Update 2/21
We rode from Redlands, CA to Indio, CA today, a distance of 70 miles.
Most of the day was near-perfect for cycling: it was pleasantly cool and overcast. The only thing that marred an otherwise perfect day was a fairly strong head wind for much of the route.
We departed our house in Redlands at 7:20 AM, after picture-taking by Jason Hine and our faithful neighbors Chuck and Shirley Rieger. Also part of the send-off crew was our son David, his wife Judith, and their daughter Sarah-Maude. Jason then cycled with us on the first several miles of our day's ride, and later we were joined by Matt DeDoes and Brian Zander who had scouted ahead to check out road construction on our route. They rode with us for a few miles and then went on to more challenging cycling.
About 15 miles into our travel we encountered fairly stiff head winds, which I would estimate to be about 20 mph. This continued for the next 20 or so miles, and then just as we entered the Palm Springs area, the winds died down. We arrived at a very nice private campground in Indio shortly before 5:00 PM and had the tent set up and ready for the night before dark.
[We were invigorated by the morning send-off group, but needless to say we were glad to get beyond Banning and ride mostly downhill the rest of the time to Indio. At the RV park where we camped I made a valiant effort to put together the daily report, but I would doze off occasionally (now perhaps you can understand why we have to fill in the gaps of the things we forgot). Finally the park manager came into the library and told me he had to close down at 10:00 PM, thus ending my misery.]
All in all, a great day!
Dick and Susan