Savvy-Boomers » Desert Southwest

Lucas Oil Off Road Races In The Desert

Jere — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:51:09 +0000

This weekend, April 17 and April 18, rounds 3 and 4 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series will be taking place. This event will be held at the Speedworld Raceway Park that’s located a little South of Highway 60 at Jomax Road on the West Side of the Valley of the Sun. The official address is 19421 w Jomax Road, Wittman Arizona

Arizona will be represented at the races by Robert Naughton of Flagstaff, Rich Ronco of Glendale and Fooddrill Morotsports of Peoria.

Round 3 of the Off Road Racing Series gets underway on Saturday with practice at 10:30 am and races staring at 2:30 pm and the gates will open at 9am. Admission is $30.00 for adults and $10.00 for kids 6 to 12 years of age. Don’t miss the Margarita Party after the races from 7 to 11 at Chuy’s Mesquite Broiler in Surprise.

On Sunday Round 4 will begin practice at 8:00 am and admission will be $30.00 and $10.00 just as they are on Saturday. Races will again start at 2:30 pm.

Speedworld is an off road park which accommodates everything from BMX races to radio controlled model airplane competition. For further information call the track hotline
at 623-546-1605 or go to RaceSpeedWorld.com. Overnight camping is available for the weekend.

This competition was mistakenly listed previously as taking place on last weekend. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Arizona Wildflowers In The West Valley

Jere — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:28:20 +0000

Wildflowers are blooming along the highway toward Festival on

the West side of Phoenix near the White Tank Mountains. This

is the perfect time for a family hike in the White Tanks.

Great Family Getaway – Palm Springs

Jere — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:48:39 +0000

A little over a week ago our family decided to celebrate some birthdays with a gathering in Palm Springs California. It turned out to be one of the best weekends we have ever had. Palm Springs is a great place for a family get together and there was something for everyone. Among the local attractions there is Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs Ariel Tramway, Living Desert Zoo, casinos, golfing, shopping, theatres, live shows, & museums. There are numerous top notch hotels,motels, restaurants and attractions that cater to tourists, and shoppers can find high-end boutiques in downtown and uptown Palm Springs. The trip from Phoenix was about 265 miles and the trip from LA was about 120. The trip to Palm Springs was made on Friday afternoon and from Phx it took just over 4 hours. Unfortunately it took the same length of time to get out of LA on that particular afternoon.

Palm springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California located in the Cachella Vlley desert region right along interstate 10. The area is sheltered by mountains on all four sides. It is one of nine adjacent cities that make up the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs area). As the western gateway of the Cachella Vlley, Palm Springs draws visitors from all over the world with its beautiful landscape, rich culture, fine restaurants, spectacular resorts, outstanding attractions, and a climate that boasts 350 clear days every year.

We arrived on Friday evening and made our way to the rooms at Marquis Villas which is actually a time share facility that rents suites in the $125.00 to $175.00 range. They had a very nice work out gym and an outdoor pool and jacuzzi, there were tables for pool and ping pong and we were all very satisfied with our sleeping arrangements. Right next door we stopped at Sherman’s Deli for supper. On the tables were slices of dill pickles and sourkrauut provided to work up your appetite just like chips and salsa in the Mexican restaurants. I had a huge Pastrami sandwhich with a scoop of potato salad on the side that cost $9.99 and was it VERY GOOD.

We spent the first morning at the Living Desert which is a little to the east of Palm Springs in Palm Desert. We set aside about three hours for the visit there but could have used up two or three more hours with no problem. One of the first things we ran into was one of the largest displays of G guage model trains in the world. It ws all out doors and that attests to the great weather they have there. The Living Desert exhibits included animals from the American Southwest, Mexico and Africa. There is a botanical garden that includes plants from these same areas and also from Madagascar. There are over five miles of hiking trails at the facility and they range from easy loop trails to a wilderness trail across boulders and narrow switch backs along the base of Eisenhower Mountain. There is a petting zoo for those who want to get a little closer to the animals and of course there are wildlife shows which feature the animals who live at The Living Desert.

