54 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JUNE 2016
Cloudy, cool early May weather was ideal for hiking but
disappointing for photographers. The Take a Hikers spent the
morning at Diamond Valley Lake south of Hemet. This is a
man-made lake constructed at the end of the last century. It
provides water storage and recreation for our area. We had two
new couples join five regulars for the hike. The hard packed
gravelly road is level and maintained for bikers and official
vehicles. We walked half way along the northern shore toward
the western dam-2.5 miles.
After the hike the group visited the Western Sciences
Museum which includes many of the fossilized remains of early
animal life in this area. There are numerous dinosaur bones on
display and a great film about the excavation and all the efforts
to preserve the evidence of early life here. School children are
always present here as the museum has classrooms for teaching
about the sciences involved in excavation, identification and
preservation of fossils.
The day ended at Los Vaqueros restaurant since the hikers
were eager to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
Our future hikes will be the first Thursday of each month
except for December when we walk the outdoor Christmas
lights at Four Seasons.
We meet at 8 am in the North Lodge parking lot. Our hikes
are about five miles round trip with moderate elevation gain.
We travel to nearby (max 50 miles out) trails. We enjoy lunch
out.
We have toured The Living Desert, Palm Desert, 2 lakes,
Diamond Valley, Perris, Santa Rosa Plateau, Barton Flats, Aspen
Grove, Whitewater, Joshua Tree, Idyllwild, Indian Canyons, Oak
Glen, Pipes Canyon, and in September we will go to Crystal
Cove, Laguna, etc.
For more information call or email Lynette Simonson at
Hike Central (951) 377-0392 lynette.simonson@gmail.com. ~
Lynette Simonson
TAKE A HIKE CLUB
Below: The lake showing effects of the drought
L-R: Vito and Kerry Cacucciolo, Lynette Simonson, Mona Swinhart, Denise Featherstone,
David Kershaw, and Gary and Paulette Sigritz on the trail overlooking Hemet
Club members pose at Babe's Barbecue in Palm Desert
