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Palm Desert Weekend Ride 2009 By Michelle Kashima A total of
10 riders and 3 sag vehicles took off early Friday morning on October 16, 2009
from our start hotel at Best Western Anaheim Hills and pointed our front wheels
toward Palm Desert. This year
we turned onto the Santa Ana River Trail from the hotel we were welcomed by no
wind in our face! We were all happy. We
traveled through Corona and to our first sag in Riverside before riding down
beautiful Victoria Avenue. We then
climbed up Arlington and after that the long climb of Alessandro before heading
into flat Moreno Valley. Whooshed down
Redlands Avenue to San Timoteo where Marcy was
waiting with nice cold water and Gatorade.
From San Timoteo we encountered our first BIG
signs of a really strong head wind for at least 10 miles until we turned and
headed toward our lunch stop in Beaumont. Lunch was
a very welcome sight for all the riders, with Lee Stebbins and Jeff Rich
supplying all the chef expertise in making our sandwiches (and very good I
might add). Jeff made sure the hand
sanitizer and baby wipes were out and used (at the encouragement of Michelle…lol) for all those “dirty, stinkin
paws.” After a
good lunch it was off through Banning, Cabazon (which we tried a slightly different
route but won’t continue it) and then YES!!! Palm Springs. We made our turn off highway 111 just across
from the Palm Springs tram entrance. From there
we cruised through the back side of Palm Springs to our next and last sag
stop. Then a quick pop down highway 111
to Palm Desert and our host hotel. It was
hotter this year than last year so our weary group checked in, took showers and
rested before heading down to the hotels private dinning
area for some pizza (thanks to Lynne for picking it up), salad, wine, beer,
cookies and brownies. Six members
(including the president) from Desert Bicycle Club came by with some more
pizza, salad and drinks and we all had a great time. Then it
was off to sleep before waking up on Saturday, and for those with strong legs,
i.e.: Liz Clark and Doris Bingo (GO
GIRLS!) a nice 50 mile ride with the folks at Desert Bicycle Club. I hear all the guys drafted behind Liz and
Doris all 50 miles…..Wimps! All those
weary legs then relaxed at the home of Bob & Evelyn Burks Saturday evening
for a welcomed BBQ of hamburgers, orzo salad, fresh fruit and of course the
usual beer and wine. That is until Bob
came out and offered up a little stronger elixir! Would you believe that almost half our group
ran inside to get their glasses filled!!
Party! After
desert of homemade carrot cake the bunch all landed in the jacuzzi with Liz and Greg Clark testing out the
pool. What a fun evening. Thank you Bob and Evelyn for opening up your
beautiful home, pool and jacuzzi
to us for the second year in a row! Then a
good nights rest and early rise for the ride back to
Best Western in Anaheim Hills, with 8 riders and 4 sag vehicles. The route
back is a little different by knocking out San Timoteo
and a climb into Moreno Valley, opting instead for a nice long descent from
Beaumont into Hemet Valley, Lake Perris and picking back up the route out in
Moreno Valley heading down once again beautiful Victoria Avenue in Riverside
and then our last sag stop in Corona. After that a fairly quick stint on the Santa Ana River Trail before
turning into Best Western Anaheim Hills. What a
great weekend! Thanks OCW!! The only
expense to members on this ride was their group rate hotel rooms at the
Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Palm Desert, and of course any shopping or
sightseeing that was done on Saturday!! You can’t
ask for a better little weekend (working on your bike) vacation. However
without the generosity of our members help this yearly member ride would not be
possible. So I also want to thank our
great sag support team: Lee
Stebbins – team food sag Jeff Rich
– team food sag Marcy
Vaughan – water/Gatorade sag Lynne
Billie – Photography Alan Vester – Sunday water/food/Gatorade sag The middle
of the desert is a lonely place to be unless you have the support of many! Thanks to all. Pictures
to come soon! Please check back. |
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