Keys View

February 26, 2021

In other news

The big news here comes from back in Minnesota, where our son is recovering from his Thursday morning surgery to replace his defective aortic valve. Everything went well and as expected, which is of course wonderful news. His girlfriend drove him in for surgery early in the morning, and then went back to care for his two daughters while he’s in hospital. She called to update us - the first time we’ve spoken with her - and she certainly sounds like a keeper, and very Minnesotan. We’ll look forward to seeing her once everyone is vaccinated and can finally visit in person again.

One of the attending surgeons called us soon after the operation was complete, and told us that all had gone well and there were no complications. Shawn himself called yesterday morning, and sounded tired, croaky but otherwise well. He’d already been up and walking around, and was looking forward to breakfast.

In less personal but more dramatic news, Team Anderson is happy to report that we have extended our lucky streak of not being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’ve taken two month-long tours of Sicily, and loved our time there. It’s just as well that we’re not there this week though, with Mount Etna blowing its top in a big way:

Note to Greg: this was a downloaded photo, not one we took ourselves of course. You don’t have to Like it.

Today’s ride

OK, back to the bikes. Joshua Tree is a large park, but there are few cycling choices if you’re sticking to pavement. For that matter, there aren’t that many off-road options either - happily, it’s mostly an unspoiled roadless area.

Today we’re riding through the most popular part of the park - an east-west out and back along Park Avenue and then taking the spur out to Keys View, the dramatic viewpoint that overlooks the Imperial Valley and the San Jacinto Mountains.

Our ride starts at the Arch Rock parking lot, at an elevation of nearly 4,000’. We’re lucky with the weather today - winds are mild, and even this high up it’s quite comfortable. Traffic is surprisingly light as we bike west, gradually climbing toward the popular rock-scrambling area around Jumbo Rocks and the highest point of the ride until at the end when we reach Keys View.

North on Pinto Basin Road. We face a modest two mile climb before reaching the junction with Park Avenue and turn westward.

Image not found :( — On Park Avenue now, on the four mile, 900’ climb to its summit.

The rocky expanse around the summit is one of the most popular areas of the park. This is the area where we took yesterday’s hike, on one of the numerous trails that pass beneath these fascinating formations.

From the crown of the road we continue west for about eight miles, gently rolling along at about 4,500’. As we move west the park’s famous Joshua trees become more predominant, eventually developing into a virtual forest. Such a strange, fantastic plant!

From the crown of the road you can briefly see San Gorgonio Mountain through a gap in the surrounding ridges.

The Joshua tree isn’t a tree at all - it’s a treelike species of yucca, and is also known as a yucca tree or palm tree yucca. Its bare, bleached skeletons certainly look treelike though.

We leave Park Avenue when we reach the turnoff for the four mile dead end road to Keys View. From here it’s a gradual climb, stiffening a bit at the end as we climb to 5,100’, the high point for the day. The Joshua tree forest continues to thicken as we climb, and then starts giving way to junipers at the end.

The view from Keys View is fantastic, with a good look north to San Gregorio, and south to the Salton Sea far off in the haze. It’s quite different today from the only other time we’ve been here, when we were lucky enough to see snow.

There are quite a few folks up here today, but no other bikes of course. We mask up, push our bikes up the walking path to the summit, and find a secure spot to sit on the rocks, eat our lunch and look down at the floor of the Imperial Valley far below.

Looking across the Imperial Valley to the San Jacinto Mountains. According to the expert witness standing next to me, that thin traverse ridge on the valley floor follows the line of the San Andreas fault.

Looking south, the Salton Sea is faintly visible through the haze.

From Keys View we get a better look north to San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest peak in Southern California.

Nearer at hand, I get just a brief glimpse of the first lizard of the year. He’s too far off and moving too fast for any kind of a shot, but Bill will want to see it anyway so here it is:

First lizard of the year - or a part of one, at least. Not much of a shot, but still - the first.

As we eat, a man approaches us and asks if he can move my bike. I’d leaned it against a cairn-capped rock, and then thoughtlessly left it there spoiling someone else’s photo opportunity. I move the bike myself of course, and we chat a bit about folders. He tells me a funny story of a woman who brought hers on board a flight to Atlanta earlier this year, successfully insisting that it met the airline’s technical definition of a wheelchair. He thought that was a bit presumptuous, and I agree.

And then, back. The same beautiful ride, reversed. In the right country, out and backs are great.

Video sound track: I Gotta Feelin’, by the Dallas String Quartet

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Ride stats today: 40 miles, 2,800’; for the tour: 3,088 miles, 125,200’; for the year: 42 riding days, 1,823 miles, 68,200’, and 3 flat tires

Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 3,088 miles (4,970 km)

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Gregory GarceauAlong with Death Valley, Mojave National Preserve, Lake Mead, the Grand Canyon, Arches N.P., Canyonlands N.P., Big Bend N.P., Guadalupe N.P., and Organ Pipe National Monument, Joshua Tree is one of the greatest places I've ever been to. Maybe THE greatest. Loved the hand over hand climbing on those boulders.
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3 years ago

Suzanne GibsonHappy to hear that all went well with your son's op.
What a fantastic place Joshua Tree is! Beautiful video!
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Gregory GarceauIt’s a pretty special place, alright. Probably best visited on foot, really. We’ve never been to Big Bend or Guadalupe, but one of these winters.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Suzanne GibsonThanks, Suzanne. It’s a great relief, alright. It’s been a big worry in the back of our minds for months. And you’re right, Joshua Tree is quite a special place.
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3 years ago

Gregory GarceauTo Scott AndersonIn my over-exuberance, what I really meant to say is that I LOVE the American deserts.
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3 years ago