Detour leads to The Tour

Thursday, May 17,

So..on my trip back from Yosemite, I told myself if I hit Palm Springs by 1PM, I'd continue home to Scottsdale.

I took the long way home and went through Boron (home of Borax) and lots of correctional facilities. I am so fascinated  by prisons. Don't know why.

I headed south from Yosemite on 99, to some  other road, then south on 395 to Palm Springs.

I WAS IN BLISS.

Open roads, small towns, farms.

As I headed south to Palm Springs and headed east on I-10 to Phoenix, I ignored the warnings of a 90 minute delay, 40 miles east of Indio. I was on my way home..or so I thought.

As I went east of Chiraco Summit, I ran into a two hour standstill. Turns out, there was an accident 8 hours earlier. Tragic and the crash ripped up the asphalt, bringing it to one lane.

I SAT FOR AN HOUR, PULLED OFF AND THOUGHT: BACK TO PALM SPRINGS FOR THE NIGHT.

I crossed the median and headed back an hour to PS. I used hoteltonight.com and found the trendy Sahuaro Hotel. My journey was not over yet.

I pulled into PS and settled in to the hotel. I then thought: I'd like a cigar so I found a place in downtown Palm Springs.  It was called Fame (which I later found out was supposed to be Fume) and I went in to get a smoke.

I have an old, not very dear friend Roy Shapiro, who spends time in PS. I asked Mel Shah, the owner if he knew Roy. "Know him??Let's take a selfie!!"

Within 20 minutes, Roy was at Fume.uhh.Fame.

One thing about my friend Roy..he tells great stories but deep down, I LOVE THE GUY. Some might disagree and I probably agree...lol..but a friend is a friend.

we smoked a fine cigar and kibbitzed.

I THEN DECIDED  to go back, shower and find a place for dinner.

Many people, from a couple in Yosemite, said "The Nest." Turned out, it was a disco oriented bar which was a pick up joint two towns over.

Total disclosure: I called an Uber and 9 minutes out to the Nest, I said: "turn around.let's go back to PS."

I ended up downtown and walked over to Spencer's, a tennis club/restaurant that was classic Palm Springs.

I sat at the bar, had a martini and chatted up two guys who ran a business for 30 years, just sold it..and were in PS to celebrate. One guy was the 2nd cousin of a cable/ad agency guy I know so it was old home week. We had a great rapport.

I ate at a bar and went to join the two biz partners, being who I am, I engaged the next table of two women, just having dinner. We pulled up a chair and two-and-two, became five.

that's just me!

After alot of chat, I went to call an Uber. They said: come with us.We'll drop you off. Just give the guy a nice tip.

I did. and the next day, would be QUITE a journey home.

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