February 2011 to Palm Springs, Phoenix

DESERT HOT SPRINGS (California)
The timing was good to meet up with several friends down south. We first spent a week in Desert Hot Springs (half price as we had visited in October), and saw a bit more of the area including driving the Palms to Pines highway up to 6,000 ft at I? Cool weather and power cuts limited our activities. The good news was we got a refund for 3 more days.
I was really glad to be able to meet up with ex work colleague Joscelyn and Rick LeBlanc and learn about living down here, now that they have bought an apartment in Bermuda Dunes. They also bought 4 acres in Nova Scotia where they parked their RV and spend the summers there. What a perfect combination!
Meantime, we went to San Diego where I visited the great CircAid lymphedema specialists. They measured me for a support sleeve and made two that afternoon. Meantime, Ted and I enjoyed some retail therapy at a lovely mall nearby. Returning to Palm Springs, a windstorm blew in so we holed up for the night at a hotel, hit the outlet stores for an hour or so next morning (great Columbia hiking gear), and headed north to Joshua Tree National Park (left).
What a gorgeous park this is. Due to the freezing temperatures overnight, we passed on dry camping in the park and found a nice RV resort in 29 Palms. The hiking was spectacular but we were both out of shape but gradually warmed to is after 3 days. There are several stands of original California palms in oases in this area (photo left), lovely walks and well preserved either as state or national areas.
PHOENIX (Arizona)
On the way east to Phoenix, we followed the old highway 80, and saw some of the old sights from that bygone era. We headed south past the Salton Sea, the largest inland sea in N. America, but set in a windswept, high desert area where it seems nothing grows but mining plants! (left hike overlooking Salton Sea.)
Into Phoenix we first spent 3 days with Mark & Mary in Scottsdale. Unfortunately, Mark had to have emergency gall bladder surgery so their month south was cut in half. We had a great time together, walking, hiking, again some retail therapy at the high end Scottsdale emporium. One evening when Mark had a conference call, the 3 of us went to see "The Kings Speech" which later proved a big winner at the Oscars, a fine movie.
Moving on we headed to N.Phoenix and our friends Gail & Dan who have been coming here for 20 years and owned their home here for 17. We were given a warm welcome, always enjoy getting all the local news and gossip. Can't believe Dan will turn 80 this year, his golf and activities keep him in incredible shape.
Meantime, I found a very good lymphedema therapist in Scottsdale who tuned me up, and introduced me to the pneumatic massage (mini me as she described it) with a sleeve that bloows up and pressures the arm. I am seeing an improvement with the new sleeve (which I wear every night so far) and my normal pressure sleeves. But they are SOOOOOO hot here.
Heading south, we called in to see wine club buddies Bob & Barb, who insisted we stay for dinner and spend the night at their gorgeous house on the golf course in Mesa, really a suburb of Phoenix. Again, we got lots of good info on the local area, which may prove very useful if we spend more time here in future winters. It's hit and miss finding places to rent on the internet, some underplay their allure and others take it to complete new levels of lying!
Once out of Mesa, it was deserted high desert all around, and isolated huge towns of RVs. People come from all over the US and Canada to winter here. Some of these resorts are spectacular, $55 a night for us one-nighters! Others look dreary to the nth degree. Shopping in the large towns is good and you can see how much cheaper you can live in this environment if you stay a while and shop at Costco and Walmart!
On the way we stopped off at historic old Florence (left), now fading into ghost town status. There were some nice old buildings but most seem to be for sale now. We than called in on Casa Grande National Historic site. We have visited before but it's always interesting to catch the ranger talks at these sites. Mysterious as to their origins, many of these native sites have lost their history but still draw people to them. I am now practising on the native flute I bought there, it sounds eerie and somehow perfectly apt in these desert surroundings. (Oh I checked and it was not made by the US natives, it was made in China!)
Talking of China, there are vast long rail trains passing through this area. Most have double containers. Sometimes trains have to wait for their turn to pass. It is an enormous amount of trade coming from overseas to what used to be a very self-sufficient nation. California, Arizona and Florida at least are bankrupt. It is interesting watching TV here, listening to the various opinions on how they can get themselves out of this financial morass. I don't think it is possible. But John opined, when we met in Palm Springs, that in 10 years this economy will bounce back. We shall see. Meanwhile, you pass through certain parts of towns where the for sale notices on homes are everywhere. Good news for speculators, not for those living on the edge of survival level. Certainly many snowbirds are taking advantage of repossessions and cheap real estate in this region of the US.
CASA GRANDE RUINS (left)
Arriving in Casa Grande town itself, we found a burgeoning winter resort for many snowbirds, alongside a historic old town and great little mama-run Mexican restaurants. We holed up for a couple of days there before heading into the serious desert north of Tucson.