We left Los Angeles on the freeway the following morning, & although the traffic was heavy by UK standards, it was less busy than usual because it was a Sunday. We try to stay off the freeways whenever possible, but sometimes they're a necessary evil to get to the better roads quickly. Kevin & Monica again joined us for the ride, & we eventually turned off the fast-flowing freeway & on to the amazing route 74 Ortega Highway. This is a peach of a road, all sweeping curves & S-bends, & from my viewpoint at the back of the group I could see how much they were enjoying the twists & flowing curves ahead.
Time for a refreshing cold drink, & we pulled up at Hell's Kitchen, another favourite biker's hang-out, & the place was buzzing with motorcyclists out for a Sunday ride. Inside the cafe they have a unique feature - a full sized black coffin adorned with painted flames & a curious lever by the side of it. Pull the lever, & the lid will slowly open to reveal ... ketchup, mustard, pickles & other condiments to enhance your burger & fries! They also have voodoo-style totem poles, a wall made of skulls (not real ones, they're sort of cast from concrete), & a lady selling biker leathers & strange, studded leather underwear - well, it takes all sorts, doesn't it? We could have stayed there a lot longer, soaking up the atmosphere & chewing the fat with other riders, but the road beckoned, & we had places to go.
Back on to Ortega, & the twists & turns continued as we began the descent towards Lake Elsinore & Palm Springs. Temperatures were around 40 celsius when we stopped at a viewpoint overlooking Palm Springs, so we took a few photos, including the one of Clare & Steve above, had a cold drink from the coolbox, & said our goodbyes to Kevin & Monica who were leaving us to ride back to LA. We only had another 25 miles or so to reach our hotel, but Kevin & Monice would ride for another 3 hours before they reached home. Tough cookies, these Californian bikers!
It got hotter & hotter as we descended in to Palm Springs, a beautiful oasis in the desert, famous for it's immaculate golf courses. How much water it must take to keep them looking so lush & green in the intense heat doesn't bear thinking about, also the misters constantly spraying a fine mist outside the bars & restaurants to keep the patios & doorways cool & inviting to customers. After a refreshing dip in the pool, our guests were ready to explore the town in search of sustenance & entertainment, & happily found both. John & I spoke to Beryl & Bob on the phone; they were still in San Francisco awaiting details of their flight home.
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