Ortega/74/PinesToPalms Highway

[alanmcorcoran]

Did my first big trip today. OC Hoosier joined me for nearly all of it. We met up at Cook's Corner (see previous post re Cook's) headed down to San Jan Cap and hit CA 74. The first third of it goes through Cleveland National Forest - very scenic and, quite twisty for the second half. We stopped at the Lookout (again, see previous post.) and then headed down through Perris and Hemet. Outside Hemet, the Pines to Palms highway starts.

[pbss:h8yyka0x]http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd7/alanmcorcoran/pines2palms/?action=view&current=70b7c9e8.pbw[/pbss:h8yyka0x]

It's a little more than a forty mile run. The first part climbs up and is a little wind-y, and then it settles into a nice relaxing forest road (mostly straight.) Couple of sheriffs SUV's blew past us at one point. The last third is super twisty, especially the last four miles. Ends up in Palm Desert. Ate a nice healthy nutritious meal at McDonald's, drove through town and hit the 10 freeway. Bombed down the 10 for about 40 odd miles to Beaumont, jumped off at the 79 and went back over the hill to Hemet. From there we hooked up with Ramona/Cajalco Expressway and back to Corona.

This was a test to see if I could take the seat time necessary to get up to Monterey Bay. Although my neck/spine got kind of stiff between the shoulder blades, I was generally not too put out.

About 270 miles.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source= ... 38&t=h&z=9