Palms to Pines

Jan 25/15 Sunday   High of 80 today and sunny so up in the mountains it will be about 60 (we hope).  Time to go for a ride.   In the side bags we load our leather jackets and chaps.... will need them up top.

Palm Springs and Desert Cities in the distance

Nice day for a ride

The Pines to Palms Hwy (hwy 74) from Palm Desert twists and climbs and switches back on itself till you find yourself at an overlook;  we pull over amongst a group of riders to see the view.  From the top you can look out on all the desert cities below.  Pretty nice view from about 6000 plus.    Time to put the leathers on before we head on to a small mountain town, Idyllwild .

Sat by the fireplace for a bowl of soup in Idyllwild

This highway is a beautiful ride and aptly named as you start out with palm trees and arid desert conditions then through ragged rocky terrain and climb to an area that is a conifer forest with many horse ranches in the San Bernadino National Forest.

Road is cut through the rock

Even snow capped higher peaks can be seen as you look beyond.
After leaving Idyllwild we catch another scenic drive the Banning Idyllwild Panoramic Hwy (hwy 243).   We were once again twisting and hanging on the sides of the range along Mount San Jacinto State Park.   The peak tops out at 10,834 feet.  When we come down into Banning we head east and loop back to Palm Springs.   The ride is about 120 miles and a great ride.   It's amazing we leave the RV park in a t-shirt and jeans and with in an hour we add our jackets and chaps and leave them on for the remainder of the high part of the ride; and glad we had them!!!