Wherever I go, there it is.

We took our usual walk with Gus this morning, went a little different way. On the way back, I suddenly saw a jazzercize studio! I excitedly went over to it, to see the schedule, only to find a class in session. The sign in person ran out after me, telling me I could come to a free class. Well, I just joined right in! They quickly saw I was an experienced jazzercizer, as I knew the routines, and just fit right in! I only was there for about 1/2 a class, which was too bad, but I was so happy I found it. Unfortunately, we are leaving Redlands soon, so I probably won't go again. I thought, as I was dancing away in happy oblivion, that I should be an ad for the organization, as I pick up classes wherever I am ! Except upnorth, there is no jazzercize there. I will be lost and sad!

In the afternoon, we went to Palm Springs to play golf. Oh, it was lovely we do like this area, it's green, full of palm trees and beautiful foliage, really nice. It was about 90 degrees out, but you really couldn't tell in the dry heat, and I like that too. The golf course was very beautiful, just what you would think it would be, and we both played well, which is remarkable for us, as usually only one of us plays fairly well. Went out for dinner after that at a place called Billy something, I can't remember the name. Obviously a Palm Springs institution, very casual, many older people, huge menu. On the way out, we saw a dance class going on in their dancing hall, and couples, mostly old, practicing their dance moves. Very cool, and retro. Pat

I really liked Palm Springs, golf course was very nice. There are over a hundred courses in that area, so golf is big. This was a municipal course and was quite tough.

No teabagging allowed

We had a laid back day and played golf this afternoon. It was a nice course, but very busy today. While waiting at a tee box we were talking to a Korean couple. The man explained to me that he was not a Native Born American, and he sometimes doesn't understand political things. He said that in the newspaper today there was an article about people having a tea party. He couldn't quite get it.  I explained to him it was taking the idea of the original  Boston Tea Party,  to  protest tax hikes on tax day, and he then understood.   Pat then added that it was a Republican party thing, and that we liked Obama.  I did not explain to him what teabagging is, I thought that might really confuse him!

Too many pictures, too little time!

Today we went to the Huntington Gardens, in Pasadena. Melisa had told us about this from when she was there doing research several summers ago. What a gem this was! Have you heard of it? Huntington was a wealthy railroad baron who built an estate, with gardens, a library, and art museum, and left it to the public after his death. It is magnificent! The gardens are huge, we could not see all of them. We focused on the "desert gardens" and the "Japanese gardens", could have spent many more hours there. All the cacti were in bloom, in the garden, which is one reason why I took so many pictures. (you will have to follow the link to see all the many pictures) The Japanese gardens were wonderful. Melisa said she'd just come there and sit, just taking it all in. I can see how wonderful that would be, very spiritual and "mindful."

A beautiful place. A beautiful place in what we are coming to feel is somewhat of a vast wasteland! Pat



The L.A. area is not appealing to us. It is the very worst in planning and development in the country if not the world. Not only does it screw up their own ecosystem, but it also impacts the whole west because of the amount of water that they use. The Eastern part of the greater LA area is desert that is irrigated by water from the Colorado river. Believe it or not, there have been actual suggestions that we send Great Lakes water here as well. Well I for one think it is weird to see corn and wheat growing in the desert. Pat and I both agree that what the Bay area may lack in sun it gains in class and for me practical sense sustainability. We laugh because everything in that area is "local and sustainable". But I now have a new respect for that concept. Keep the desert a desert.

Another issue for me is even if it is a nice day, we are still in the desert.
We did like Pasadena, and there are pockets of habitability and some really nice things here. Redlands is a very nice, liveable area.

One of those spots is Huntington Gardens. I am so glad we got to see this place. Melisa was here a few summers ago on a grant to do some research. What a wonderful setting to work in. We were quite surprised at how grand it is.
Check it out at http://www.huntington.org/
Pictures for today are posted at http://picasaweb.google.com/danklim1/HuntingtonGardens#

Pat Can Cross this one off the Bucket List Now

Oh, you will all never guess what has been on my bucket list.   It all started with Sue Grafton's "G is for Gumshoe."   This book takes place near the Salton Sea, and the towns surrounding it.   I decided I had to see this before I  "kicked the bucket".    Don't ask me why, I get these obsessions that are illogical completely, and my family has been teasing me about this one for a long time!  (although Adam actually visited it too)    

It was everything I thought it would be--completely desolate!   The "sea" is quite large, similar to the Great Salt Lake, with no real shore where we were.  We only saw a small part of it, that was all I needed to feed my fix.    The area surrounding it was really not nice,  quite poverty stricken with old, run down trailer parks, dilapidated buildings, unkempt green areas, dirt roads.    This was what I had expected, though.   We met a couple in their 80's also taking in the view, and had an interesting talk with them.    The man told us some information about the area.    They were a cool couple, having been married a mere 2 years.   He was on his 5th wife, the other 4 having died!    

