I took off with friend Christian Mulkey on my 33rd birthday, riding dual-sport motorcycles towards Idyllwild for a night, partly as a test ride for a new bike. We cut through Temecula and rode the Palms to Pines highway, a beautiful stretch of pavement that takes you from the desert floor to the forested mountains. We cruised back down the next morning, stopping for breakfast at a country cafe , and were home in time for fireworks on the 4th.