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Jan-Mar roadtrip - comments please!

Jwerking

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Hello Tuggers:

An East coast snowbird planning a road trip out west in Jan- Mar 2019 after visiting daughter in Milwaukee for Xmas. We love hiking easy to moderate trails up to 6-7 hrs to enjoy beautiful sights - love temps in mid 50-60s for hiking. Here is the tentative plan:

1. Dec 26 to Jan 5 (11 days): Depending on weather in the Rockies, visit Mesa Verde NP, Canyonlands and Arches NP, & Capital Reef NP enroute to Palm Spring.
2. Jan 5-12 : Palm Springs - Marriott timeshare exchange
3. Jan 12-26: 2 RCI timeshare wks in southern CA coast
4. Jan 26- Feb 9: 2 timeshare wks in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and/or Tuscon
5. Feb 9-23 : 2 wk RCI exchange confirmed in Arroyo Roble in Sedona
6. Feb 23 - Mar 2: 1 wk road trip visiting Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Albuquerque, etc
7. Mar 2-9: 1 wk timeshare in Ruidoso NM
8. Mar 9-16: 1 wk RCI exchange confirmed in New Orleans
9. Mar 16 - head home

Questions:

2. Palm Springs: Are all the Marriott timeshares essentially the same - any favorites?

4. Phoenix, Scottsdale, and/or Tuscon: We do NOT play golf, just want to hike or sightsee in area. What is the difference between Phoenix and Scottsdale?

Only one RCI timeshare in Tuscon - has anyone ever traded into the Starr Pass Golf Suites? How difficult of a trade since this is winter snowbird season? Is this area worth a visit for hikers or our option is to spend another week just chilling in Sedona - which supposedly is a hiker's paradise.

6. Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Albuquerque - any other cool must see sights enroute during this road trip to Ruidoso?

7. Ruidoso NM - is this area worth a week's timeshare visit?

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Joyce
 

Passepartout

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Three words. Pack warm clothes. Other than the time in Phoenix/Tucson, I think it will be significantly cooler than your target temps. It will probably be dry- though there is no 100% guarantee of that. If you are dressed for the weather it will be comfortable, and there will be few crowds. Otherwise, you'll be indoors and looking at the scenery through the windshield.

Jim
 

Jwerking

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So high of mid 50s in Sedona in Feb - bummer, shows 41% of cloudy skies. So yes, without sun - it will certainly be chilly esp in the mornings. As long as the winds aren't crazy, should be okay with warm coat, hat, and gloves. At least, I will not be dripping in sweat - LOL!

Hmm, Moab aver highs in January are only high 30s with also 41% cloudy skies. Guess it would be okay to drive around the parks and check out the overlooks and hike if there happens to be a warmer day. May just miss the area totally if it is snowing in the area. Hmm, I guess we could go visit my cousin in Houston for the week or go on to Palm Springs or somewhere else warmer?? Know my daughter does not want us hanging out for another week in Milwaukee.

Ah well, after 2 yrs of wintering on the Big Island of Hawaii - thought we needed a change. But seeing the lava flow from the Volcano this past winter was truly awesome - even with the 9 mile RT hike with return in the dark.
 

Luanne

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We live in New Mexico (for a little over 4 years). I haven't been to Ruidoso yet so can't comment on how much there is, or isn't, to do there.
 

ronandjoan

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So high of mid 50s in Sedona in Feb - bummer, shows 41% of cloudy skies. So yes, without sun - it will certainly be chilly esp in the mornings. As long as the winds aren't crazy, should be okay with warm coat, hat, and gloves. At least, I will not be dripping in sweat - LOL!

Hmm, Moab aver highs in January are only high 30s with also 41% cloudy skies. Guess it would be okay to drive around the parks and check out the overlooks and hike if there happens to be a warmer day. May just miss the area totally if it is snowing in the area. Hmm, I guess we could go visit my cousin in Houston for the week or go on to Palm Springs or somewhere else warmer?? Know my daughter does not want us hanging out for another week in Milwaukee.

Ah well, after 2 yrs of wintering on the Big Island of Hawaii - thought we needed a change. But seeing the lava flow from the Volcano this past winter was truly awesome - even with the 9 mile RT hike with return in the dark.
HI Joyce
We are here on the BI right now and enjoyed seeing the lava from the park - as the lava lake is higher now. I was very excited to see the GLOW at night.
 

WalnutBaron

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To answer one of your specific questions, there are significant differences between Phoenix and Scottsdale, which is one of the toniest of Phoenix's suburbs. Phoenix is a large city, with typical big city attractions and problems. There are many attractions to enjoy, but I would rely on Uber to get around if you choose to stay there.

