This is high above the valley floor of Coachella Valley. Located about 120 miles east of Los Angeles, the Coachella Valley (45 miles long and 15 miles wide) encompasses a slew of cities and towns such as Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Indio. Roughly 600,000 people call the valley home.
This winding road snakes down to the valley floor.
This 26-foot tall statue of Marilyn Monroe on Palm Spring's main road through downtown draws the tourists.
Of course, I like ever other person who stops and snaps photos of Marilyn, take the mandatory walk to see what she's wearing under the skirt.
Desert Hot Springs, a town a half dozen miles from Palm Springs, is home to this giant indian wood carving. The finished face is 22 feet high, the feather--a mere15 feet. The overall height of the sculpture: 43 feet.
Nothing like cycling in the middle of winter and seeing palm trees and snow at the same time.
That's a golf course with a fresh blanket of snow covering the mountains.
Yep, these guys know how to build complex roadworks but, don't they know November has only 30 days and not 31?
Over 125 golf courses dot the valley. Here's a view.
Here's another course.
Another view of a course.
Can't help but see palm trees and mountains on most courses.
Golfing is big and some people get carried away. Quite a few golf ball mailboxes can be found.
Here's another home with a golf ball mailbox.
I'm always coming across wildlife and many a time it's not a pretty sight. This rattlesnake was flattened by a passing vehicle.
This is a closer view. It's a real beauty. I should have taken a much closer photo. Why? You can't see in the photo but, someone ripped or cut-off the rattler. Several local restaurants list rattlesnake on the menu--one is Chinese. You do know 2013 is the year of the snake?
Wow, what a mix of sights and surprises in the Coachella Valley! I’ve always loved how Palm Springs and Palm Desert can feel so desert-y and lush at the same time palm trees, snow on the mountains, and all those golf courses. Cycling there in winter must be incredible with that contrast. I’ve actually stayed in a Palm Springs vacation house once, and it made exploring all these quirky spots, like the Marilyn Monroe statue and even Desert Hot Springs’ giant wood carving, so convenient. Also, wow, that rattlesnake is definitely a reminder to keep your eyes open while driving or walking around!
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