Another hike--The Grottos on 1-23-13

Come hiking with us to the Grottos...see what you missed!

 

Another Senior hike...all 25 of us heading up to get our first look at the Salton Sea.   We drove 30 minutes out to the Mecca Hills Wilderness area just east of Box Canyon.  This hike was a 5 miler (seemed much longer, however), was a 300 foot elevation gain (seemed higher, too), and is classified as an easy/moderate...WRONG..it is difficult (technically).  You'll see.

 

Here are Georgina and Danae at the top...Salton Sea in the background.  They are aqua fitness buddies of mine, too.  Talked them into hiking with the group.

 

 

The Grotto Hike was one of our favorites last year...such interesting caves and terrain...and we couldn't wait to do it again.   They call this area Rainbow Rocks...and you can see why.

 

Some of us named this one...Pig nose Mountain.  Can you see why?

 

Had to hike about a mile to get to the first slot...we're heading in.

 

Now we're getting back into the Grottos...could either go in this way through the slot (which I did) as many other women, too

OR

 

...scramble over the boulders like many of the men did.

 

This took us to the first Grotto (or cave)...have to bring flashlights or wear head lamps (I forgot both), but others lit the way for us.  If one is claustrophobic...this hike is not for you.

 

This is what ya saw when you looked up...doesn't truly show you the perspective, but it was a long way up there.  From here we scrambled up some big boulders again...and waited to go down into another grotto.  This is where one of the men slipped and almost landed down a 10 foot hole.  Boy, he was scraped up, but landed on his backpack...which saved him.

 

Here's Allan rappelling down about 15 feet...I was next.  Had to hold on tight, but others were waiting below to assist us.  This is when the head lamp would have been nice. 

 Can you believe we're all SENIORS doing this sort of stuff...crazy!

 

Now Danae is coming down...would never ever do this hike without a group...everybody helps each other.

 

I'm down...I'm in!

 

Still in the canyons...another slot is waiting behind us, however.

 

From that slot we had to maneuver through some more technical areas...I'm already through...Allan is on his way.

 

Here's our fearless leader, Paul, the last one through...and I kept telling him that this is not an EASY HIKE!

 

One of the last major slots to go through...I think Allan is smilin' there.

[I think it is a grimace! ake]

 

Starting the ascent out of the canyon...that's Allan (the 2nd one).  He doesn't like climbing out.

 

But once out...the hills are magnificent.  You can see why they call it the Painted Canyons.

 

And we ended up on top again...(Allan named this one 'Heartbreak') was a little tricky coming down.  That's Allan at the bottom.  I scooted down on my behind part of the descent.  Was kind of scarey...as we all gave each other plenty of room...just is case someone started sliding.

 

And, ended up at this Palm Oasis.  This is where we picked up one of the Seniors...he stayed at the Oasis while the rest of us hiked in (he was having a heatstroke).  We definitely didn't want to have to carry him out.

 

Allan and I had one last hole to go through...before we hit Misery and Agony (Allan named those the last two climb-outs).

The group thins out as we're climbing out.  Here's Allan on Agony...almost done.

 

And we all made it...the group at the top of Agony.

Another adventure in the desert. 

After looking at the pictures of the hike...what were we thinking?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January in Review -- Lots going on!

Now that the New Year has started...our calendar quickly filled up with all the activities happening in the desert.

To start...Allan decided that we needed to add more nutcrackers to our "little" collection.  We had only 6 at the beginning of Christmas...then after hitting all of the sales after the holidays...this is what we ended up with.  Okay, Allan, you can stop now!

 

One of my first activities was hiking with the "Friends of the Desert Mountains"

...yep, I'm a mountain woman!  Here I am with Carolyn, my friend from Canada...we're hiking buddies, as well as, boot camp, aqua fitness & concert buddies, too. 

She goes when Allan doesn't and when I don't...she goes with Allan.

 

This was a guided hike (The Art Smith trail) starting from the Santa Rosa National Monument in Palm Desert...it was an up, up, up...

 

and I made it up...was about a 4 miler round-trip

 

We stopped at the first Oasis...had a volunteer guide who is interning at the Monument...is a biology major...and knew so much about the valley...

 

...the plant life...I learned a lot!

 

Then the first week of January...it was Bowl season...didn't miss a one!   Love college football!

