Monday, Mar. 28
El Centro to Five Palms Hot Springs, outside of Glamis
30 flat miles

Fred’s mom, Elise, made me an awesome traveling breakfast of eggs and ham and toast. I realized later I should have taken a picture of it! Instead, we took pictures in front of the house. I tried to get one with all of their cars in it, because it reminds me of Fred. He had a collection of cars, including a Pinzgauer and a Halflinger, at one time, and now I know where he gets it from!

I’d planned to start at 7, but left about 8. Luckily, it’s not the hottest time of the year in the desert yet, so I’m not too worried about riding in the heat of the afternoon. But, the sun is still hot. I’ve been wearing my long sleeve jersey the last two days to protect me from the rays, and the temperature has been quite comfortable.

I left El Centro and made good time to Brawley. The road surface was so much nicer than the day before! After Brawley, there were only irrigated fields and desert on the way to the sand dunes at Glamis. I’d called the Ranger Station the day before to find out about camping in the area, and they suggested a hot springs about a mile off the road. It sounded findable, so that was my plan.

During the afternoon, I was taking a break by the side of the road, and an old man with a white beard and a beat up pickup truck pulled over just to tell me about the hot springs as well! He said bikers often went there, so I was sure that was the place. At about 29 miles, I came upon the turn off. I’d hoped it was more like 40 miles, but I had no other camping plan, so I turned off. It would mean adding those miles on the next day.

I walked and rode when I could down a sandy, scrubby road toward a stand of date palms. I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out in this cool oasis with a steady stream of rv’ers, dirt bikers, locals on the way home from work, and travelers, though no other bikers. The water was maybe in the low 90′s, so you could sit in it for a long time. One person I met there knows the friends I stayed with at the Desert Tower! Small world!

A red ant bit me on the butt at some point, and that stung for about two hours. Better a red ant than a scorpion or a snake, I guess!

I went to bed early to get up early for a 50 mile ride the next day.

My off-road campsite

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