messy riverside wanderings
i landed in riverside after a long drive and immediately felt the dry heat of a semi‑arid climate. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the town sits at 33.95°N, -117.4°W, elevation about 830 ft, and the map below shows where i am standing near mount rubidoux.
someone told me that the old mission downtown is actually a hidden art gallery, and if you get bored, San Bernardino, Orange, and Palm Springs are just a short drive away. the weather here is a mix of hot dry summers that can hit the mid‑95s and mild wet winters that rarely drop below 36°F, with about 11‑15 inches of rain a year and 277 sunny days. the nearby mountains get a dusting of snow in winter, which is surprising for this part of california. i ate a taco from a street vendor that tasted like it was cooked on a desert grill, and the local coffee shop served a brew that tasted like burnt caramel but somehow worked. the population is around 314,998, diverse and suburban, and the vibe feels like a laid‑back version of a larger city with mountain views. i noticed the streets are lined with palm trees and the air smells like eucalyptus after a rainstorm. if you love sunshine, you will love the 277 days of it, but bring water because the heat can be relentless. the city is close to the santa ana river, so you can find little parks along its banks. someone told me that the best tacos are at a place called "taco haven" but i never found it, maybe it’s just a rumor. the surrounding area includes mountains like mount rubidoux, which you can hike and see snow on the peaks in january. the climate index says it’s one of the most comfortable places in the us, with a score of 8.7 out of 10. the nearby cities of los angeles and san diego are easy to reach, about 60 miles and 47 miles away respectively. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. anyway, that’s my messy take on riverside, stay hydrated and enjoy the weird mix of desert and mountain.
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