Day 3 - LA to Palm Springs

So having arrived at Glendale, our bikes were waiting for us. Each with our names on them and all neatly lined up along the street.

They had equipped the Road King with a touring pack, basically with a big topbox. All very well except it just clips on and subsequently can be easily removed by thieves. Not keen to have to take it off each evening, I had them replace it with a backrest and rack. The same as I had on the R66 tour.

Dean gave us our instructions for riding the first 60 miles or so, then we were off. Weather dull but warmish. June gloom they call it. Basically dull and overcast until the sun burns it off.

First part if the ride was on the freeway, the usual frenetic stuff, though not too bad. We stopped for a short comfort break, by which time the sun had well ans truly removed the gloom. We continued for another short while until we stopped for fuel. Now it was time to head into the mountains, so I fitted the Go-pro and off we went.

We climbed into the mountains, up above 6000ft until we came to our lunch stop, The Lumbar Mill. There was a live band and we had a good sing along, least Dud and I did. Just as well there was the music as the service was glacial pace! I had a salad.....a big bowl of salad! Dud had some spicy wings.

We left the Lumbar Mill to make our way down the other side of the mountain to Palm Springs. Boy was it hot and getting hotter the lower we went. A stop at a viewing point showed we were at 102 degrees. A young lady, originally from Wimbledon said it was 7/8 degrees hotter on the desert floor. She wasn't kidding. As we rode along I thought I smelled a bbq but then wasn't sure that it wasn't me cooking!

Got to the hotel, minus Tony, who somehow went right when we all went left and were checked in. Got to our room to discover a single king sized bed!! Luckily, Dean managed to sort us a 2 queen (no sniggering) room. 

Both showered, we went out for a bite to eat. A diner provided Dud with some shrimp & fries, whilst I had clam chowder. We stopped off at a biker/sports bar on the way back for a Shock Top and now it's bedtime. 7:30 loading tomorrow.