   A pleasant surprise was the drive there, through Box Canyon.   We had gone to the Joshua Tree National Park first, but only saw a little bit of it, so we didn't stay there long.   It was disappointing to learn that all the Joshua Trees were at the north end of the park, and too long a drove to do that, but we did see some interesting cacti.

 We then drove on a surface road from there to the Salton Sea, via a town called "Mecca", going through the Box Canyon.  It was very interesting, looked like a place where Hollywood filmed many Westerns.   At one point, we got out to take a picture, and I was calling Gus to come over to me, and my voice echoed all through the canyon!  I have never heard an echo like that, it was really cool.  On our way back, we drove on a surface road through Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and finally, Palm Springs.    Palm Desert seems to consist of one gated community after another, and we really couldn't see any of them.   The foliage was beautiful, though it's weird to see all this greenery in the midst of a desert.   We quickly grew tired of one development after another, and all the hidden golf courses.    Palm Springs, however, is different.   We didn't see much of it, but found the downtown, which is very charming.    It has cute stores and lively restaurants, casual and outdoorsy.    There are some really beautiful buildings built in the 50's style, that probably do date back to the 50's when Sinatra ruled the place.  It's not glitzy or as hoi polloi as the other nearby communities.

On our way back home, we hit some very good outlet malls and a casino, so we spent a little time at these.    We aren't doing much shopping, however---we need nothing, and we are saving our money for travel, not for clothing.    Plus, we had Gus in the car and it is warm out.   

Oh, the weather is very different here.  It was windy today, but that does not describe it!   It is "WINDY"!     The clouds are dark from sand, and as you walk in the wind, you get all this grit on you that is sand.    The palm trees are swaying from the wind, and Dan had to do the driving as it was very strong.

So here is my question for the day---why is the Great Salt Lake called a "lake", and the Salton Sea called a "sea"?     

Another question----do you know how the Salton Sea was formed?   

Yosemite--Looking for Sam

We hit the road on Saturday for the start of our return to Michigan. Packing and leaving was hard on many levels. First the physical part of finding, packing, and loading all of our stuff after two and a half months was quite taxing. Second, leaving and moving back from California was difficult.

We headed to Yosemite later than we anticipated. When we got to Mariposa we decided to spend the night there, because by the time we would have gotten to the park, it would have been dark. We found a delightful little motel called the Little Rock Inn. Vicki was the owner. We found out that she had spent four months in Lucca, near where we had stayed in Italy. The motel is a small place built in 1941 that has been completely redone.   We found it from our Frommers book, but she is also in Lonely Planet.  When we awoke on Sunday she had a home made breakfast ready. 
She loved Gus, and loved us too, giving us a friendly hug.   I think I will add her to Yelp!

We then went to the park, where the waterfalls were flowing profusely. It was very busy, as it was Easter Sunday, and the water is seasonal. We were surprised at the diversity of terrain, and the overall beauty of this place. Once more I was impressed at the foresight of those who protected such places with the National Park system. As we were hiking to Yosemite falls, we saw a crowd gathering, and there was a Bobcat hunting a squirrel. It was pretty cool and I was able to get a good picture of it.  Some of the park is still closed for winter.   We could have spent days in this park, but didn't really have the time to do that.    I think when you go to National Parks, you either have to decide to spend your whole time there to take advantage of some of the activities, or you just visit and get an overview.

Here is a link to our pictures.   http://picasaweb.google.com/danklim1/Yosemite#









After we left the park, we headed for Redlands via the Harris Ranch, as per a suggestion from our Novato neighbor Phillip. It was an interesting place and the lunch was very good. We then headed for Redlands, trying to avoid freeway traffic. It was a long trip, but we made it to the house. This is part of a house trade and we are quite happy with this place. It is large, has a nice yard, and Redlands is a nice quite community.

Monday we hung out in the area and took a bike ride.  We were very tired from our travels and just wanted to have a relaxing day.  The weather here is glorious, we had a glass of wine out on the patio.