Painted Canyon / Mecca Hills East of Indio

So this one is mostly just the pictures from our hike in and near Painted Canyon. It was an hour’s drive east of here and we didn’t arrive until just after 3pm. With the sun setting at about 5, we only had about an hour in and out. The sun was at a pretty steep angle right from the start so most photos contain a lot of contrast – bright upper walls, dark down below. This is a pretty wide ‘slot’ canyon, if you can call it that – we may have gone down the wrong canyon. Unless the website provides pictures it can be challenging to find the right canyon among many small ones. But, it was fairly colorful and typically twisty-windy. Elevation gain was only 100′ and very gradual but a mile out we run into a set of ladders. Otherwise the rock scrambling would have been very difficult.

Andrea and Sasha have pictures of carrying Luna in Sasha’s hood on his sweatshirt over the ladders. It might have been an eye opener for Sasha. He and Luna were photo’d by about a dozen young women “she’s so cute” (really meaning, sorry Chris, “He’s so cute”) while he was carrying her up and down the ladders. In fact they were most likely new Sasha groupies. I speak from my experience in 1984 when Bree was a baby and taking her to Roosevelt Field Mall in short-shorts and being swarmed by hotties. My business model for rent-a-baby at local colleges ran into some licensing problems. I suppose the company name, Pervert King, was ahead of its time. But, apparently, I digress again.

At one point we looked back to the west and the misty clouds swirl enough in front of the sun to produce a little ball-rainbow.

Luna was off leash most of the time and loved to lead the way.

On the way out the sky started turning pink, purple, red and indigo blue.

And finally, the five mile washboard dirt road provided a view of the infamous Salton Sea. Please look it up in your spare time. Oh yeah, it’s Monday and you need anything to avoid work. The Salton Sea has a very interesting history. Look it up. Really.

So we went back to the All-Star Burger across the street from the RV park. On the way I was blown away by the number of RV’s heading west. I guess it’s time after Jan 1.

Leaving here tomorrow, heading 1.4 miles south of here to Catalina Spa &RV Park for three more nights. Not really moving. Then we’re going west to a surprise location. Hint: George Carlin, Telephone Booth Time Traveller. What number are you thinking? Napolean, Lincoln, Genghis Khan, Sigmund Friend and more.

We’ll try to document the area, then store the RV to fly back to COS to see Leo and family. And get shot in the back again. It’s a new Medicare year.

So here’s a question, and I encourage responses. I was thinking earlier about my favorite takeout food. If we were in N.Y., it would be pizza, and if they had a rep for great Sicilian, it would be that. But we’re not so that suddenly opens the field. But just one? Late at night after drinking too much and, of course, having a designated driver, two MickieD cheeseburgers and fries. Or, a Taco Bell Enchirito, a been burrito, and crispy taco. But most reliable and most ordered of all fast foods is a Subway, Italian bread with turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onions, banana peppers, if they have them, pepperoncini, and a few jalapeno slices, salt and pepper with extra mayo AND oil and vinegar. What is your favorite?

The verdict is in. We like the entire Palm Springs area. We’ll be back.