 

But we did squeeze in a FREE Linda Ronstadt Tribute show at the La Quinta Museum and later that night a FREE Rolling Stones Tribute concert at Spotlight 29 Casino (1-04)...you would have thought Mick was on stage...wow!  I even got up and danced stageside...Allan was amazed.  I don't even like the Stones...couldn't help myself.  And took in Sunday Sounds "Hotflash" at the PD Library on 1-06 (that's a group, not how I feel).  A great country/bluegrass group from up at Idyllwild.

 

Had invites to dinner at neighbors, neighbors to our house for dinner, Happy Hours here & there while Allan & Richard continued working on lots of projects around the house (they got to eat some, too)...sheet rocked the garage...painted it, painted the office...

 

...and replaced the white plastic fence in our back yard with the black wrought iron.  Golfers had broken some of the fencing with their terrific shots.

 

yep...they were busy little beavers...

 

But I let Allan have a day off for a hike with the Senior group on 1-06 (he wished he had stayed home after the hiking)...The Boo Hoff Trail from Lake Cahuilla to the Laquinta Cove...just a mere 7 miler...up one side of the mountain...

 

...beautiful views of the valley (the Salton Sea in the background)...interesting terrain...

 

...a 2,000 foot elevation gain and considered a strenuous hike

...we're at the top now...resting!

 

..and the down hill begins...that's the LaQuinta Cove down in the valley.

Needless to say...we were exhausted by the time we got to the Cove, but another great hike.

(Allan didn't think so.)

 

I just love hiking...'cuz I get to take pictures of my favorite...cacti.

 

Okay...so much for hiking...

We continue to enjoy the Chef's at the Library...on 1-10 the Chef was from the Aqua Caliente Spa Resort...he fixed risotto...stirred and stirred and stirred.  Don't think I'll ever make it from scratch. 

On 1-17 was the Chef from Roy's..he made suishi...seems too complicated for me, but was tasty.  Don't think I'll ever make that one either.  So why am I going?

 

We also worked in more Sunday Sounds...1-13 the Palm Desert High School jazz band played...FANTASTIC...and we don't even like jazz. 

On 1-19 we took in an evening performance of "Always Patsy Cline" at the Indio Performing Arts Center.  Allan had a cameo, dancing with the show's co-star, when she was to dance with a HOT cowboy during one of Patsy's songs.  Well, he was probably the youngest man in the audience and certainly was the only one with boots and a Stetson!  That's as close to HOT as he comes now-a-days. 

 

 

On 1-20, the Swing Kittens (all college students) from Long Beach were performing...the 21st century Andrews Sisters.  FANTASTIC, too!  Wish I were young again...I'd be a Swing Kitten!

 

Also took in a car cruise on El Paseo on 1-18...lots of classic cars cruising up and down the streets...next cruise we're heading out in our '72 Corvette.  And, same evening headed out to the Spotlight 29 Casino to hear Revolver...a Beatles Tribute band.  Another great concert! 

 

So that catches us up for now...we're playing tennis on T & Th; I'm boot camping  & aqua fitnessing on MWF, too.  Have to work off all of those Happy Hours.  While some of you are skiing...we're trying to find our place in the Sun here.  Think we've found it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How we started the New Year...the Rose Bowl Parade

It all started @ 4:45 a.m. on New Year's Day...loading the bus in LaQuinta for the two hour trip to Pasadena.

The perfect way to go to the Rose Bowl Parade...a luxury bus ride with a continental breakfast for each....(3 bus loads of "old farts")

 

...dropped us off 3 blocks from our grandstand...just a short walk.

Here's Richard (Allan's brother) and Allan chuggin' along.

 

...and reserved grandstand seats for the parade.

Yep...that's us..a little chilly...looks like we're going skiing, huh?...

it is Southern California, you know.

Here's our grandstand...yeah, no trees in front....perfect view for the parade.

 

And the first float arrives...the theme...

"Oh the Places You'll Go!"

 

And the floats were magnificent...hard to imagine they are all made with flowers.

 

If you didn't get to see the parade (like Bonne)...then here is a re-cap...

 

 

 

 

Isn't this one cute?

NOTE:  I took even more pictures of floats, but didn't want to bore you.

 

And then we were treated to the bands...wow...they were big! 

 Here is one of our favorites...Morgantown, W.Va. (where West Virginia University is located...my alma mater).

We just couldn't figure out why so many people in our grandstand had on W.Va. sweatshirts...and then came the band...the grandstand went crazy! 

 

So there you have it...another thing checked off our bucket list!

And, Allan even said it was "worth the trip!"

(That is a smile on his face, you know.)