Southern California - Palm Springs Rides

I'm going to meet some friends at a Jazzercise convention in Palm Springs, at the La Quinta Spa/Hotel/Whatever, arriving Thursday the 25th until the 28th. I'm not Jazzercising; I'm bringing my bike. Friday and Saturday look like my best chances to ride. The distance and difficulty are negotiable; I'm up for pretty much anything.

Do any of you have favorite routes you can suggest? Want to get together for a ride? Let me know -- I'm open.

My husband and I rode the Tour de Palm Springs in '07, so I have some experience in the area.

Thanks in advance.

It's gonna be hotter than hell out there. I've always wanted to do the climb up to the tram cars, but have never got around to it. That's where I'd start - and start really early.

you've got a couple of options from the la quinta resort & hotel:

1. take a quick spin around the cove ringed with mountains just south of the hotel.
it's got a little hill but nothing crazy. you'd have to do a bunch of repeats to get decent
exercise but it's pretty.

2. heading north on washington past highway 111 and over the 10 freeway. washington
curves west about 2 miles past the freeway. look for 1000 palms rd. approx .4 miles past the curve
on your right. nice gentle 3 mile ascent terminating at dillion rd. stop sign. since you did the tour de
palm springs previously, you've ridden dillon rd. west to east (and descended 1000 palms rd. if you did
the 55 mile option). either turn left at stop sign onto dillon and head west towards desert hot springs/palm springs
(making a left onto indian will take you into downtown palm springs) or descend the way you came.
btw, if you make a right at the bottom of 1000 palms hill, the road
name changes from washington to ramon. the stretch of ramon between 1000 palms and the 10
freeway has plenty of bad pavement and the occasional pack of loose & ill-tempered dogs.

3. head west on highway 111 from the intersection of washington & hwy 111 towards palm springs.
takes approx. 1.5 hours to get to downtown palm springs. some interesting little along the way:
a. ascending monterey/highway 74 in palm desert. consistent grade over 3 miles. good
turnaround spot is the parking turnout (on both sides of the road) just before the road
snakes into the mountains (precious little shoulder, lots of blind corners and too many
careless drivers up there).

b. short but challenging .4 mile ascent up frank sinatra dr.

c. the aforementioned palm springs tram road north of downtown palm springs. tram road
rises approx. 2200 feet in 3.4 miles, dishing out plenty of pain-especially in the last mile.
watch the descent! you deal with sketchy pavement, potential crosswinds/shimmy issues
and a very dicey curve at the start of the descent. if you live to descend and laugh at
death, you could very well hit your personal mph best. 50+ mph is easily achievable
without riding in the drops or pedaling.

couple of very random thoughts...best time to start riding is at dawn. the prevailing headwind
(riding towards palm springs) is usually nonexistent or minimal in the morning. late afternoons
or early evenings are slow to cool and usually too hot for most people.

the mecca hills east of indio (and la quinta) are quite beautiful. the winding road through is
scenic & lightly trafficked. unfortunately, the pavement quality is below average. eventually
worth checking out however.

highly recommend cycling through joshua tree national park if you can ever swing it-especially
the western (hidden valley area) side. it's about an hour away from la quinta/palm springs.

sorry i will miss you. will be out there from june 29-july 3. happy trails!

you've got a couple of options from the la quinta resort & hotel:

1. take a quick spin around the cove ringed with mountains ...

Thanks for that writeup! You've given me some inspiration for when I get out there for some cycling!

Oh look! A post from Red Rider! Hey there!!

I envy you that you get to soak in some hot tubs...:)

+1 on Joshua Tree. Have you ever been? Yes, it will be hot. Do you like riding in the heat?

Hi Red Rider,

Too bad you're not coming to the LA area. Then I could help you with ride info. Maybe this unseasonably cool weather will last until your trip. Otherwise, ride real early.

First of all, you will be in La Quinta, not Palm Springs. :)

Usually I would be riding on those dates, but I'll be heading to SD on the 27th. I might ride on the 25th & 26th in the afternoon, unless it's too hot.

