Leaving Phoenix
On the morning of November 7, 2017, we were preparing to break camp at the Cotton Lane RV and Mobile Home Resort, in Goodyear, AZ, close to Phoenix. Our goal was to reach the Catalina Spa and RV Resort, in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
I woke up a half-hour before the alarm. My dreams had me busy cutting trees! I guess the exercise helped me to sleep well!
The night before, we had previewed the sights to see around our next home site. Catalina had two pools and 482 back-in sites!
Our Drive Details
Our neighbor, David, who lived in California, warned me about the speed limit of 55 mph for trucks applied to RVs, as well. So, I kept behind trucks and still averaged 60 mph.
The scenery from Goodyear, AZ, to Desert Hot Springs, CA, was drabber than I expected. We were on the edge of a desert region. Although we went through a valley, which was near sea level, Catalina was at 960 feet, similar to Goodyear.
At a rest stop, late morning, I had to take a short nap. The 20 laps I did in the pool, yesterday, must have caught up with me.
About 1:30 p.m., Pacific Time, we stopped for lunch at the Chiriaco Summit Restaurant. The food was very good, including the cheesecake for dessert. This place was founded by a man from Alabama, in the 1930’s, as a gas station and restaurant on the trail from Phoenix. They did not get electricity there until 2000! Until then, they used generators.
General George Patton
Next door to the restaurant was the George Patton Museum. Why here? We were near where Patton’s Desert Training took place. I am a fan of General Patton, so we toured the museum. It was worth the price, even though we hurried through it. I will take more time, next time.
Confusion in Catalina
Upon our arrival at Catalina Spa and RV Resort, we were escorted to our site by the camp electrician. He stopped us from hooking up, since we had reserved a 30-amp site and would have to use a pigtail converter for our 50-amp RV system. They did not allow that.
Fortunately, he was able to call the office and arrange for a suitable site.
A Day to Get Our Bearings
We had arranged this off-season stay with our Passport America membership—10 days at half price!
Just south of us, across I-10 Highway, was Palm Springs. And, to our north, we had access to Joshua Tree National Park.
We would have time to drive around to see things unknown, later. We were only two hours from the coast, however, we planned to find a spot much closer before making that trip.
A School About the Pool
The water in the hot tub and the main pool was from a hot mineral spring. The locals informed us that the bugs in the pool had arrived only a couple days earlier. They came from the Salton Sea. This was part of an annual migration. Lucky us! We were advised that they would cling to us but will not bite. Connie was not a fan of this situation. I just swam and enjoyed the warm water in the pool and the hot tub, which was very large and oblong, holding maybe ten people.
A New Frontier
We were in a part of California unlike any we had seen in books or on TV. This would be another adventure into the unknown.
My next post will be about the next day, when we go to the Joshua Tree National Park. Until then, safe travels!