Dave,
I would suggest that you organise travel insurance which includes risks when flying as aircrew. I always use Pentagon Insurance in Guernsey. I believe my last years worth of world wide cover including medical repatriation and millions of quids worth of cover was £98.00GBP
Adding some of my comments ref flying SW USA, Palm Springs is an interesting destination. If you are getting from the LA Basin area through the Banning Pass, you will need to be at a good altitude, I seem to recall in excess of 5000. Once through the pass, route round to the south side near the cliffs, They are quite impressive. Zillions of wind generators. Airport arrives out of the heat haze just in front.
Departing, do a thorough perf calculation. It was 120 or so in the shade when I was there, flying a Warrior with just one passenger it took me about twenty minutes just to climb back to 5000+ for the return trip to Long Beach.
Dont miss a visit to Chino - the Museum is Superb.
Tailwinds.
