Emerald Desert, Palm Desert, CA 12 Jan 2014

Here we are set up at our site at Emerald Desert RV Resort, Palm Desert, CA.  We have been in this same site for 3 years.  It is at the end of a cul de sac with only 4 other RVs.  It is large site with no one on the driver's side.  

 

Behind us and outside the park are some attractive Spanish-style condos with the mountains behind them.

Along with the Jeep, we have a motorcycle and two bicycles.  The motorcycle allows us both to have independent transportation.  The bicycles are great for getting around the large park and for exercise.

This is the view outside our door.  That is a golf green with a pond behind it.  

 The combination of strong winds on the the Los Angeles side of the mountains and the sun setting, created this glorious end to daylight.

On the Road Again 28 Dec 2013 through 3 Jan 2014

 We delayed leaving Portland, OR until after our dental appointments.  We drove south on I-5 and saw frozen fog above us.

 The further we went, the more the fog came down to meet us.

 The frost on the grass came right to the road.  We stopped early at John's Landing RV Park in Grants Pass, OR.

 The next morning the fog left us as we got past Medford, OR, but we could see that it would be a temporary reprieve.

 As we climbed to the Siskiyou Summit, there was snow beside the road, but the pavement was dry.

 This was the view as we came down from the summit.

 We weren't the only RVers heading south.  There were many on the road.

 California was close and the sun felt like it, but we weren't out of the snow yet.

 There is California!

We have not seen Mt. Shasta this bare in the winter.  California is having a serious drought.  With this little snow on the mountain, there is little hope that there will be relief soon.

 The west side of Mt. Shasta was even barer.

 Lake Shasta has looked like this since 2008, when we began making this, almost, annual trip.  I just looked at the photos we took that year to be sure.

 We could drive further, but we love to stop at Durango RV Resort, Red Bluff, CA.  It is a wonderful park and the days are warm.  There is a grocery across the street and a favorite Mexican restaurant, Los Mariachis is only blocks away.  Our reservation in Palm Desert, CA doesn't start until Jan. 3, so we decided to stay here for a couple of days.  Our next stop was at Kit Fox RV Park, Patterson, CA.  It was good for an overnight.

 We leave I-5 at CA 49 and drive to Hwy 99.  This truck made us smile.  The arrow on the left says, "Passing Side".  The one on the right says "Suicide".  We had just had a car pass us on the right on I-5.  It is so scary when people do that.

We hate Hwy 99.  It is rough, lanes on the right disappear onto exits, lanes are narrow, there are lots of big rigs, signage is lousy, and it goes through "lovely" Bakersfield.  Our reward is this RV park on the other side of Bakersfield. If you have followed our blog, you have seen or heard about it before.  It is Orange Grove RV Park.  It was built in an orchard.  Guests may pick all the oranges they want.  The park even provides long poles with pickers on the end.  The next day we drove over the Tehachapi Pass and down CA 395 to I-10 and Palm Desert.  There are pictures of that route in previous years.