We love Scottsdale. Many great restaurants, a plethora of art galleries featuring distinctive Southwest art, and wide boulevards that make driving a pleasure.
 

sue1947

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Hello Tuggers:

An East coast snowbird planning a road trip out west in Jan- Mar 2019 after visiting daughter in Milwaukee for Xmas. We love hiking easy to moderate trails up to 6-7 hrs to enjoy beautiful sights - love temps in mid 50-60s for hiking. Here is the tentative plan:

1. Dec 26 to Jan 5 (11 days): Depending on weather in the Rockies, visit Mesa Verde NP, Canyonlands and Arches NP, & Capital Reef NP enroute to Palm Spring.
2. Jan 5-12 : Palm Springs - Marriott timeshare exchange
3. Jan 12-26: 2 RCI timeshare wks in southern CA coast
4. Jan 26- Feb 9: 2 timeshare wks in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and/or Tuscon
5. Feb 9-23 : 2 wk RCI exchange confirmed in Arroyo Roble in Sedona
6. Feb 23 - Mar 2: 1 wk road trip visiting Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Albuquerque, etc
7. Mar 2-9: 1 wk timeshare in Ruidoso NM
8. Mar 9-16: 1 wk RCI exchange confirmed in New Orleans
9. Mar 16 - head home

Questions:

2. Palm Springs: Are all the Marriott timeshares essentially the same - any favorites?

4. Phoenix, Scottsdale, and/or Tuscon: We do NOT play golf, just want to hike or sightsee in area. What is the difference between Phoenix and Scottsdale?

Only one RCI timeshare in Tuscon - has anyone ever traded into the Starr Pass Golf Suites? How difficult of a trade since this is winter snowbird season? Is this area worth a visit for hikers or our option is to spend another week just chilling in Sedona - which supposedly is a hiker's paradise.

6. Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Albuquerque - any other cool must see sights enroute during this road trip to Ruidoso?

7. Ruidoso NM - is this area worth a week's timeshare visit?

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Joyce

Some comments from a fellow hiker who likes the same temps:
Weather wise, the most problematic area is your first one. The UT parks are well worth the visit, but you might have more luck if you can rearrange your trip to put those at the end instead of the beginning. March will still be iffy, but it's better than New Years. Or take those out and save them for a spring (April/May) or fall trip.
From Cap Reef to Palm Springs, the likely route is US 12 which is extremely scenic. However, it goes over a 10000' pass and the road is very windy and VERY unforgiving; I wouldn't want to drive it in slippery/icy/snowy conditions. If conditions are dicey, head east and then down I-15 regardless of what google maps says. In addition, there is limited lodging near Cap Reef in the winter. You might pass on that park for a warmer time of year and focus on other areas. From Mesa Verde, you might look at heading south to Chaco Canyon (out of the way but one of my favorite spots) and some of the other National Monuments around Santa Fe and western NM.
St George is the banana belt of Utah and can be quite a bit warmer. It might be a good alternative with access to Zion and Bryce if the weather allows. I was chased out of Moab by a big snowstorm in late Oct several years ago and we ended up in St George. We were able to hike in Zion and Valley of Fire while the trucks were chaining up 10 miles north of town on I-15; the whole state except or the St George area was under snow.
I don't know much about Phoenix; I know there is some hiking there, but I just can't get all that excited about it. However, I really liked Tucson and the hiking in the surrounding mountains (Catalinas) and Saguaro NP plus various other large park areas. We also enjoy birding and there is a very active Audubon in Tucson you can join for day trips. There is also a National wildlife area south near the border that had a weekly walk and they suggested we join in on a walk at another state park; one thing led to another and we had a really nice week. We stayed at Starr Pass and it is one of my favorite exchanges. They are side by side duplexes with a studio lockout (2 beds with small kitchen area) and the 1 BR side. I would go with the 1 BR side vs a lockout. It is up on a hill right next to a large natural area (can't remember the name) but the trailhead for the area was within walking distance.
We were in Sedona the beginning of Feb this year and had perfect weather. However, a couple of days before, they had quite a bit of snow so it can vary. Things melted pretty quickly. It was very cold in the morning but blue skies in the afternoon which I consider perfect hiking weather. There is lots of hiking of varying lengths and abilities. If you do a day trip up to the Grand Canyon, it will be frigid and you will want very warm clothing. It can be spectacular, but, especially if the wind is blowing, it can be really cold. The Mogollon Rim is a geologic feature that runs just north of Sedona through Flagstaff and east/west across the state (essentially I-40). The cold air tends to come down to it and it can be snowing hard in Flagstaff and blue skies in Sedona. Staying in Sedona in Feb is a good option so you can head south if the weather to the north is acting up. There are several National Monuments within an easy drive from Sedona that are also well worth the trip: Walnut Canyon and Wupatki to the north (plus Sunset Crater if you haven't seen much volcanic stuff) and Tuzigoot and Montezuma's Castle and Well.
Check out some of the National Monuments in eastern AZ and NM: Some of these will depend on the weather. Distances are long and things can get very lonely with no help around if you end up in a ditch so make sure you check before you head out. Canyon de chilly in NE AZ is one of the lonely spots. El Moro in western NM is one of my favorites with a nifty (short) hike up over the top of the mesa and a very interesting history.
The 1 week road trip to G Canyon to Alburquerque: I'm assuming you want to stay on the rim at the G Canyon, but the snow can shut the road down at times (it was shut down for most of the week we were there last Feb) so you might be safer doing a day trip from Sedona in the 2 weeks you are there. Then head south instead hitting Tonto NM and then on down to SE AZ for Chiricauhau NM (like Bryce only with white formations) where there is a really nice one way hike you can do if they are still doing the shuttle from the ranger station. Nearby is Fort Bowie which I also really liked. There's a loop hike that takes you through the area and you feel like you are in the middle of a John Wayne western.
Palm Springs has some nice short hikes and you should make sure you do Joshua Tree NP while there. The access is easiest from the southern end of the Palm Springs-Indio area.
You have 2 weeks in S CA which is fine but you might see if you can squeeze in a week on the Central CA coast near San Luis Obispo, and especially Moro Bay. There is an RCI timeshare at San Luis Bay Inn that is a good option or rent a house in Moro Bay. There is great hiking along the coast from Montana de Oro SP (including a fabulous hike just south at Point Buchon (https://www.pge.com/en_US/residenti.../diablo-canyon-trails/point-buchon-trail.page)) up north to San Simeon including trails along the cliffs at various spots. There are also trails to all of the little peaks (the Nine Sisters) as well.

