Day 7, 9-5-10: Banning to Rest Stop at exit 113, on I-10

Good and rested after a nite inside. Up early and headed out for Cabazon. The weather was cooler so anticipated a nice walk. I had used Google walking directions to find a route because not many options other than the interstate. Google directed us to head east on Johnson Lane. We found the interstate, then John St., but no Johnson Lane. So called my son to have him look at it on Google, and he said it was right beside the interstate and south of a row of trees.

Well, there was a rock filled, dirt road, unmarked, and we finally decided that must be it.....which turned out to be correct. But just a warning about Google walking directions: they might be right, and might not. Maybe within a city they would most often be right, but we've come upon many unmarked roads, roads with locked gates, roads no longer passable, etc., from the walking directions. Because we have the cart, we need a good surface, so decided to stick with driving directions most times.

Johnson Lane finally turned into an un-maintained surface road with no traffic, so all went well the rest of the walk. I stopped at a drug store to get some moleskin.....several people mentioned it helps with preventing blisters, and it does. Very cushioning, and sticks like crazy.

How to describe Cabazon.......it's the Las Vegas of outlet malls. About 130 or so outlet stores of about any name brand you can think of. All in a very nice, upscale, setting. It has hotels, casinos, and dinosaurs! For some reason, dinosaurs are big out here. ( that's a pic of me holding one back while Alan escapes.) Both Alan and I needed another shirt, so we went to the Columbia outlet and bought those. Then to the food court for lunch, rested a while. I spotted a policeman and inquired about walking on I-10 for a short stretch of our route. "Sure, you can do that out here, it's only the congested areas that you can't." I asked would he give me a card I could show in case someone questioned us being on the highway. With that in hand, set out on a road that runs alongside I-10.

The road ran out, we jumped on I-10 and decided to spend the nite in a rest area. Couldn't wait to drink some cold water, but unfortunately, it was "warm and cloudy (Alan's description)." See, CA has this budget problem and many of their facilities have suffered. Thing break and not fixed, facilities unmanned, etc. But, there was a nice place to pitch a tent, and the restrooms worked. Another tent camper was already there and we pitched near him......although there was a sign saying "no campers." Interesting enuf, many cars come to the rest area and stay overnite, which is not allowed in many states.