proficiently and
professionally. It has been a good experience but I will be glad when Terry is
back in the office!
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Year-end thoughts:
I agree with the “Joys of
Full-time RV Living”. Of all the benefits of living in an RV fulltime, having
the freedom to go where and when you want is arguably the biggest one. Being
able to say “I’ve seen all I want to see here; let’s move on” at any given
moment gives a person a sense of freedom that few people ever gain.
Regardless of where you travel
within the United States there are sights to see that you likely will not
encounter anywhere else. No two museums or art galleries are ever the same,
with the local culture and history being unique to that area. There will always
be something new to see or do wherever you travel. For those who love to
discover interesting places, getting “off the beaten track” and staying in
small towns will provide plenty of unique experiences. And of course the food
varies from state to state! We’re often asked about our “favorite State” and
having traveled each State fairly extensively, we claim them all as our
favorites”. Each State has unique culture, music, food, geography, attractions,
and you name it”. We love them all!
The United States of America
is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with a variety of
landscapes from desert to the lushest green valleys, and everything in between.
Aside from the scenery within the many National Parks across the country, there
are numerous other lesser known scenic spots that are so stunningly beautiful
they will take your breath away. As you drive along roads you have never
traveled before you will find plenty of opportunities to stop and enjoy all this
great country has to offer. For photographers there will be no end of great
shots to take.
If you consider yourself to be
a “people person” and love talking to strangers, fulltime RVing provides plenty
of opportunity to meet new people. Not only other RVers, but local townspeople
in every place you stop. Striking up a conversation while sitting in a park
somewhere is easy to do and is a great way to find out about things to do and
see in that area that no tourist guide will mention. Locals are only too willing
to share their pride and love of their area, and therefore are a great source
of reliable information.
From thick juicy homegrown
beef steaks in Texas to freshly caught lobster in Maine and many other local
delicacies to tantalize the tastebuds available in every state across the USA,
traveling in an RV fulltime allows you to make a spontaneous stop for food that
is “to die for” whenever the desire overtakes you. Even if eating out is not in
the budget or something you don’t enjoy doing too often, you can still shop in
the local supermarket and Farmers Markets for fresh local produce and prepare a
great meal in your RV.
City dwellers don’t realize
just how bad the air often is in the their city until they head to the beach,
mountains, or out into the countryside. Commuters spend hours on fume-ridden
freeways, often in bumper to bumper traffic that is crawling along, so that
they can sit in a cubicle in an air-conditioned office for 8 hours 5 days a
week, rarely able to breath truly clean air.
Fulltime RVers get to enjoy
fresh air often as the travel away from the congested areas. Being able to
enjoy fresh mountain air, or the salt air at a secluded beach can make a
difference to a person’s health as well as making them feel good as they pull
that clean air into their lungs.
Friday, December 28
Terry returned to Palm Springs
today and I am was glad to have her back. After the airport pickup, we headed
back to Lake Cahuilla, so she could get some much needed rest. It’s our
anniversary and we intend to celebrate tomorrow.
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Today, we had breakfast in La
Quinta, bought flowers, and shopped for our anniversary dinner desert. We
headed back to Lake Cahuilla for our scheduled work hours and then started
working on our “anniversary dinner”. We used the “Hello Fresh” service, where
they furnish the ingredients, and recipe, shipped directly to your address.
It’s all in the “App”, a really cool way to experience gourmet food,
self-prepared, in your own kitchen. It was delicious, loads of fun preparing,
and lots to eat. I diced, sliced, chopped, and stirred, while Terry worked the
recipe. It was like we had our own cook-show!
Monday, December 31, 2018
Well, it’s the last day of
2018 and it has been a good year. We have enjoyed every minute of it and we
have experienced lots of new things. Our travels have been interesting and
exciting, seeing new attractions, meeting new people, and visiting and
volunteering at some gorgeous parks. We begin 2019 with much anticipated visit
from Sister Rose and a picturesque trip to Pacific Grove and Monterey Bay. Can’t
wait!
Happy New Year
This concludes our notes on
2018, another tremendous year of RVing!
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