Where the Cement River Begins

Geared up, and rolled out around 5:30 am, and Silver fine as far as I went before, but when I reached the section that diverted me last roll, the true test I anticipated, as at this section the freeway cement is like washboarded from not being layed right, or something, there was a traffic jam, so, so, diverted to surface streets and a Denny's off 91 near Madison and Magnolia...breakfast, and studied the maps, iphone google maps too...rolled along Magnolia and somehow to Main and to Riverside, and found myself crossing the River on Riverside..pulled over for pics...second two up...and was delighted to see the Bike Trail goes this far... I think it goes all the way to Redlands, and a bit further!...found direction signs to 10 and Big Bear and Running Springs...rolled up 18 to the Lake...Boulder Bay pic...sat awhile there, taking pics, Bees on Spanish Roses in the Little Park, and Birds about...Robins, Starlings, Mallards....continued through Town, layout I remember, and looked for the road that goes around to near San Gorgonio Mountain, which is the watershed start of the River..this road is 38...all the while hereabout I reflected on how smaller the Pines are than in my fond memories of Hikes and Ski Trips!...this of course being that Pines in the San Beranrdinos are growing in a much drier envoironemnt than the Merced's Watershed, and I was comparing them with the Valley's!...rolling along 38, I sighted the sign for the Santa Ana River Trail (hiking!), pic up, and rolled down the Dirt Road thereabout to looksee...expected a campground, but aside the road just a lot of boarded up vacation homes...and found the trail head sign..pic up...pics of the Creek, and Primrose, and I continued on the Dirt Road aways, but turned back, not sure where it went...back on 38, I diverted to Jenks Lake, and made that loop, and I'm thinking maybe the Ranger Visitor Cabin was on the section of 38 I didn't travel...early on I passed one Ranger Cabin, but too early to be open.... I expected, and wanted, to find one, and find out about camping and trail permits and such...there there somewhere!...anyway, fee required at Jenks Lake, passed, and Adventure Pass required to park, anywhere, and I'd forgotten to bring that, so, so, kept rolling until 38 descended to the wide wash of another branch of the River...I'm not sure how many there are...Bear Paw Audubon Preserve thereabout...pic...and continued to Redlands...and success, as I now have a picture in my mind where to go to explore the beginning sections of the River!....had thought to continue towards Palm Spring and take 74 to Idyllwild, but enough, and back on 10 to 91, and the dreaded section...bumpitybumpitybumpity...and Silver did fine!...no DW at all!...so new tires and alignment did the trick...much pleased!...sunny blue hot, hotter on the lowlands...I got back at 12:30 pm...and went to the GG Library...tried to get a bargain copy of Tom Sawyer...I just finished reading the Deerslayer...post in the works...and I'm sorta mining an idea, the next 'ore' Mark Twain's Mississippi...for sometime, Glimmerglass and the Mississippi...'Mississippi' is maybe the best word ever!!!