Sunday, January 17, 2010

Desert Hot Springs Ca. - Joshua Tree NP and Palm Springs Windmills 1/8 - 1/12

Windmills near Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs.





After leaving Casa Grande we boogied to Desert Hot Springs Ca. and settled into Sands RV and Golf resort. This is an older RV park with narrow, short sights, but a very nice and challenging 9 hole golf course. I enjoyed.

The second day we were there we went into Joshua tree NP which is about 30 miles from the valley. This park is on a desert Plateau almost 5200 feet above where we were in Desert Hot Springs. Named after the very plentiful Joshua Tree, this park was formed by volcanic activity that has left very unique rock formations in many parts of the park. We entered from the north and probably saw about 35% of this beautiful place.

We started with a ride through a section called Hidden Valley to Keys View which is a lookout at 5185ft. The ranger at the lookout pointed out where the San Andreas Fault goes through the valley below, and told us that our view from right to left was between 150 and 175 miles. It was incredible. We could see the Sulton Sea which is a large body of salt water whose surface is 226ft below sea level. It was a very beautiful view of Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and many of the desert towns that are the playgrounds of the rich, and the wintering areas for many many snowbirds.

After the lookout we had lunch at a picnic area near Hidden Valley, within the park, before we joined a tour of Keys Queen Ranch. This tour is lead by a ranger and it took us a couple of miles up a dirt road to a ranch where Bill and Frances Keys raised five children during the 60 years they lived and worked in this valley. Bill Keys died in 1969 and was buried on the farm with his wife and two of his children.
The farm had no running water, no electricity, and of course no sewers. The very neat thing about this place was the fact that the park service left everything as it was when the Key's lived there and the ranger had an incredible amount of information about how the Keys lived because the elderly children are still alive and have contributed to the information. These people were very hardy and industrious people and it is amazing how they survived for 60 years in the desert.

After the tour we did one of the short hiking trails that went to a dam just behind the Keys Ranch. This dam is one of many that were constructed by the Keys family and others to give them the water needed to survive in the desert.

We thoroughly enjoyed our day in the park and would suggest a visit if you get to this area. This park is unique and like all of our nations parks they belong to us.

The valley below the park is full of windmills. Our guesstimate is that on the hills and in the valley itself there are probably 1500 to 2000 of them if not more. It is of course a great thing in terms of the environment but it is my opinion they are an eyesore in an area that has unique natural beauty. Pictures above.

From Desert Hot Springs we took two days to get to San Francisco RV in Pacifica CA. about 10 miles from San Fran. It is now Sunday night (1/17/2010) and tomorrow is the big event. We have spent the past four days with Jen and Magnus helping them out around the house and going out to eat. My next post will include the pictures we have all been waiting for.
Pics of Joshua Tree and the tour below.

Life doesn't get any better. I Love You family.






Keys Queen Ranch in Joshua Tree NP

Indian Petroglyphs on Barker Dam (1mile) trail in Joshua Tree NP
Barker Dam Trail

Yucca (Barker Dam Trail)


Keys Family Burial Plot



Keys Queen Ranch




Deisel chain drive truck (Still Runs)





Solid Rubber Tires






My mom used one of these in the 50's







Key Family Home (Now part of Joshua Tree NP)








This one doesn't run anymore but it was the do all truck on the farm









Hot Springs Ca. - Joshua Tree NP

San Andreas Fault from Keys View
Keys View Lookout at Joshua Tree NP

Keys View


Granite formations At Joshua Tree NP



Joshua Trees and Granite formations
Sands RV and Golf Resort, Hot Springs Ca.





California Sunset from our campsite in Sands RV