What time is the "Desert Caravan" to Sevenstock coming through Blythe, CA on Friday? I want to hook up and tail along, and possibly shoot some great photos in the process.

Post answers to this thread so everyone will know, but please PM me so I don't miss the boat! Thanks!
Eric

*edit* From the Phoenix, AZ area, I meant...

 

We will probably roll through Blythe around 10 am.
We should be underway around 8 am and Blythe is 132 miles from our starting point.
I think we are planning a stop in Blythe, but I don't know the exact location at this point.
Last year the RCCAZ caravan stopped at San Simeon, about 2 miles before the Cali border.

 

San Simeon? Where the heck is that? Not on I-10, that's for sure... There's Quartzsite and Ehrenberg, just on the other side of the river.

If you want a BIG parking lot, you'll want to get off at the Seventh Street exit and go north (right) to the Albertsons parking lot on the right. There's a Starbucks inside the store, and a Blimpee's Subs right there.

If you want more food, and variety in gas stations, you'll need to take the Lovekin Avenue exit (the next one), McDonald's, Jack in the Box, Popeye's, and Subway are north of the exit, Burger King, Taco Bell and some sit down restaurants are south of the exit. Gas stations everywhere at Lovekin.

Freeway options suck in LA right now. The I-215 freeway is torn up, the I-60 freeway is torn up. These two comprise the "southern route" into the Irvine/North Orange County area. I've been using I-10 all the way to the 57 South, then down to I-5 South into Irvine. I know the Mazda HQ is off of the 5 somewhere in Irvine. I've been there but wasn't paying attention to it at that time. If you don't want to sit in traffic on the 60 and 215 and later on the 91 then I-10 is the only way to fly...

Also, do not speed through on I-10 around Blythe. The Highway Patrol is making up their monthly quota this week!
Eric

 

Yah - that is where I usually stop, but the "San Simeon" stop is what is on our itinerary.
I didn't pick it.
I like the Bucks of Star.

 

PM one of us your celly# and we'll be sure to give you a call as we're getting close. We'd love to have you join our caravan into Irvine.

 

San Simeon is NOT on I-10... regardless of whether or not it's on your itinerary.

Starbucks has also taken over one of the corners on Lovekin Ave north of the freeway, where they have the world's least-crowded location. There is also a great big parking lot next to it, but turning in could damage the airdams of some low flying units!

I am planning on joining the caravan when you come through, at least as far as I can go. I'm not staying at one of the "Sevenstock-approved" hotels as I have some work to do out there before I can swing down to the show the following day.

Who's on the Desert Caravan list, so I'll know who to PM?

 

BTW- Big Breaking News Flash... There's a rather large fire which has sprung up just south of the I-10 freeway near Cabazon and Banning. It is, at this point being driven west by the Santa Ana winds, but this is supposed to change overnight. Anyone overseeing the Desert Caravan procession, please pay special attention to the news tonight and tomorrow morning before leaving, as I certainly will.

This site has highway closures: http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/H...Y&pageId=1.1.1

And this one has general info:http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/

With 25-60 mph winds roaring over these dry mountains right now, this fire is wickely out of control. This would practically, at this point, rule out the "southern route" down I-215 to Highway 74 (Ortega Highway) because of the smoke (or at least it would make it pretty darn unpleasant. I'm not so sure how I-60 to the 215 will look by morning either. Hopefully the winds won't turn to the north, and the fire won't close I-10 during the period when we need to use it!
Eric

 

Feel free to PM me or anyone else on this list who's an 8club member. Thanks for the fire news too. I've forwarded that to our club Prez.