|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Saturday morning came all too soon, with alarms blaring and girls stumbling over suitcases at the end of their beds. By agreement, they had decided to have Tom drive them to the airport without their families. Leaving for the summer was going to be hard enough without having a tearful farewell in the airport.
Tom and Honey picked up Trixie first and then Diana. By the time they approached John F. Kennedy International Airport, all three girls were wide awake. Tom parked in the drop-off zone and flagged down a porter to help with the luggage. After the trunks and suitcases were loaded on the cart, Tom tipped the porter and gathered the girls around him.
"Now, ladies, you sure you've all got your tickets?"
Honey, Diana and Trixie all pulled their tickets out and waved them in the air and giggling like a bunch of kids.
"All right," Tom grinned at them. "I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't have to make an emergency trip back to Sleepyside!" The grin slid away and Tom's face became all business again. "Well, uh, I guess this is it until the end of August. You girls stay safe and have fun."
"Group hug!" yelled Trixie suddenly.
The early morning passengers paused in amusement as three attractive young girls grabbed the chauffer in a hug. When they finally pulled apart, Tom's hat hung askew. Laughing, he quickly straightened it and tapped his fingers to the brim in a salute before getting back in the car.
The girls followed the porter to the check-in counter and excitedly watched as their bags and trunks trundled away on the conveyor belt. After checking in, they found their gate and settled in to wait until they could board the plane.
Looking around, Trixie spotted a small kiosk. "I'm so restless, I wish we were in California already. I'm going to go over and see what they have to drink. Anyone want to join me?"
Both Honey and Diana were equally as restless and joined Trixie in purchasing a glass of orange juice. Sitting down again and sipping her juice, Diana looked around and started giggling. "Do you realize that this is the exact same area where you spotted the gypsy lady from Mexico?"
"Oh my goodness!" gasped Honey. "It is. Isn't that a freaky coincidence?"
Trixie, spotting the look of worry on Honey's face, hurried to reassure her. "Thank goodness I've outgrown silly stunts like what happened in the diner. This summer is going to be just for us girls to have some fun in sunny California!"
Just then, the P.A. system played the announcement for passengers to start boarding. Grabbing their carry-on bags the three girls excitedly headed for the ramp to start their adventure.
The final leg of their journey deposited the three girls at Palm Springs Airport. Stepping out of the airport and into the warm California sun was an eye opening experience. The temperature at 10:00 in the morning was already a blazing 95°. The sky, a cerulean blue, had nary a cloud in the sky. The girls, eyes goggling, stood and stared at the landscape around them.
Forested mountains in virtually every direction flanked the flat, arid landscape. Close by, palm trees, swaying in a brisk morning breeze, made rasping sounds as the fronds brushed against each other. The palm trees came in an astonishing variety of shapes and sizes. Some, tall and spindly, looked like they hadn't been maintained in ages; with brown clumps of branches hanging forlornly under the sparse green palm leafs. Others, short and squat, draped long, lush looking branches nearly to the ground.
Walking from the terminal toward the waiting rental car, droplets of sweat beaded Trixie's face as she fanned herself with the map she had picked up at the rental agency counter. "Whew! I can't believe how warm it is, and it's only the morning! It wasn't like this in Arizona."
"And it's only June," agreed Diana, whose normally pale complexion had taken on a rosy hue. "My goodness, think what this place must be like later in the year. I'm so glad I don't live here. I don't think I would make it. How do people stand it?"
A man walking by overheard her last comment and turned with a smile on his face. "Air conditioning, pure and simple. That and you do get used to the heat after a while. After all, it's a dry heat. Besides, where else can you live where it averages 354 sunny days a year? Welcome to California!" He waved and continued on his way, leaving the girls to ponder on what they had learned.
"That many days! No wonder it looks so brown." Honey crinkled her nose. "And it smells almost dusty, doesn't it?"
