La Quinta, CA

March 24th

Bright and early we left Oceanside and headed toward La Quinta, CA.  Lots of traffic. Lots.  But we eventually got there.  After loading up at the store with food we found the trail-head to Cove to Lake Trail.

(https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7046734/cove-to-lake-trail)

I tested out my new stove and made some classic Mac’n Cheese for the kids and sandwiches for the adults.  Surprised that it wasn’t much of a change to cook in this tiny space!

We got ready for our first ride.  Camel packs full? Check. Tires pumped up? Check. Helmets on? Check.

We purchased 2 front mount bike seats from Amazon.com for our first few rides. It works well for this ride, but we may need to update soon.  Riley seems to already be too big for it!

The trail is only 2.5 miles from the trail-head to the lake.  BUT, it is made up of the softest, deepest sand!  Imagine riding your bike ON the beach.  It was hard work.  Then add an extra 20 to 40 lbs of kid to your bike.  OUFFF!  We later decided this definitely isn’t the best biking trail, but would be a good hike.  Should have figured that out since we found it on Thehikingproject.com. (AHHH).

The kids had more fun running ahead of us while we trudged through the sand, than they did riding…..very slowly….through it.  Especially because in the afternoon sun it got HOT very quickly.

Fletcher was the first to point out that he saw the lake! (or as it sounds, SAKE!  For the longest time I swear he kept saying he saw a snake, which also may have been true, but not what he meant). We drove straight down to the shore of Lake Cahuilla, stripped off a layer of biking clothes and gear and jumped in!  There were only a few other people on the beach and it was a pretty quiet afternoon.

Then it hit. The wind from the wicked west!  Brian and I dove over both kids as quickly as possible. I remembered instantly from my many years of going to Lake Powell, that wind and sand together is the most painful thing as a kid.  Like millions of needles piercing your baby softest skin.  Poor Fletcher. For months after this he would hide behind me or jump in my lap as soon as he felt a tinge of wind.  Thanks wind!!

We took cover in a nearby playground and let the kids loose for an hour or so. They LOVE playgrounds.  We could probably spend the next 6 months at a new playground every day and they’d be the happiest people alive.  Too bad for them, we have a few other adventures tucked away on our list!

It was nearly 6 by the time we peeled their bodes from the slide and swings.  We had 2 choices at this point; Ride back through the 2.5 mile sand pit with gale force headwinds,  or try our best to navigate through the suburbs around the mountain with dead cell phones and no maps.  We decided to do the latter.  Of course!

It took us another hour to get all the way home.  Nearly 12 miles round trip by the end of our adventure.  The good news, is that everyone ate their dinner that night.  Full bellies, tired bodies = great nights rest ahead.  

All in all, I probably wouldn’t bike this trail again.  The lake has an RV/Tent camping park that looks really nice and would be worth stopping by again. With a giant beach, pool, large lawn areas and a great playground, we will definitely be back.

Farewell La Quinta!