Jurupa Park at Southridge

I was able to attend an arts event at a public park this past Saturday. It was very, very hot in the beginning, and the temperatures didn't help to encourage people to attend. However, it cooled down as the event progressed and it was very pleasing to see massive storm cloud formations in the sky, carrying with them a promise that would be fulfilled on Sunday when we woke up with rain during the early morning hours.

These hills had never seemed particularly scenic to me, and that was one of the reasons why I had never ventured out to explore this area. What ends up happening with these parks is that they are commonly taken over by raucous off-roaders who bring all manner of motorized vehicles to perform what they deem are reckless but exciting daredevil maneouvers. They will arrive in battered trucks then use noisy vehicles to spin and race around and around, all while blaring loud thrash metal music. That was one of the reasons why I had avoided this particular park, thinking I would find more of the same.

It turns out that this park abuts a residential area and, as such, much of this raucous activity that is carried out in more desolate locations is missing here. I don't doubt that people will arrive to carry out other dubious activities in this location, such as using drugs, but at least during the daytime it seems to be fairly well monitored. The neighbors are not going to put up with unseemly activity, although I wonder how many of these middle class denizens have ventured up these hills.

They were holding a bike tournament on the day of the festival, and this event was scrupulously kept apart from the art festival that was taking place next door. I found it necessary, however, to venture over to the Jurupa Hills area, and was able to take a few photos. It seems to be fairly well used, but I wasn't able to explore more than the entrance. For one thing, my presence would have been a distraction for the bicycle course that had been set up. For another, it was over 100 degrees, and I wasn't prepared for a hike, especially if I was carrying fifteen pounds of camera equipment and a heavy tripod. I need water and good shoes, and in this park I don't doubt that there are snakes about that might cause injury to the incautious hiker. I'll have to return in the future, perhaps in the fall when temperatures have decreased.