Trixie sniffed experimentally. "I don't smell any dust. And I know what dust smells like, trust me." She sniffed again. "You know what it reminds me of? In the fall, when you pick up a leaf that's fallen from a tree and it's all dried out--that's kind of what it smells like."
Honey got in the driver's seat while Trixie, who would be navigating, took the passenger seat in the front. Diana hopped in the back seat. Trixie unfolded the map and got out the directions that Ryma had given them so she could compare the two. "Gleeps, I hope it's going to be as easy to find our way to camp as Ryma said. I sure wouldn't want to get lost out here in the desert. Maybe we should stock up on some water and something to eat, just in case."
Leaning over the back seat, Diana looked at her quizzically. "What?" Trixie asked.
"Oh nothing, I was just checking to make sure that Mart hadn't somehow managed to switch places with you. That sounds more like something he would say."
"Now girls," interjected a placid Honey. "Let's get this show on the road. I want to get to camp sometime today. Trixie, check Ryma's directions and tell me what road we should take."
"Yes, boss!" A cheeky Trixie waved a mock salute at Honey.
Soon, the girls were headed out from Palms Springs, giggling at the street names they passed by. Kirk Douglas Drive lead to Gene Autry Trail and finally onto a more normal sounding Palm Canyon Drive. Within minutes Palm Springs was left behind as they cruised along Highway 111 through Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert. Soon even those cityscapes were gone as they merged onto Highway 74.
Honey slowed down as she tried to navigate the twisting and turning mountain roads. "I'm so glad it isn't winter time. I'd be too scared to drive these switchbacks in the snow. At least, I think it snows here. I thought California never gets any snow."
Trixie wisely refrained from laughing at Honey. "Of course it snows in California, but only in the mountains. Remember, that's what Ryma told us about how neat it is where she lives. She's only an hour away from the beach in one direction and, like 45 minutes from the mountains in another direction. So no matter what kind of weather she's having, if she doesn't like it, she can just hop in her car and go someplace where it's nicer."
As if to emphasize her point, the temperature dropped as they traveled into the higher elevations. The landscape began to change too after leaving Pinyon Crest.
"I can see why they call this the Pines to Palm Highway. It's hard to believe that just a few miles back it was all palm trees," said Trixie.
"And now it's all pine trees," added Diana. "Really tall pine trees." The girls stared at the thick copse on both sides of the road. "This kind of reminds me of Vermont. Who'd a thought something so close to the desert could look so much like Mead's Mountain."
Trixie suddenly hooted when she spotted a sign as they passed through a small mountain community. "Check it out you guys. How's that for a name for a restaurant -- Paradise Corner Café. Look at how plain it looks, stuck out in the middle of nowhere. Either it has some really good food or someone is being really optimistic."
Honey glanced at the clock on the dashboard and slowed down. "Well, we're doing good on time; we don't need to arrive at camp for another couple of hours yet. I'm feeling kind of hungry. Who wants to stop and try out this place?"
"I wouldn't mind. Besides, it'll give us a chance to get used to the altitude." Diana pointed to an elevation sign. "We're already at 4800 feet."
"That's true. My ears have popped a couple of times already. So, what are we waiting for?" Trixie bounced eagerly in her seat as Honey pulled in to the large gravel lot. She was already out of the car before Honey had a chance to turn off the engine.
Honey and Diana began to follow her in to the café, only to stop suddenly or risk slamming into Trixie. Looking over her shoulder, it appeared she was staring at the ceiling. "Oops, sorry, but look, this is too cool!" Stepping out of their way, she pointed upwards. Tree branches, some with twinkly lights, appeared to be growing out of the walls.
Diana and Honey joined Trixie in admiring the décor before a waitress approached them and seated them. The menu displayed an astonishing array of burgers and appetizing side dishes. They had a good time debating the relative merits of each offering before settling on their choices.