So many places, I think you will need to come back again to take it all in.

Sue
 

ronandjoan

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Thanks Sue for so much detail and suggestions. Yes, twice we have planned to go to the Grand Canyon and the road was closed. The first time, I was shocked; just never considered it... so we drove on. The second time, I knew to ask ahead.
 

rapmarks

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We have spent a lot of time in Arizona, with many family members living there. We found so much more to do as far as sightseeing in the Tucson area than the Phoenix area. Lots of historic sites south of Tucson on way to Nogales. Bisbee and tombstone area an interesting day trip. All kinds of canyons to visit near Tucson.
There is an observatory far south of Tucson. We signed up for the first available tour, which was march first. Good thing we did because on march third there was a snowstorm and the roads were closed for a couple of weeks. I mention this because you want to visit so many higher elevations. There is a good chance of roads being closed in the time period you mention. We drove to Arizona one January and had to wait it out because a road was closed between Colorado and New Mexico due to snow.


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Jwerking

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Sue,

Thank you ever so much for the great detailed info on hiking opportunities out West - so very helpful. With hindsight, we should have likely done this trip from March to May and just stayed home in Virginia Beach for the winter which has moderate winter weather - hubby would have to get taxes done early! But have the snow bird mentality.

Like your suggestion about a week in the central CA coast - beautiful area as had a business trip to Santa Barbara for 2 weeks. Need to research RCI resorts in Central coast to add to ongoing search. May just split the 2 wks bet southern and central coast - easy to do - just hate the packing and moving.

We have visited Joshua Tree in PS area and loved it- no time to hike last time so reason to visit again. Also hiked some trail in a valley in town - It was just ok - a bit too warm.

I agree visit to Moab area and to Grand Canyon are iffy depending on weather - we know that and will be flexible on plans. Last time we were in Milwaukee for Xmas, we delayed our departure for 2 days due to snow storm. We do not really drive in snow - so will be very careful.

St George - so this area can be warmer and less snowy in Jan than Moab andTorrey area?? Would love to do more Zion and Bryce hiking - as not really into hiking during our last visit. I may even hike down into Bryce Canyon given I can survive the hike backup in cold temps.

Think we may pass on Phoenix and Scottsdale- doesn't sound like our "thing" - better off in Tucson, CA coast, or Sedona for extra week.

Once again, thank you or your help.

BTW, love the Seattle area - really enjoyed our short 2 to 3 day visits to Olympic NP and Mt Rainier after spending a week on Vancouver Island. Need to return to these areas and include Mt Baker - unfortunately no timeshares as I recall. Is spring not a good time for mountain areas due to snow melt and muddy trails? Cannot do fall for a few yrs since we are doing Europe while my daughter is working there for next few years.