For the Afternoon we decided to take the Ariel Tramway to the top of Mt. an Jacinto.
The tramway is located about 6 miles from Palm Springs and is easy to get to. The ride will take you through five distinct life zones and an elevation gain of over 5,000 feet. At the top we found a wonderland that is Mt San Jacinto State Park. There was a shorter 3/4 mile nature trail that gives you an introduction to the pristine 14,000 acre wilderness and then a total of 54 miles of trails for hikers from novice through expert. Primitive campsites are located throughout the park but permits are required. We had a mixture of ages and decided to stay a little closer to the tram station and nature trail.

That evening we had dinner at the Blue Coyote, a Mexican restaurant thats been in town for about thirty years. Meals ran from $10.00 to $15.00 and the plates were piled high with food that was delicious.(Be sure to ask about the Margarita specials)

On Sunday morning several of the men decided to play golf and there are lots of golf courses to choose from. We went to a smaller nine hole course and only spent about thirty bucks apiece. The women went for facials and body wraps and by two o’clock in the afternoon most of us had decided we really didn’t want to leave.

We found a lot more than we expected in Palm Springs and are already talking about when we can get back and head for the top of Mt San Jacinto early in the morning and take one of the longer hikes in the Alpine Wilderness.

How to Prepare for Urban Hiking

Jere — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:22:21 +0000

Hiking within the city limits on urban hiking trails may not require as much equipment as do the longer cross country treks but it’s still a good idea to be well prepared especially if you decide to tackle some of the steeper mountain trails like those found in The Phoenix Mountain Preserve in Phoenix, Arizona. When hiking in the Desert Southwest you will need to gather some information about the area you plan to hike in and about the condition of the trails you will be on. Find out all you can about location and the length of your chosen trails. There are guide books available in the local bookstores which will show you all the trails that are available in your area and will give you lots of information about the trails. Next be sure to pay particular attention to the weather conditions on the day you plan to be out and don’t start your first hike on a day the temperature will be over 90 degrees. This can happen nearly anytime if you happen to be in the Desert Southwest .

No matter where you are planning to do your hiking water has to be right at the top of you list of concerns. You should have plenty of drinking water with you and if you take along the family dog don’t forget to bring a bowl so he can get a drink now and then.

If you need only a small amount of water for yourself you can always carry the plastic bottles of drinking water that are found at the local grocery stores. You may consider the water packs that are carried on your back and have a drinking tube that runs to a location

close to you chin. I usually take along at least a gallon of water in my cooler with enough ice to keep it cold for a refreshing drink at the end of my hike.

Hiking boots come in many different styles and are adopted to different situations. When hiking on rough mountain trails you will need boots that give your ankles and feet plenty of support. If you are going to cross rivers or streams you will need footwear that can be

easily dried and will give you sturdy footing on wet rocks. Walking in high topped leather boots that are wet from to much moisture can be very uncomfortable. Make sure you have the right boots for the job. Never go walking on the desert trails while wearing flip flops and even tennis shoes are not recommended.

The next item you should take with you on your hike will be a first aid kit. For urban hiking trails it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. You need a disinfectant, perhaps an ointment with a germicide, sterile bandages or gauze, some tape and perhaps a finger splint. You would expand on this kit if you were trekking across country but in an urban setting you probably won’t need much more than this minimal first aid kit to help keep you safe. A top quality sun screen should be high on the list of priorities and kept with the first aid kit. Make sure you reapply a sun screen every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day for maximum protection.

Other items you should remember for your hike will be a hat and sun glasses. The sun is very intense in the Desert Southwest and you need to shield your eyes from the UV rays. A pair of binoculars will always come in handy and you should take along a camera for a few pictures to help you remember you wonderful adventure on the urban hiking trails you have chosen to spend you day on.