Honey adventurously ordered the San Franciscan burger, which came with cheddar, and American cheese, Ortega chili, and grilled onions on Parmesan crusted sourdough and a side order of onion rings. Trixie, never one to be out done, ordered the San Jose burger, which had Swiss cheese, avocado, bacon, mushrooms, and jalapenos on a jalapeno-cornmeal Kaiser roll and a side order of sweet potato fries. Diana winced at the thought of all of the onions and jalapenos, and the risk of bad breath.
"Are you sure you want to eat those onions, Honey?"
"Why not, our boyfriends are at home, and were going to be surrounded by girls all summer. Lighten up a little, Diana."
Trixie waggled her eyebrows at Diana. "That's right, live on the wild side."
"Oh, all right." She turned to waitress. "I'll go ahead and try the San Fernando burger."
"Do you want everything on it? That'd be bacon, melted pepper-jack cheese, peppercorn spread, onion straws, onions, and tomatoes on an onion bun," confirmed the waitress.
"Why not? And give me the garlic Parmesan steak fries too."
While waiting for their orders the girls explored the rustic building. They were surprised to find a big hitching post at the back of the restaurant. Trooping back inside, they found a couple, dressed in t-shirt, shorts, and hiking boots sitting at the table next to theirs. Backpacks could be seen peeking out from underneath the table. The waitress chatted with them like they were regulars.
"So, did you two Suicide yet?"
"Yeah, we just did it today, Misty!" replied the man. "It was awesome!"
Trixie, Honey, and Diana exchanged puzzled glances with each other.
Misty, their waitress, caught the look and laughed good-naturedly at them. "Don't worry, it's a local rock that's a favorite with hikers. It got its name from local legends of an American Native Princess who threw herself off the rock with her lover rather than being separated as their Tribal Chief had ordered." Turning back to the hikers she finished taking their order.
When their food came, the girls eyes widened at the size of the servings. "Whoa!" exclaimed Trixie. "Mart would just love this place. I don't think even he'd walk away hungry for a few hours."
Setting down the final plate, Misty explained about the large platters. "You see, a lot of our clientele are hikers. They come in straight off the trail and are ravenous. Isn't that right Deke?"
The large, blond male beside them turned and grinned. "You got that right. Last summer, Mimi and I came in from climbing Tahquitz Rock. We'd spent the entire day up there and all we had with us were some lousy Power Bars. I was so hungry, I was ready to eat an entire cow!"
Mimi jabbed him playfully in the arm. "If you had listened to me tell you how long the hike was going to be, we'd a had more than just those bars."
"I know, I know. Hey, I listened to you today didn't I babe?"
His petite, redheaded girlfriend just smiled back at him.
Trixie groaned as she got up from the table. "I'm not sure I'll need to eat dinner tonight at camp. I'm stuffed."
"Me too," moaned Di.
"Make that me three," agreed Honey. "I'm so full, but it was so good!"
The three paid their bill and made Misty promise to tell the chef how outstanding his cooking was. They assured her they'd try and make it back one more time before they left for home at the end of summer.
Getting back in the car, Honey glanced again at the time. "Gosh, we took a little longer than I expected. We'd better hustle it up so we'll make it on time. Come on girls, let's hit the road."
The final leg of their journey lasted for about three more miles and brought them to the turnoff at Morris Ranch Road. "Look, there's the fire station on the corner, just like Ryma told us." Trixie looked down at her directions. "We're almost there! It's not even a half a mile to get to Thompson Road."
Honey turned right and began the steep climb up the final hill. "Here we go gang. All the way to 5500 feet!" The rental car's engine grumbled up the incline. Trixie patted the dashboard. "You can do it. You can do it," she chanted. Honey finally slipped the gear into 2nd . "I sure am glad I'm driving and not walking up this hill."
After making the turn onto Thompson Road, they all begin looking for signs of life. Diana was the first to spot the buildings as they made the final turn. Honey gratefully pulled into a spot near the administration building and turned off the car. "We made it! Now all we have to do is check in and find out where to stow all our gear."
They climbed out of the car and went in the back door of the admin building. "Yoo-hoo!" called Honey. "The New Yorkers are here!"
 |
 |
 |