Martinez Canyon Cahuilla Village Site

Saturday, I had the entire day to go hiking and made the most of it.  A friend of mine, Mike, knew of a possible Indian village site up Martinez Canyon and promised to show me where it was.  We've talked about it for a while but since we're both busy and Mike has a new baby at home, it's been difficult to put together an adventure.  This is one I've looked forward to a long time.

We drive as far as possible in Mike's monster truck and get out to start our adventure on foot.  The canyon is very rocky and it's a welcome relief to be on solid ground.

Instead of just going right up the canyon, like a sensible person would, I want to go and investigate the sides of the canyon to see if we can find any trails.

We don't.

But it's not long until we find some evidence of prior Indian inhabitation.

And this bedrock mortar means they lived here for a while.

We leave the canyon again to see if we can find any more evidence of those who came here before us.

And we do but it's not really what we were hoping for.

The canyon narrows and is choked with mesquite and bamboo.  We wish we'd brought a machete--seriously-- because this stuff is thick and nasty.

We make our way through the growth and again leave the canyon.  This time up a very steep Indian trail.

We reach a place that's relatively flat but one that I'd have never considered a potential village site.

But I'd have been wrong.  There are bedrock mortars everywhere.

There are several boulders with multiple mortars.

There are wide ones

Small ones

All in close proximity

And there's this incredibly huge one.

The mortal hole is so deep that it has actually gone all the way through the rock.  That took a LONG time to do.

A lot of food was prepared here and it is incredible to still find a pestle here.  These are usually stolen by ignorant or selfish collectors.

There are sherds of pottery strewn all around.  This piece has part of the rim.

This multi-mortar has filled with dirt but we forgot to bring a broom to clean it out.  Next time, we'll be better prepared.

The canyon below is filled with mesquite which was the primary food source of the people who lived here.  It is astonishing to consider that people survived with nothing but what they were able to find out here.  Left on our own, most of wouldn't last too long out here.

But the Cahuilla were able to not only survive but thrive in this harsh and unforgiving environment.  It is a testament to their hard work and ingenuity. 

And a total lack of supermarkets.  It seems like the Indians were not the only ones who left evidence of their past inhabitation.

I appreciate Mike showing me this very special place and look forward to being able to come back and exploring more in the area.  I'm sure there are many, many more incredible discoveries yet to be made.  I can't wait.

So Far, So Good

I've been on the diet for two weeks and have been able to do a couple hikes so far.  With some family illnesses and work I haven't been able to get out more than that but I'm looking forward to an outing this weekend, maybe two.

I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time since the beginning of the year and was pretty happy with the results.  I'm not ready to post a picture of myself yet because they would all be "before" pictures.  I think I'll wait until I get some "after" shots to go with them.

So, thus far I've done: 2 hikes and lost 10.2 pounds.

And I really miss ice cream.

Old Mine Sites Near Garner Valley

Sometimes life interferes with hiking.  That happened Saturday.  I had big plans for this weekend but none of them came to fruition.  My plans consisted of doing some hiking and exploring in the southern Santa Rosas Mountains; I was so looking forward to it.  Then, the phone rang.  My wife's father was being taken by ambulance to the hospital because he was unable to breathe.  Naturally, my wife went to the hospital to see how her father was and I stayed home to watch the kids.  So much for going hiking today.  

Thankfully, my father-in-law is OK and was released from the hospital.  This morning, I drove him back home.  While I was up by his house I decided to go for a little hike near Garner Valley.

It was a tad cooler up here than down in the desert.  I brought a down vest but I wore shorts and I wonder if it'll be enough.

I come upon snow on the ground and now I really wonder.

I come to the first old homestead and I wonder why they just left all this stuff here.

It wasn't really that long ago.

Although this vehicle has been here a while.

I could probably use this shed to house my teenage son.

I head up a hill because I see what I think looks like a TV antenna.  Looks like it's just an agave stalk.

Oh wait.  What's this?

Now why on earth would someone put a TV antenna way out here in the middle of nowhere?  What kind of channels could you possibly get?

A little more hiking around brings me to this old foundation.  I've been here before.  There's a little mine not far from here but I don't go up to it.  I've got something else I'm looking for today. 

On the map it shows there's another mine but I had no idea I'd find this cabin.

 

It's NICE.  Of course, I'd have to change the name to Summer's Shack but it has incredible curb appeal.

Plus, it's well appointed with Designer Furnishings.

There's a well-stocked pantry.

I love this awesome outside deck although I think the sofa probably needs to be re-upholstered .

