AdventurePoser Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Well, I finally had a day off, the weather was fantastic, and the Big Pig had a full tank of gas. The conditions were perfect for a ride. At the crack of nine I waved goodbye to Jennifer and took off for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. Traffic was light and I was able to blast along at a pretty good clip all the way past Banning and up into the pass. As I reached the crest, I saw what looked to be fog blanketing the entire Coachella Valley... Well, it wasn't fog, but rather a temperature inversion which put a cap of cold air right on the desert floor. Of course, trapped in that cap was a blanket of smoke, haze, auto exhaust, and what smelled like every other pollutant known to man. Not nice! Fortunately, as the temps rose, the inversion began to dissipate, and the ride got a lot nicer. Stopped at Salton Sea for a few quick pix. Salton Sea, once the dream of So Cal land developers, is a dead sea. With no fresh water coming in, the water is becoming increasingly salty. Run off of agricultural products into the lake help insure a toxic environment for any fish hardy enough to survive! The smell of rotting fish was overpowering here: Broken dreams: While taking pictures I came across a couple of guys and a scantily clad young woman who were apparently making a music video at the Marina. The producer told me the other guy was a rap star, and they wanted a "post apocalyptic" setting for the video. Apparently the post apocalyptic world includes hot chicks and rap music, which I Am Good With... And, btw, sorry no pix of the hot chick or rap star as their "people" firmly requested no photography... Anyway, I selected first gear from the R1150GSA's gear bag, and off I went, heading for S 22 and the Anza Borrego Desert. Beautiful riding out here. Very few people, and sweeping panoramas of mountains, cactus, blue sky and clouds. Very nice! The Anza Borrego means different things to different people. For some, it's off-road riding, for others, it's the photography, especially in the spring time when the desert blooms. If we get a little more rain, the scenery will be fantastic around March and April. Meanwhile, I slowed down for Borrego Springs, a little town perched on the lee side of the Borrego mountains. Nice place. I've often thought to come back and spend a weekend here, soaking in the hot springs and enjoying the views! Soon I climbed out into the twisties. Traffic was light and riding was paradise! It's a good idea to not pay too much attention to the scenery. It's a long way down! The Big Pig... Desert Flora: Great riding up here today. Virtually no other bikes except for an occasional Airhead coming the other way. Apparently there was an Airhead campout off of CA 111 somewhere near Bombay Beach, Salton Sea. Here's another view of the valley... Eventually the road spills out onto San Diego Co Rd S2. Lots of wonderful options here! I chose to head to toward Warner Springs, Ranchita, and then home. 370 miles later, I pulled into my driveway, happy that I could enjoy some of the best roads the desert has to offer! Here are few more pics, in no particular order...first is a cool help that was lifting poles and setting them into the ground near S22/S2: Near Ranchita... And finally, a self portrait! Thanks for coming along for the ride. Link to comment
Lmar Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Nice ride, I enjoy the pics. I'm envious, I'm stuck here with 3 feet of snow and -20 temperatures. Link to comment
AdventurePoser Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thanks. The weather today was even better, but I had a bunch of things I needed to get done around the house... LOL Steve Link to comment
C_Williams Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Steve, Nice Photographs. The weekend before last I also went toward the Coachella Valley/Salton Sea area looking for fun at the beach “Bombay Beach” and a little Salvation Link to comment
ryan_a1982 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Ahhh, Leonard Knight and Salvation Mountain. I have been down in the Salton Sea area for a while lately for work (Hydrogeology). Here are some pics that I took: Salton Sea That place is amazing this time of year, it doesn't smell too bad and doesn't melt your skin. Great ride report. Ride safe! Link to comment
AdventurePoser Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Salton Sea is really a weird area to ride in. Here is a strange bike we encountered at the Bombay Beach Restaurant... More pix on Smug Mug I will post later....weird internet connection tonite. Steve Link to comment
Bruce H Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 WAY NICE! Thanks for the photos. Link to comment
AdventurePoser Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 WAY NICE! Thanks for the photos. Thanks, it's always lots of fun riding around out there, except when the wind is blowing like stink, which it is wont to do occasionally. Steve in So Cal Link to comment
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