Joyce
 

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Snowater is on Mt Baker and we will be there over the 4th of July. Been there before and love it. Several timeshares on the WA coast have easy access to the Olympic National Park, as well as Kala Point in Port Townsend toward the north side.
 

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BTW, love the Seattle area - really enjoyed our short 2 to 3 day visits to Olympic NP and Mt Rainier after spending a week on Vancouver Island. Need to return to these areas and include Mt Baker - unfortunately no timeshares as I recall. Is spring not a good time for mountain areas due to snow melt and muddy trails? Cannot do fall for a few yrs since we are doing Europe while my daughter is working there for next few years.

Joyce

As Joan said, Snowater is the timeshare for the Baker area. They frequently come up in II for fall. In the NW, the high country trails don't melt out until mid-July. Currently, the road up to Artist Point on Mt Baker is still closed with up to 20' of snow along the road. Fall is a really good time for hiking up there.

The only timeshares for Central CA coast are San Luis Bay Inn and Worldmark Pismo Beach. I own in WM and Pismo is my least favorite resort. The location is superb, but they are very small and cramped with cardboard for walls. The last time we were there, they had just finished a remodel with new edging around the outside of the windows which prevented the windows from opening more than an inch. It got really hot in the room, and this was in January. I'd go for San Luis Bay Inn, which I really liked and their studios are pretty spacious as well, or I'd rent a house in Moro Bay.

Sue
 

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Thank you Sue and Joan - will keep the info for a late summer/ fall trip out West in a few yrs. Fall is so short out west - as MT Baker hiking area closed on Sept 30th when we were there 4 or 5 yrs ago.

San Luis Bay Inn it will be for ongoing search - will check out rentals also. Have done lots of AirBnB and VRBO rentals for our trips to major cities in Europe. If you go with at least another couple or even two and split a 2 or 3 BR apt rental, it can be very reasonable.

<<St George - so this area can be warmer and less snowy in Jan than Moab andTorrey area?? Would love to do more Zion and Bryce hiking - as not really into hiking during our last visit. I may even hike down into Bryce Canyon given I can survive the hike backup in cold temps.

Sue, would appreciate followup question on St. George.

Thanks again to the both of you!

Joyce
 

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<<St George - so this area can be warmer and less snowy in Jan than Moab andTorrey area?? Would love to do more Zion and Bryce hiking - as not really into hiking during our last visit. I may even hike down into Bryce Canyon given I can survive the hike backup in cold temps.

Sue, would appreciate followup question on St. George.

Thanks again to the both of you!

Joyce

Check the temps for past years for any area you are interested in. I've never been to St George in the winter. St George was mostly in the 40's and 50's last Jan according to wunderground. Zion is a little higher and Bryce is a lot higher and a 2 hour drive so may be snowed in while St George is not. Frankly, I would save all the Utah parks for another trip when you can go in either spring or fall, especially if you don't want to drive in snow. However, since you are driving through, you might have flexible lodging options that you can cancel with a backup plan in case the weather turns on you.
Sue
 

rapmarks

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I remember visiting crater lake in late June or July and the rim was closed due to snow not yet cleared. Very likely some parks roads inaccessible in winter months.


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I remember visiting crater lake in late June or July and the rim was closed due to snow not yet cleared. Very likely some parks roads inaccessible in winter months.
/QUOTE]

Wow, never would have guessed. We were there in late August/early Sept and the first day, the smoke from forest fires was so thick that we could barely see the lake from the overlooks. Thank goodness, the next day, the winds were blowing the other direction and it cleared, so we had a great day for our visit as well as the boat tour on the lake. The hike back up the hill from the boat ride was not as bad as anticipated - LOL! But our one day to hike along the Oregon Coast was a bust, as the fog was so thick that we could barely see anything - very disappointing. That is why I hate road trips only allocating a day or two to visit certain areas - can be a lot of driving without an opportunity to see anything if the weather does not cooperate. That is why I love an entire timeshare week - more time to wait out the weather!
 

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Check the temps for past years for any area you are interested in. I've never been to St George in the winter. St George was mostly in the 40's and 50's last Jan according to wunderground. Zion is a little higher and Bryce is a lot higher and a 2 hour drive so may be snowed in while St George is not. Frankly, I would save all the Utah parks for another trip when you can go in either spring or fall, especially if you don't want to drive in snow. However, since you are driving through, you might have flexible lodging options that you can cancel with a backup plan in case the weather turns on you.
Sue

LOL - it will be interesting to see how the weather will be for this drive after Xmas 2018 - 1.5 yrs from now. Could be no problem or a major snow storm moving across the country! Will probably make tentative hotel reservations that can be easily cancelled and we will pick a route depending on weather. This a first for me as I am a planner - so this will be an adventure! Nice thing about being retired - we have all the time in the world!

