Hemet

Snowcapped peaks of Big Bear Mt in distance

En route to Perris (NW of Hemet) along Marc's scenic bike route of approx a 70 mile loop.   The Hemet area is full of vibrant colors due to a recent rain storm.

A 96-foot tall indoor skydiving wind tunnel is the premier attraction in Perris Valley – the only one located on a Drop Zone in Southern California! This multimillion dollar, state-of-the-art vertical wind tunnel allows guests of all ages to enjoy the sensation of freefall without the airplane.  Programs are offered for serious divers all the way to competition level.

About 85 degrees (30+ c) and sitting on top of the world

Within a 10 minute drive at the end of the Seven Hills Golf Course, is a network of trails with wide open spaces and two hill climbs, giving a fabulous view around the Hemet Valley.  Views of the golf course but also agricultural fields.  California's agricultural farms add up to a third of the state's entire land mass & employs over a million people.

Marc in tunnel at Red Hawk Golf Course

Did a quick check on golf courses within a 20 mile radius of Hemet . . . counted 25.    Most, you can book on-line for $25-29 for 18-holes. 

Red Hawk Golf Course, Temecula

View of fairway #1 below (teeny, weeny golf cart )

About  45 minute drive to one of the most challenging and gorgeous golf courses in the area.  We loved this course - lots of bunker action, HILLS, water, bridges, street crossing, some narrow, some sharp dog-legged fairways and a few open fairways and some very challenging tiers.  Hole #4 has four tiers, up hill with several deep bunkers if the tiers don't make it interesting enough.   You don't want to have to putt downhill or you will be starting over at the tee. 

Some comments on a forum were:  "too many houses" (almost all houses are up on the cliffs overlooking the fairways); "you have to have backpacked Yosemite to walk this course"; "an OK course - greens were okay." 

Squirrels are very healthy & big

Red Hawk is a par 72 course and 6,095 yds from the white tees.  (71.1 rating and 130 slope from the whites).  

Diamond Valley Golf Course, Hemet

Diamond Valley is a little more forgiving than Red Hawk and only about a 20 minute drive.  A Par 72 course (6,118 yds from the white tees and 70.2 and 128 slope).  One of the most challenging holes is #12 - a 611 yd par 5 hole with a 2 acre sand bunker all along the left side.  Lots of deep bunkers, mostly wide fairways and deep gulleys on either side of some fairways.

Olives generally turn a blackish-purple when fully ripe.  Raw olives contain an alkaloid that makes them bitter and unpalatable (that would be these).  There are several methods of curing including lye-curing to remove the bitterness when picked green or semi-ripe, there is also water-curing, salt-curing and Greek-style curing.    Will hopefully check out the Georgiana Ranch Olive business in Hemet - one of few businesses to vine ripen their olives.

With warmer climes lately, the little critters are coming out.   Saw several of these little lizards scurring around the rocks at the golf courses (about 2").  Saw my first snake - looked like a diamond back - about one and a half feet, sunning in the sand.