Tier Point Run to Palm Springs in Dec 2023: Day 3 – San Bernardino to Victorville

By Nige on December 16, 2023 at 6:20 pm
Type: Post
Story: Tier Point Run to Palm Springs in Dec 2023 Category: Travel
Tags: Hertz | Hilton | San Bernardino | Trips | USA | Victorville

I managed a decent sleep overnight. First sleep started around 5pm and lasted until about 10pm.

I was up for a few hours and then grabbed 3 extra hours of kip, finally waking at just before 4am. Well done me!

I walked out about half a mile to Starbucks at just before 4:30am. Having walked back, I decided I would go and find a charging station to check whether charging would work. It did, but it wasn’t cheap.

I used the Electrify A Hunt Valley charging station via Monzo card and was charged $50 up front. When charging was complete, I had only used $14. The final (correct) charge appeared on Monzo the following day.

Hertz has offered to charge my car up if I bring it back with less than 87% charge for just $25. So that sounds like a no-brainer. So hopefully, I can get to Victorville and back to Palm Springs on the 90% charge I now have in the car.

Breakfast started at 6am which seems the norm for a Hampton Inn. Normal fayre was available.

I started with Raisin Bran, followed by some toast and finally some bacon and potatoes. I was working on the assumption that I would try to only have two meals today.

Victorville was only about 30 miles away, so I needed to find stuff to do on the way. I picked out the Mormon Rocks Viewpoint and associated Interpretive Trail, then a Starbucks close to Victorville.

On the way to the viewpoint/trail, I was diverted due to heavy traffic on the I5. That fortuitously, took me on to Route 66!

I turned off for the Mormon Rocks and initially found the Viewpoint lay-by on the right. The Interpretive Trail was separate and (according to a review I read online), for that I needed to park at the fire station, which was about 100 yards up the road on the left.

The fire station was a bit odd. The turn was sign-posted as a National Forest, but there was a barrier on my side of the road. Obviously, I ignored that and parked on rough ground on the left-hand side.

The Mormon Rock Interpretive Trail wasn’t sign-posted as such, but there was an opening in the fence with a sign to emphasise the gate closed at 5pm.

I wandered up the steep climb to another viewpoint. I had read warnings about climbing up in shorts, and there were rattlesnakes etc. It was fine.

It took no more than 15 mins to get up, take some photos, and come down again. Overall, I won’t bother coming back. Bit of a non-event, to be honest.

From the viewpoint I decided I would at least start my visit to the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA). By doing some of that today, it might free up some time tomorrow.

I’ve documented my SCLA visit in a separate post, but fair to say it was an adventure and I was pleased to have done it.

I headed to the Hilton Garden Inn in Victorville and got my digital key, thus avoided needing to visit reception.

Into room 423 and I said goodnight to the Vickster before heading out to a local Mexican.

The Mexican I chose was about 10 mins away and was called Paulina’s Mexican Grill. It turned into a Mexican extravaganza.

I was provided with the normal chips and salsa as sort of an amuse bouche, which was lovely, especially alongside a Corona.

Then I had a chicken quesadilla as a starter, which was tremendous.

I chose not to eat it all – my server proactively provided me with a box, so I could take the rest home. I wasn’t entirely sure when I was going to eat it mind!

I had a tasty side salad to freshen my palette, then came mixed meat fajitas. Wow!

That was one of the best Mexican meals I have ever had. I told my server when I paid and she said she would pass on my appreciation to the chef and her mother, who I can only assume is the owner of the restaurant.

Tier Point Run to Palm Springs in Dec 2023