On the plus side, this is the perfect time of year to do such a ride. A couple of weeks ago I was thinking of doing the same ride.
However, I would personally not consider that ride at this time for the following reasons:
- The city of Palm Springs I believe has essentially shut down due to Coronavirus
- Other similar small towns (e.g. Big Bear, Idyllwild) are actively telling visitors to stay away
- Any non-essential trips which would involve stops at gas stations, bathrooms, etc. goes against our collective social distancing efforts. I suppose you could get around this if you can drive there and back w/o stopping anywhere.
- As our city parks/trails get shut down, more and more people will be heading out to places such as Palm Springs or Laguna to ride/hike. This can lead to the type of overcrowding we're trying to avoid, and perhaps the shutdown of those areas too
- If you get hurt and need medical help, you'll be taking up the resources of a severely stressed healthcare industry. Plus, a hospital is probably the last place you want to be right now.
If you go, I hope you only go with people you're already living with, bail if the trailhead looks crowded, plan to drive there and back without stopping, and ride carefully.
Sorry to be a downer, and obviously, you are free to ignore me completely. You did, however, ask for thoughts.
Cheers,
Chicken Little
