Indio and sunshine

Front row view of the new gas station.

We had a surprise when we showed up at Tachi Palace Casino. In the area we like to park, they are building a new gas station and convenience store. When we woke up the next morning, we were surrounded by the workers' cars and trucks! But we had a great front row seat to the action. It was fun to watch to big equipment move stuff around and men framing up the walls.
   We got to talking to our neighbors who turned out to be Fulltimers from Qualicum Beach,Vancouver Island, Canada. They are on their way home, but wondering if they should delay a bit due to the weather; and no wonder with reports of snow in the Seattle area again. It got down to freezing in the night here, and without hookups, it was pretty chilly until we could get the generator going. But under the covers, it was all cozy and warm. Who needs to get up? We're retired, right?!
    We did manage to get out and about, getting groceries in nearby Hanford. Then I went over to the Kings Outreach Ministry. The peace of this place permeates and refreshes. There is an area set up for people to pray, to meet with God. It's a shoes-off area with a really soft smaller carpet where you can kneel if you want to. His presence there is palpable, peaceful, loving, majestic, compelling. The sense of rest I came away with was profound. It's a special place run by such loving and kind people. Very memorable, and I'm so glad I got up!
    I needed all that rest for the next leg of the trip all the way to Indio. Going over the Tehachapi Pass was easy, but of course I was a passenger. But we switched drivers near Boron, and heading south on 395 was a pretty rugged ride! Not only is the pavement rough in lots of spots, the wind kicked up to make it even more interesting. There were a few white knuckle areas and I was glad to switch drivers someplace past Redlands. We finally reached our destination of Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio. They have a large RV parking lot and there are about 30 or more rigs here. We stayed here last year and found it a great place to stay for a few nights, plus it's close to stores where we cans stock up before we head out into the desert.
  What a treat to wake up to warmth and sunshine! Although there are a few clouds today, we've had the windows open on the RV to enjoy the fresh air and warm breezes.