And who doesn't love a wonderful bathroom with a view?

And how about these his and her commodes? I wonder if I can persuade my wife to move up here with me.  I love this place.

I find the mine.

But don't dare venture into it since it's a vertical shaft and I don't have a rope.  I have to come back here.  As I was looking around, I ran into three very nice young ladies who were also out hiking.  They live in Garner Valley and were not as concerned with the cold weather as I was.  They were wearing sandals.

The North End of the North Lykken

I went out yesterday to see if there was a way to access the north end of the North Lykken Trail in Palm Springs.  Well, there is.  Sorta.

I drive around the Little Tuscany area of Palm Springs until I find an area where I can set off into the desert.  It looks rather appealing but I quickly realize that it's going in the wrong direction.

After a bit more driving I find another area that allows me to set off toward my destination.  There are a few use trails here but nothing consolidated.  It would be nice if they could find a way to have one trail so people could have access here.

Maybe this is the reason there's not one trail.  There's a fence.  It looks like it ends, though, so I guess that's the end of where they want to keep you out.  One strange thing out here is the prevalence of No Trespassing signs in a number of popular hiking areas.  Almost all the trails in La Quinta have them as well as some in Palm Desert.  I don't know if it's a liability thing for the Water Districts but it seems odd to have a trail through the mountains and then have no way to get to it.

I could climb straight up this hill full of rocks and vegetation but I didn't wear long pants today and I don't want to flay my legs when there's an alternative.

I make it around the fence and come to this nice, well-marked hiking trail.  This is the very first trail I've ever been on where old, rusty can make up part of the trail.  Very ingenious.

At the base of the mountain I come upon a well-defined and steep trail that will lead me up to the North Lykken Trail.  It makes me wonder if this was an original Indian Trail that heads further up the mountain or it's just a use trail from locals going up to the main trail.  I don't have time to investigate today but I will have to come back--and wear long pants when I do.

I get up to the main trail in no time

There is a tremendous view from up here.  It really doesn't make much sense to have this flood basin fenced off from the public.  It seems like such a waste of space.  I know they need it to catch floodwaters but how often does that happen in the desert.  The city should turn it into some kind of nature park with hiking and mountain biking access and just close it down when it rains.

I head south  on the trail over toward Tachevah Falls, aka, Dry Falls.  There's a bit of water coming down and I've always wondered what lies in the canyon above the falls.  That'll have to be another adventure.  I've got to go and pick up kids at school.

I just have to figure out a way to get out of here.

Cutting the Crap

I won't be able to get out and do my first hike of the year until later this week but I've started eating better. For the first three days it hasn't been too difficult.  Of course, it's only been three days.

The first thing I got rid of was soda.  I don't drink a lot of it but at work I usually have one at lunch.  Now I drink water with a little lemon and I like it.  

Candy was next to go.  After lunch I usually get a candy bar to enjoy so I decided to cut that out.  Instead I'm snacking on nuts.  Today I put money in a vending machine to get some peanuts and it wouldn't work properly so I had to buy M&Ms.  I gave them to a co-worker.

I said a long goodbye to junk food.  Men love fast food restaurants.  I am not the only one.  But most of what you can get in a fast food joint is garbage and I won't lose a pound if I continue to make trips to Del Taco, Carl's Jr., Taco Bell, In N Out and the rest.  It's easy, convenient and deadly.  Since I'm not ready to die yet, no junk for me...at least for now.

There are so many other things I have to get rid of that it'll take me a while to think of them all.  I'll let you know when I do.

I'm also thinking about doing some running but so far that hasn't made it past the "thinking about it" stage.

So far it's been easy and I can't wait to actually do some hiking.

A BIG challenge ahead

So today starts my effort to get back into shape and use hiking as my primary form of exercise.  Oh, I'll also do some running, some exercising and some dieting but it's the hiking I love.  Besides, who would want to read or write a blog called Dieting Into Shape?

Today, dieting was all I was able to do since I worked until 2 A.M. last night and had to be back at work at 10 this morning.  I had a cafe latte for breakfast, a fajita salad for lunch and Eggplant for dinner.  I really want to have some cookies or chocolate or ice cream but won't indulge in any of my favorite vices until I'm able to do a long enough hike to burn the extra calories off.

So we know where I'm starting, I weighed myself and can officially report I am now the heaviest I have been in my entire life.  I've got a long road (or trail) ahead of me to get to where I want to be but you've got to start somewhere.  But, as the old sports cliche goes, it's not how you start, it's how you finish.

Because the starting point ain't pretty.