Joyce
 

rapmarks

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Joyce, you brought back memories. It was after Christmas 2000 and we were driving from chicago to Tucson. Major ice storm during the night. Drove past abandoned cars along side of road. Could not go most direct route, had to go to Colorado, then stuck an extra night before pass opened up to go south.


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Worldmark Marena Dunes is central coast, also.

I think of the Central CA coast as south of Big Sur. North of Big Sur, the weather is in Jan is a little more iffy, but still pretty good. For the OP's purposes, I think staying south of Big Sur is easier and makes more sense.

Sue
 

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To answer one of your specific questions, there are significant differences between Phoenix and Scottsdale, which is one of the toniest of Phoenix's suburbs. Phoenix is a large city, with typical big city attractions and problems. There are many attractions to enjoy, but I would rely on Uber to get around if you choose to stay there.

We love Scottsdale. Many great restaurants, a plethora of art galleries featuring distinctive Southwest art, and wide boulevards that make driving a pleasure.

We have family in Phoenix that we visit frequently. Yes, Phoenix is large. The greater Phoenix area is even larger and includes many other jurisdictions. Scottsdale certainly contains much of the upscale areas. But neighborhoods of Phoenix and other jurisdictions are near Scottsdale and some distance from downtown Phoenix. I would not dismiss a timeshare only because it is not in Scottsdale.

A scenic drive from Phoenix with hiking opportunities that I would recommend is the "Apache Trail" through the Superstition Mountains.


There is an observatory far south of Tucson. We signed up for the first available tour, which was march first.

When I first read this my thought was that "south" was incorrect. Then I checked and found out that there are several observatories in the Tucson area. The Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory is to the south and most likely the one the poster has in mind. While we spend most of our time in the Phoenix area close to family we have traveled to Tucson occasionally to visit various attractions. There is a scenic drive to the northeast of Tucson known as the "Sky Island Scenic Byway" (also Mt. Lemmon Highway) which we enjoyed very much. It ends at Mt. Lemmon Sky Center Observatory which has nighttime stargazing sessions open to the public that we have been thinking of doing some day. There are also hiking trails in that area. Another scenic outing from Tucson is the drive through Saguaro National Park to the northwest with possible hiking and a stop at Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum and zoo.
 

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We were in St George this March and the weather was around 80 degrees every day. There are plenty of trails in the area as well as a reasonable drive to Zion. Brce can have snow though. Been there in January and March with snow on the ground both times. The trails were mostly open in March. I would recommend Tucson as there is a lot to see in the area. Sedona is at 4500 feet and could have snow.
 

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When Sedona gets snow it's usually an early morning skiff and clears up by mid-day. Rarely does it get a snow dump like they experience in Flag ir the higher elevations. 1Q months are cool enought to warrant bundling up but, if hiking, you will easily want to shed layers once the sun gets high in the sky. Arizona usually has a lot of blue sky, regardless of the season. We are a dry state here. Elevation will always impact and we have significant changes in elevations here depending on where you land.

Factoring Phoenix as the warmest area of the state for comparison (it's not actually but there is definitely more concrete to influence) Tucson runs about 5-8 degress cooler, Sedona 8-12 degrees cooler and the farther north you go plan on temps and weather with a 15-25 degree shift. Sedona will have the most availability of units and broadest options for spectacular hiking. Jan-Mar anything north of Phoenix will aways be more wet than south.

St George is definitely the banana belt of Utah. We have stayed there Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, May & Oct. Expect snow and freezing morning temps Jan & Feb. Late Feb early Mar it transitions into perfect hiking temps. Because there are plethora of unbelievably stunning hiking areas along the entire southern Utah / Arizona border, not to missed BTW, would plan a return trip JUST for that area. It will not disappoint. Could easily spend a month with all of the amazing options. Also consider planning a future hike into our Hualapai Canyon and Havasupai. Not for the casual hiker or faint of heart.

http://waterfallsofthegrandcanyon.com/havasu-falls/havasupai-waterfalls/

Cannot speak to hiking available along the CA coast but we have traveled pretty much all seasons there and temps, especially comparted to VB, are usually moderate and comfortable. Even NoCali coast is lovely in most seasons. Palm springs, as stated, has some great short distance hikes. 1St Qtr is a good time but it will feel a lot like a mini-Phoenix (at least it does to us). Cochella Valley has some very interesting history. We like PS area.

Have fun with the planning!! Exciting!!
 
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