One ride not mentioned, that is my regular ride: Do the aforementioned loop of the cove. You will come down Avenida Bermudas (opposite of the Tour de PS route). Turn right on Ave. 52, then turn right on Jefferson st. Head into PGA West (it's like a 2.5 mile loop). When you come out of PGA, turn right on Ave. 54. Turn right on Madison St. Follow it until it ends (Ave. 60 I think) then turn left. Turn right on Monroe St, then left on Ave. 62. Left to Van Buren. If you turn around there it is about a 30 mile ride.

As you can see, it's kind of a step ladder kind of ride. The streets are pretty good and if you turn on the wrong one, it really doesn't matter. It's very open with very little traffic, no traffic lights and only a few stop signs.

If you want to ride either Thursday or Friday afternoon, PM me and we can arrange it. (My house is about 2 miles from the La Quinta resort). It will probably be very hot, though, and really the best time to ride is early in the morning.

Oh look! A post from Red Rider! Hey there!!

I envy you that you get to soak in some hot tubs...:)

+1 on Joshua Tree. Have you ever been? Yes, it will be hot. Do you like riding in the heat?

In Dec. '97 we drove from Lompoc to Las Vegas for my sister's Vegas wedding. We drove home the next day thru Joshua Tree.

Otherwise, I have no experience.

I expect hot. This season so far I haven't ridden in anything over 90*. Sometimes our evening group rides start out at 100+*, but I don't pay attention to that or I wouldn't ride.

I say now that early mornings would be the best times to ride, but Jazzercise instructors tend to party hard, and that 7 a.m. wake up call is easy to ignore...:rolleyes:

Thanks for your help so far. Obviously I haven't made up my mind. ;)

First of all, you will be in La Quinta, not Palm Springs. :)

Usually I would be riding on those dates, but I'll be heading to SD on the 27th. I might ride on the 25th & 26th in the afternoon, unless it's too hot.

One ride not mentioned, that is my regular ride: Do the aforementioned loop of the cove. You will come down Avenida Bermudas (opposite of the Tour de PS route). Turn right on Ave. 52, then turn right on Jefferson st. Head into PGA West (it's like a 2.5 mile loop). When you come out of PGA, turn right on Ave. 54. Turn right on Madison St. Follow it until it ends (Ave. 60 I think) then turn left. Turn right on Monroe St, then left on Ave. 62. Left to Van Buren. If you turn around there it is about a 30 mile ride.

As you can see, it's kind of a step ladder kind of ride. The streets are pretty good and if you turn on the wrong one, it really doesn't matter. It's very open with very little traffic, no traffic lights and only a few stop signs.

If you want to ride either Thursday or Friday afternoon, PM me and we can arrange it. (My house is about 2 miles from the La Quinta resort). It will probably be very hot, though, and really the best time to ride is early in the morning.

Thanks, Shnuddy. I'll do that as the time draws near. I'm not averse to riding in heat. After all, it's a dry heat, right? :rolleyes:;):roflmao2:

Thanks, Shnuddy. I'll do that as the time draws near. I'm not averse to riding in heat. After all, it's a dry heat, right? :rolleyes:;):roflmao2:

:roflmao:

Just realized I will be off Friday (you wouldn't think you could forget a three day weekend, huh?)

I'll be riding early, about 5:30-6 am. PM me if you'd like to join.

Well, dang.

I had an escrow fall apart this week (stupid out-of-area appraiser who undervalued the property by $50K :wtf:), thus I canceled my trip. I haz no play money. :notamused:

Thanks for the offer. I'll take a rain check. Enjoy that 3-day weekend!





Just realized I will be off Friday (you wouldn't think you could forget a three day weekend, huh?)

I'll be riding early, about 5:30-6 am. PM me if you'd like to join.

Well, dang.

I had an escrow fall apart this week (stupid out-of-area appraiser who undervalued the property by $50K :wtf:), thus I canceled my trip. I haz no play money. :notamused:

Thanks for the offer. I'll take a rain check. Enjoy that 3-day weekend!

Too bad. I look forward to next time. At least you'll miss out of our hottest temps to date. 110 by Sunday!