Southern California mini-tour, Thanksgiving 2004

Thanksgiving 2004, Kate, John, and I headed southeast from John's home in San Pedro, CA towards Julian, CA and points south and east. We had with us the excellent book by Clement Salvadori, Motorcycle Journeys Through California.

We headed south on the I-5, then had Thanksgiving lunch at the Denny's in San Juan Capistrano. East from there on the Ortega Highway (74), a fine road. We turned south off that just after Lake Elsinore, passing by (and visiting) Mission San Antonio De Pala, Mount Palomar (and the famous observatory, with SNOW on the ground), and Mission Santa Ysabel on our way to Julian, or first night's stop. Thanksgiving dinner was at a restaurant in Julian.

Friday, we took one of Clement's scenic loops south from Julian, on which we visited a scenic overlook that was also the launch point for a hang gliding club. There were several home-made grave markers here, and I don't know the story behind them, but it was definitely wierd.

The loop returned us to Julian, and then we headed east into Anza-Borrega Desert towards the town of Borrega Springs for lunch. We then swung south and had another marvelous run south nearly to the Mexican border, and then east to El Centro, CA, our second night's stop.

Saturday, we headed north from El Centro, and followed the east coast of the Salton Sea up to near Joshua Tree National Forest. There is a road through Joshua Tree that is just a fantastic ride, with the most surreal vegetation and landscape to see.

At the northern exit from Joshua Tree, we started the grind back to LA. Unfortunately, after almost two weeks rain free, NOW we hit a storm. The front passing through increased the winds in the San Gorgonio Pass where I-10 cuts throught the mountains from their normal high (see the windmills) rate to scary gusts that threatened to blow us (on our bodywork-enclosed bikes) into the next lane or three.

Then we hit the rain, and the traffic jams. It wasn't pretty, or fun, and we eventually stopped at a motel, figuring we could fight traffic for two or three hours in the rain at night, or we could sleep now and get home in an hour the next morning.

Last picture is of the Lomita Railroad Museum, which we visited on Sunday after we rode back home. A nice little museum, it's very comprehensive, thought it doesn't have much in the way of rolling stock.

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